Chapter 1

ONE

Crescent Lake 5 Miles

So close and yet so far away. It had been an eternal drive. My GPS had gone out three times in the dense treelines of this ridiculously out of the way area of New York.

I was used to loud city streets, darting across four lanes of traffic against the blinking walk sign and hoping for the best, and most of all, a freaking cell signal.

Did this town even have a cell tower?

I swore as my phone went into SOS mode for the fourth time.

"Now is the important part, you stupid piece of crap."

I pulled off the side of Lakeview Road at what seemed to be a rest area or something small town-ish. At least I was pretty sure that was the last road mentioned before my phone went on the fritz. I unplugged my phone and huffed my way up the incline to the stone wall and held up my phone to see if I could possibly wave a single bar into my phone.

"C'mon." I held it up and twisted around, pacing up and down along the wall as the single bar of service flickered on and off. Disgusted, I dropped my hand and shoved my phone into my dress pants pocket.

I'd been driving in my court clothes for the last five hours. I was wrinkled and more than wilted and I just wanted to make it to my little lakeside cottage in this…

I paused at the stone wall and my breath caught. Now that I wasn't ranting in my head about my stupid cell signal, I got a good look at Crescent Lake. More like Crescent Ocean from this vantage point. It was massive. The endless horizon of calm blue was spectacular. A bird coasted above the water, its long legs skimming the ripples before it snatched some sea—err, lake creature with its crazy accurate feet.

Was that a heron?

I had researched birds for one of my books set in the fake small town of my book series. We'd created an amalgam of places from the Adirondacks.

We .

Me and Jenelle.

No longer the we .

I tipped my head back and lifted my face to the fall sun. It was a warm day in the last week of September. The first official day of my new career alone.

As of this morning at the courthouse in Manhattan, we had dissolved our entire business and all our assets. Jenelle had been my business partner and co-writer for the last eight years. Until New Year's, I had thought she was also my best friend.

Hell, we'd been married for all intents and purposes.

Everything had been intertwined from our finances to our sixty-some-odd books. A girl lost count after twenty, by the way. Especially when we'd had such plans for the future. We had built many series between us.

And now… I had half of our catalog. Well, less than half.

I had gone hard at her to get the rights to our Sara Springs series. Sacrificing over twenty of our more current books to get my hands on it.

The one thing I had created mostly by myself.

One of the few things that didn't have an avalanche of memories attached to it.

It also might save my career.

If I could get my head on straight.

I hadn't written a word since that night in January. When Jenelle had cut me in half.

I dug into the stone before me until the tips of my fingers throbbed in reaction. Was I like a starfish and would regenerate? Or would I only be half a person? I was determined to figure which it would be this fall and winter.

In Crescent Cove.

If I ever found my damn cottage.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and frowned down at it. I'd definitely have to figure out what cell service the locals used here. Evidently, mine was not it. Not to mention the ancient phone I had. It was about five iterations old on the iPhone front.

My phone had one purpose—I used it when I was outside of my apartment. The rest of the time I had my iPad or my computer handy. And blessed wi-fi that almost never let me down.

The fact that I'd rarely left my apartment in Manhattan for the last nine months had left little need for my cell. My DoorDash and ChowNow apps took care of my food because cooking was just depressing in my postage-stamp sized kitchen.

I could barely fit a toaster and my coffee maker on my two-foot counter.

But if I could ever find stupid Vista Lane, then I could actually enjoy the kitchen and maybe even cook a fall meal.

My stomach roared at the idea of it.

Of course that would mean I'd have to find a place for groceries, but that was a problem for future Rita. If and when I actually found the place I'd rented on the lake.

I started to make my way back down to the little SUV I'd bought today. The incline had been more intense than I thought and didn't exactly go well with the four-inch heels I'd worn to court.

This entire drive into Crescent Cove had been based on impulse. I wasn't actually due to be here until October for a photo shoot for a calendar. Not only had my own personal business fallen into shambles, but the original photo shoot for this calendar had gone sideways.

Chaos.

So much chaos in my life.

I finally reached the bottom in my tiny shuffling steps as a cruiser rolled to a stop behind Betty.

That was my new HR-V's name. She was cherry in every way from the color to the bells and whistles inside. Sexy as far as vehicles went, anyway. She deserved a fun and sexy name.

Had the red attracted the attention of the police for some reason?

"Great, just a little more chaos for my day," I muttered. I pasted a smile on my face as I shaded my eyes against the afternoon sun. "Hello, Officer."

I hoped my voice didn't seem as salacious as it sounded in my head. Because he was a big bit of beautiful on this fine fall day. Broad-shouldered with a dark uniform shirt tucked into very appealing jeans. Aviator sunglasses hid his eyes, but everything else was quite delicious.

"Ma'am. Are you having trouble?"

"No, why?" I pulled my zip hoodie closed as I folded my arms. The breeze was much cooler off the water.

"Just noticed you'd been pulled off here for a fair bit of time, just making sure you're all right."

"Oh."

I definitely wasn't used to anyone caring about my well being. Living alone in Manhattan meant I was lucky to get a grunt of a greeting on the street, and mostly, it was a get out of the way warning for those who walked at Mach speed.

The hulking man frowned at me. "Ma'am?"

"Sorry. I'm fine. I've just been driving for hours, and I'm a little tired."

He squinted at me. "Should you be driving if you're impaired?"

"What? No. I'd say it's my butt that's more tired than anything." I dug into my pocket for my phone. "And I lost my signal so I pulled off to get my GPS to start working again."

"Did that work?"

"No. No, it did not," I said with a little laugh. "Evidently, this part of New York doesn't like my carrier."

"You probably just need to update your phone. Where are you from?"

"Manhattan," I mumbled with a frown. "Is that a thing?"

"To pick up the current cell towers in the area? Yeah, it helps. I will say this part of town tends to work better with a certain carrier."

"Keeping it a secret?" I asked with a grin.

"Are you moving to the area, ma'—"

"Call me ma'am again, and you're going to hurt my feelings."

His cheeks colored slightly, and I couldn't resist a larger smile. Was this how small-town men were built or was he an outlier?

I wasn't sure what had gotten into me. I was a step away from flirting with this wall of gorgeous.

My gaze tripped down to his hand at his side and noticed a ring. Typical.

The thought of a fun little fling while I was in town had its merits. Hell, a flirtation felt beyond my scope at this point. I'd been a near shut-in for months now, and the rarified air of this small town had activated my libido. I was used to the smog and exhaust from Times Square when I actually left my apartment.

"Miss?"

"Rita Savage. I'm going to be in town for a few months staying at a cottage on Vista Way." I waggled my phone. "GPS picks up nada on this thing. It's practically a brick."

I had blurted all my business to a near stranger. Also not like me.

"Ahh, Judy and Kelly's place. You're close, actually. Just follow Lakeview Road around for about two miles give or take. You'll see a massive orange oak tree and the turn is just past that."

I sagged in relief. So, I wasn't completely lost. "Thanks, Officer…"

"Masterson." He gave me a little salute with two fingers. "Welcome to Crescent Cove, Miss Savage." He headed back to his cruiser with Crescent Cove Police Department splashed across the side. He paused before he opened his door. "Depending on how long you're sticking around, the secret is AT&T."

I laughed. "Good to know."

"Tell Judy Christian says hello. And to keep Bruce on his leash."

"Husband?"

He laughed. "You'll see."

I frowned and let out a huffing laugh. "I guess I will."

He got in his cruiser and pulled away. Even used his blinker. I filed that away in the card catalog that was my brain. Seeing small town things firsthand might be just what I needed to get words to actually start flowing again.

I'd never been in such a drought. Even during a bout of burnout, it had only been a few months. Over nine months felt like a lifetime.

I climbed back into Betty and carefully backed down to the road. The new Sabrina Carpenter album was my soundtrack, thanks to my downloaded Spotify playlists.

It was well after three, and the sun was already getting low in the sky. Now that I wasn't panicking about where the heck I was, I took in the startling foliage around the lake.

Bright yellows, fiery reds, and burning oranges dotted both sides of the two-lane road. Across from the lake were a number of developments with cookie cutter houses, which probably included two kids and a dog in most of the homes.

But each house had a yard—and not a small one from what I could see from my vantage point. So very different from Manhattan. The only grass we had were anemic patches around trees in the cement walkways or sports fields.

Central Park wasn't exactly one of my go-to places.

Hell, I didn't really get around much on the day-to-day. I traveled for research with… Nope.

I shook my head firmly. I wasn't going to think about all the research trips I took with my ex-best friend.

I was here to forget about all that.

To find out who Rita Savage was without Jenelle Matthews.

I glanced down at my dash to see I'd only gone a mile. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to see a bigger orange tree than the seventeen I'd just passed.

Old oaks were jumbled with maple trees and a dozen other varieties that I'd have to look up. Details were important if I was going to use this town for some inspiration.

Ash, maybe?

As I made it around the curve, there was a rocky beach with reeds and tall swaying grass, making a picture-perfect snapshot. If I wasn't driving, I would have taken a photo. Especially when the ducks swam out onto the lake with a half dozen juveniles following suit. I was a little disappointed that they weren't cute little ducklings. Probably too late for that with winter a few short months away.

Regardless, Crescent Lake was a damn postcard.

Instantly, my mood lifted as I focused back on the road. There had only been a handful of cars on the road with me, and I took the opportunity to meander my way along Lakeview.

Worriedly, I glanced down at my dash to see I'd definitely hit the two-mile mark.

"Where was that damn tree…" I trailed off as what had to be the orange tree came into view.

It was a stately old oak tree with a staggering trunk that had to be at least six of me wide. I mean, I was pretty petite, but holy cow. The branches reached high into the sky and stood well above most of the others, save a few pine trees.

"Magnificent," I whispered and turned down the volume as the sign for Vista Way came into view right after the tree just as the officer—Christian—had stated.

I let out a small sigh. Whoever had the matching ring to his was a lucky woman.

I took the turn slowly as blacktop became gravel. The stones tinked and popped under my SUV. I winced, glad I'd gotten the extra protection for the undercarriage. Between that and salt, Betty needed the extra help.

New York's winters were no joke, especially since Crescent Cove sat directly in the center of a snow belt, according to my research. Apparently, I'd learn just what lake effect snow meant.

I wasn't entirely sure what I was going to do with the vehicle when I went back to Manhattan. Parking was murder in the city. But that was a problem for future Rita.

Future Rita was going to give me a stern talking to, I was pretty sure.

An explosion of hearty Black Eyed Susans with their dark centers and happy butter yellow blooms waved me in closer. Tall lavender flowers seemed to be a little worse for the wear since fall was in full effect, but the blooms were still hanging in. They framed the white picket fence.

An actual white picket fence.

I wasn't sure Crescent Cove would be believable, even in fiction. The town was insanely bucolic. But then the cottage came into view and my mind went blessedly blank.

A feat since it was a wild and noisy place at the best of times. And it had not been the best of times for a good long while.

The blond shingles were a little worn due to the water and wind that came off the lake, but they were delightfully perfect. The shape of the house reminded me of a barn, but instead of the typical rustic doors, it had a pair of white French doors that modernized the cottage. Two cobalt blue Adirondack chairs were arranged on the stone porch in front of the cottage with a fire pit between them.

Charming lantern sconces were on either side of the doors. Cheerful burgundy and yellow mums burst from barrels, framing the walkway up to the house. A small sign on the fence declared it was Vista Cottage parking only.

Looked like this was the right place. There was a larger house farther up the lane, but it was hidden by overgrown bushes and another huge tree, this one with deep reddish-purple leaves.

I spotted a rust-red truck along the side of what would be my cottage for the next few months on what looked like a smaller access road.

I turned off my SUV and slipped out. The fresh scent of water hit me right in the face, followed by a bracing wind that set my shoulder-length hair dancing.

I turned into the breeze, brushing my hair out of my face and got my first look at the lake view from the cottage. I followed the stone path to another set of Adirondack chairs, this time, in lemon yellow. No fire pit this time, just the pair of chairs settled in front of the awesome view. I didn't realize I'd climbed up so far on the drive. The lake was far below with a winding stairway that led to a dock that widened into a small deck, perfect for a boat launch minus the boat.

Seemed a little chilly for sailing this time of year, so it was probably put away for the season.

Or there were people who came with a boat. I couldn't imagine that. How did anyone store such a thing?

I'd had trouble justifying my new car, for God's sake.

A deep, soulful bark knocked me out of my musings. I turned to find a chocolate-colored bear tearing around the side of the house and coming straight at me.

"Bruce!" A woman's voice rose from near the truck.

The dog, Bruce, I presumed, didn't give a damn about the sharp order. I glanced around, looking for somewhere to hide.

I was pretty sure the Adirondack chairs weren't going to save me. I wouldn't make it back to my truck in these stupid heels. Instead, I closed my eyes and braced for impact.

When it didn't happen, I opened one eye. Hot breath steamed against my dress pants as the bear…er, Newfoundland, perhaps, sat in front of me, sweet as you please, with his huge pink tongue lolling out of his jowled maw.

"I'm so sorry! He's sweet, I promise." A woman came running after him, with gray-streaked ginger hair. She wore bibbed overalls and a pink T-shirt with a dusky pink flannel flying behind her. "Bruce, you sit there and don't jump?—"

Suddenly, Bruce slapped massive furry paws on my thighs and knocked me back a step. Lucky for me, the chair was right behind me, and I fell into the deep seat instead of landing on the grass. I squeaked and then I had a lap full of dog with slobber dripping onto my gray silk Stella McCartney blouse.

"Bruce." The woman finally got to me and tried to wrangle the dog, but Bruce wasn't interested in moving.

"Well, hello, Bruce." I dug my fingers into his thick fur. "My new friend Christian told me to be on the lookout for you." I peered around him. "Christian says hi and that you should have him on a leash."

The woman's face pinked up. "He never leaves my side unless…"

I grinned. "Unless a new person distracts him?"

Bruce put his massive head on my shoulder and leaned on me, hard. I couldn't resist a hug. It had been so very long since I'd been hugged by anyone and just then, a dog counted times a million. My eyes stung and I had to fight the urge not to tear up. Instead, I slipped my arms around the fluffy beast and let myself be hugged—and drooled on.

I was already a wrinkled mess, what was a little drool?

The woman sighed. "Welcome to Vista Cottage. You've met Bruce and I'm Kelly. My wife Judy is in the house. We just filled up your fridge."

"Oh, you didn't have to do that." But the gratitude of not having to find food almost made me cry a second time.

"You rented us out for three months. It was the least we could do."

After Bruce gave me a very thorough lick, he jumped off me to wander over to a sunny patch of grass. He settled down with a groan, then he closed his big, tiger-colored eyes.

I rested my hands on the wide arms of the chair. Suddenly, I felt immeasurably tired.

"I wasn't sure about your dietary restrictions, but I took a chance. I made a nice big lasagna for you."

I tipped my head back. "Now I'm really going to cry."

"Oh, honey. Don't do that." She reached down to me to help me out of the chair. "We figured you'd be tired after your trip in."

"You have no idea." I was pretty sure I'd been tired for close to a year.

"Then let's get you inside and settled."

I stood and glanced over at Bruce who was already asleep. "Will he be okay?"

"Absolutely. He sleeps about twenty hours a day. He's due for his afternoon nap."

"I'm tempted to join him."

"You're on vacation, you get to do whatever it is you want. Let me help you with your bags."

"There's not much."

Kelly glanced over her shoulder. "But you're staying for months."

"I know. It was kind of impromptu. I figured I'd find a Target or department store for some clothes."

She frowned. "You're not on the run, are you?"

I laughed. I was, kind of. I'd simply left the courthouse and Ubered to a car dealership, and here I was. "Just from life. No laws broken, I promise."

Her softly lined face spread into a smile with a dimple in her left cheek. "Darn. Thought it was going to get interesting around here for once." She hooked her arm around my shoulders. "We'll give you the skinny on the shops in Crescent Cove. I bet we can get you outfitted in no time."

"That sounds really nice. I just have my laptop bag and my purse in the car. Oh, and shameful bag full of candy from a drugstore raid."

Kelly laughed. "I bet I can find you an old pair of sweatpants to cover you tonight until you go out tomorrow. And wait until you see the shower in your suite. Or, if you like, there's a big, jetted tub too."

"This is not going to staunch my tears, Kelly."

She laughed. "This cottage has put more than one person back together over the years. I bet it will be just what you need."

I let her lead me inside. For the first time, hope felt within my grasp.

Tomorrow would be better. I was sure of it.