2. Luke

2

LUKE

L uke Hayes woke Thanksgiving morning at the first light of dawn. He pulled up the shade in his bedroom, surprised to see snow had fallen overnight, blanketing his family’s farm and barn in white. Thanksgiving with snow? He couldn’t remember a time when it had snowed this early. Lily would be thrilled. His four-year-old daughter had been praying for snow for weeks. It touched his heart to hear her plea for a winter wonderland, but he hadn’t believed it possible.

He dressed in a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, preparing for his morning routine. If he hustled, he could finish before lunch and take Lily sledding in the afternoon.

The last few weeks, he’d been struggling with a melancholy he couldn’t seem to shake. His life had not turned out as he’d hoped. It was the truth. As the years went by, he felt more like a failure with every passing day. He was a thirty-six-year-old man, divorced, with sole custody of Lily, and he lived with his parents. For God’s sake, he slept in his childhood room, with Lily across the hallway in what had once been his brother Logan’s room.

His ex-wife had left him and Lily when their infant was only a few weeks old. Sarah had told him from the beginning that she didn’t want children, and he’d agreed, hoping deep down that she would change her mind. Yes, that was a mistake. One of many, as it turned out. Then, even with birth control, Sarah had gotten pregnant, only months into their marriage. She’d wanted to terminate the pregnancy, but Luke had begged her to go through with it. She’d reluctantly agreed. Regardless, throughout the pregnancy, she was disengaged from him and life in general. In fact, she’d seemed in denial that a baby was actually growing inside her.

He’d thought that once the baby arrived, Sarah would change her mind. He’d heard of men and women who fell instantly in love with their infant. That would be the case with Sarah. It had to be. What mother would ever leave her baby? He’d been very wrong. So wrong.

“I didn’t want to be a mother. I never did. I told you that from the beginning.”

Those were her parting words. Leaving him no choice but to raise Lily on his own. Truth be told, if it hadn’t been for his mother, he would have been utterly lost. Grace Hayes had insisted he and Lily move in with them. While he worked the farm and their family business, she took care of the baby. More than she should, really. His mother adored Lily. A girl, finally. After raising four rough-and-tumble boys, Grace delighted in every pink sweater and tulle skirt.

The farm had been in the family for generations, and Luke had taken over most of the operation now that his dad was slowing down. His father convinced him that it would be good for all of them if Luke were to take the leadership role and management of the day-to-day workings of the farm.

“Maple syrup farm’s a young man’s game,” Walter said.

His father had admitted he wanted more time for his hobbies, fishing and birdwatching. Luke figured as hard as his dad had worked all his adult life, it was about time he retired. Taking over the farm had been Luke’s intention all along, but he’d assumed his brothers might want a part in the business as well. However, that worry was unfounded. No one but him had shown any interest in maple syrup.

The house was quiet, with everyone but him was still sound asleep. He stopped in to see Lily first before going downstairs, careful not to step on the creaking floorboard next to her door. She was tucked into her twin bed, surrounded by her stuffed animals. They all had names, which she shared with him from time to time, lest he forget.

Good Lord, he loved her. If his schedule allowed, he could watch her sleep for the entire day. But chores awaited, so he quietly shut the door to her room and walked down the hall in his stocking feet.

The first light of dawn filtered through the frost-covered windows as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Bless his mother—she always made it the night before and set the timer so that it was brewed and hot for him by 6:00 a.m. He stood in the kitchen looking out the window, surprised to see the snow had started again. Fat and lazy, the snowflakes fell one after the other.

Luke reached into the refrigerator for cream, managing to avoid brushing against a giant raw turkey that would soon go in the oven. He cut himself a large piece of his mother’s banana bread and sat at the long, sturdy wooden table, its surface marked with the faint nicks and scratches of years of family meals, holiday gatherings, and baking sessions.

When Luke and his father had remodeled the kitchen, Grace had insisted on keeping the table. Too many family memories had been enjoyed at that table, she’d said. “Like me, she’s a little old and battered but can still get the job done.”

In general, Luke was enormously proud of the work they’d done. They’d managed to incorporate some of the original kitchen into the updated version. They’d kept the original brick hearth, which now framed the modern stove. Wide-plank wood floors remained but had been refinished and painted with a dark stain. New sleek appliances, a double-door stainless steel refrigerator, a matching oven, and a stovetop. Best of all? An apron-front style sink.

The cabinets were a soft cream color, with antique brass handles. Grace loved them, which made Luke chuckle. Open shelves held a mix of ceramic dishes, mason jars filled with dried goods, and a few well-worn cookbooks, alongside modern touches such as glass containers and stainless steel gadgets. White granite countertops were cluttered with spice jars, flour and sugar containers, a well-used stand mixer, several open cookbooks, and bowls of fresh fruit.

Somewhat chaotic? Yes. He preferred neat and tidy. But his mother’s kitchen was for “practical use, not a television show.” Grace’s words. Today, the kitchen would be particularly full as his mother prepared her Thanksgiving feast. He could hardly wait.

The remodel had made his mother happy, which meant it made the rest of them happy too. After all, she’d taken such good care of them when they were growing up, she deserved the best. Even now, she looked after her giant sons. Whenever any of the boys were in need, she brought them into this kitchen and nourished hearts, stomachs, and souls.

He drank the rest of his coffee and had another piece of banana bread. In the mudroom, he tugged on his work boots and gloves and donned his worn work jacket. Frigid air blasted his face and ears.

While his brothers had all wanted to have professions outside of maple syrup, he’d never had such ambition. He’d known from the time he was a little boy that this was where he belonged. Had it cost him to choose an unusual path? Sure. If he’d been a professional like his brother Logan, who owned a family law practice in town, or his brother Nolan, the smartest of all of them, who now taught English literature at the college a few towns over, he might be more financially successful but the idea of sitting in an office all day sounded horrible. They gave Nolan a lot of grief for his PhD, calling him “Dr. Hayes” in mock snooty voices. Nolan didn’t care. He was too easygoing and affable to have his feathers ruffled. As the youngest of four, with three headstrong brothers, he’d had to adapt. Or perhaps he’d been born that way.

He and his brother Max, only two years younger than Luke, had been and still were the ones tied to the land and the little town. After he’d graduated from college with a business degree, Max had traveled around the world for a few years. But he’d come home finally. And he’d surprised the entire family when he bought the local country store. Max sold anything a person could want: local cheeses, fishing supplies, wine, and fresh produce. It was a local gathering spot, too, with old men playing checkers and gossiping and young people huddled on the grass or at outside tables giggling their heads off.

Luke reached the barn and swung open the door, greeted by the familiar smell of hay and earth. Inside, the horses stirred, their breath misting in the cold air. He grabbed a pitchfork and began mucking out the stalls. Once the stalls were clean, he headed to the sugar bush, where the maple trees stood tall. Sap wouldn’t start flowing for another few months, so he used these slow months to check and repair equipment, clear access roads, and prepare the sugarhouse for the upcoming sugaring season.

Next, Luke headed over to the bottling and packaging building, just to peek in and make sure everything was set up for Black Friday. Today, he’d given all the staff the day off. Tomorrow, their usual personel would arrive in addition to a dozen seasonal workers he’d hired for the holidays. Christmas season was busy and always kicked off on the day after Thanksgiving. From then until the new year, their employees would be swamped putting together gift baskets.

For fear of being immodest, he had to admit, it had been the gift baskets that saved the family business. Although they had a good local reach of supermarkets and specialty shops, plus restaurants, he’d needed something to diversify or they’d never have grown the way he wanted them to.

After some thought, he’d decided to go all in with retail and tourism. He’d modeled the retail business after Harry & David and a few others. The key was creating visually appealing gift boxes and baskets that were filled with delicious treats. Over the last few years, he’d brokered partnerships with four other local businesses to add variety to their offerings. They included, in addition to their syrup, a local barbecue and hot sauce company that used their syrup in the recipes, a jam and jelly maker who incorporated syrup as sweeteners, and a maple mustard maker who combined the sharpness of mustard with the sweetness of syrup. Together, they made one fine basket.

Although they’d never done anything like it before, and Luke had been nervous to implement something new, it has been a smashing success. They’d doubled their revenue in the first year and added another 25 percent in each subsequent year.

Yep. The gift fulfillment part of the business had saved the farm.

By the time he returned to the house, the snow had begun to fall in earnest. His mother was in the kitchen, frying bacon, and the smell drifted out to meet him as he approached the door.

He shrugged out of his jacket and took off his boots, leaving them in the mudroom so he didn’t track anything in and irritate the queen. Lily was sitting at the table, her hair already neatly combed and braided, thanks to his mother. She sleepily sipped at a glass of milk. Upon seeing him, she scooted from her chair to run and greet him, throwing her arms around his legs. Luke picked her up and gave her a squeeze and kiss. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning, Daddy.” She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, pressing her soft cheek to his. “Are you cold?”

“Not me. I’m too ornery to be cold.”

“What’s on or we?” Lily asked.

“Kind of old and grumpy,” Luke said.

“You’re not grumpy, Daddy.”

His mother laughed, waving her spatula in their direction. “He’s not old either. It’s all perspective, love. Someday, you’ll understand.”

His father sat at the table, too, reading The New York Times on his tablet. Luke still found it hard to believe Walter Hayes had transitioned from the old-school paper, but his love of the earth’s resources trumped any ties he had to the past.

“Everything good?” his dad asked without looking up.

“Yeah, everything’s in good shape.” Luke kissed the top of Lily’s head before setting her down. “We’ll need to replace some lines before the sap runs, but nothing major.”

His dad grunted in approval. “Good work, kid.”

“Thanks, Pop.”

It was the least he could do. After all, he lived here for free, and his mother took care of Lily. Even if his heart hadn’t belonged to every square inch of this farm, he’d have been obligated to serve.

“I invited Abby Parker and the kids for dinner,” his mother said. “She finally arrived last night after a long car trip.”

“Yeah? How is she?” Luke asked. Every time he thought about those poor kids losing their sweet mother it was enough to make him cry. They’d all been relieved to hear that Ramona had laid it all out in her will after her husband died. The cousin had agreed to take them upon the event of her death. None of them would have ever thought it would be necessary, but tragedy had struck. Why did some families have to lose so much? First Afghanistan took their dad, and then some kind of undiagnosed heart condition killed their mother. It wasn’t fair.

“She’s nice,” Grace said. “Very intelligent. Strangely enough, Sophie looks a lot like her—they’re both blond with big blue eyes. Poor woman is like a deer in the headlights though. She told me she knows nothing about children. I got the feeling she focused mostly on school and her career. I told her to reach out for help any time she needs it.”

Walter lifted his head from his Spelling Bee puzzle. “What does she do for work?”

“She’s just graduated from veterinarian school,” Grace said. “Poor thing’s had her whole world turned upside down. She didn’t say, but I have a feeling she gave up a lot to come here.”

“There’s worse places in the world to live if you’re a vet,” Luke said. “Folks around here always need a good one.”

“Yes, I’m going to suggest that she apply for a job with Doc Ford,” Grace said.

“Good idea,” Walter said. “That guy’s even older than me.”

By that afternoon, there was a good foot of snow on the ground. His mother, busy preparing the food, alongside Nolan, who loved to cook, asked him to take Lily out as she was underfoot.

“You want to build a snowman, Lily?” Luke asked. “And maybe go sledding?”

She squealed. Clearly, the answer was yes.

A few minutes later, he had her in her snowsuit, boots, and knit cap tugged over her ears. They trudged out past the barn, where a gently sloped hill was perfect for small children. When she was a few years older, Luke might consider letting her go to the hill behind the elementary school, but for now this would do.

“Do you want to go down the hill by yourself?” Luke asked, wondering if he should take one or two sleds from the storage bin.

“I don’t know.” Lily looked up at him, worry in her eyes.

“You don’t have to.” In fact, he’d rather she didn’t. She could get hurt if she fell off the thing. However, his mother often told him he was too protective of her. She needs to know she can do new things. When you act scared, she will too.

His mother didn’t hold back with the parenting advice. However, she did raise four sons who were for the most part well-adjusted, contributing members of society. As much as it irked him at times to have her give unsolicited feedback, he was smart enough to know whom he should listen to and whom to dismiss. The judgy mothers at preschool, however, were not on the list.

“Me and you go together? Like before?” Lily asked.

He hesitated, unsure if he should encourage her to go alone. She was only four. Going down with her daddy wasn’t out of the ordinary. Right? “You got it.” Luke grabbed only one of the sleds and headed toward the hill, holding on to Lily’s mittened hand as they trudged through the snow. Selfishly, he was glad she still wanted to go with him. Last year, they’d had such fun together. He’d put her on his lap, and they’d sailed down the hill, her squealing and giggling. However, she’d changed so much in a year’s time. Who knew what she would be like a year from now? Instinct told him to cherish these moments. Children’s growth marked time like no other. It was his job to raise her to be independent from him, to go out into the world and make her way. The idea of being apart from her made his chest ache.

When they reached the top of the hill, he glanced toward the Ellison place. A sliver of smoke rose from Ramona’s chimney. His chest ached. He still couldn’t believe she was gone. It wasn’t that they were best friends or anything, but his mother always invited her and the kids to family holidays, and he liked her very much. The children were particularly sweet as well. He worried about them. Although Lily’s mother had left them, she had him and his mother and father, not to mention his brothers. Those two would only have a woman who, from what he’d understood, was basically a stranger. His gaze shifted to the fence that separated the two properties. There was a section that looked as if it had been trampled, leaving an opening. Odd. He hadn’t noticed it yesterday. When had that happened?

“Daddy, my is hand cold.”

He looked down to see that she didn’t have one of her mittens on. “What happened to your glove?”

She shrugged. “I do not know.”

He looked behind them, spotting a dot of red on the snow. “I see it. It must have fallen out of your pocket. I thought I told you to wear them the whole time?”

“Itchy.”

“Stay here, okay? I’ll get it. Stay exactly here. Do you understand?”

“I will, Daddy.”

He trudged through the snow, grateful it was the dry variety and easy to maneuver through. When he reached the mitten, he scooped it up, shook it, and stuffed it into his pocket. Before he could take a step, however, he heard a dog bark, followed by Lily calling out. “Daddy, look. A dog’s coming.” Lily’s voice was full of delight, and before he could register what was happening, a large yellow Lab barreled toward her, tail wagging. A giant dog. Who pounced on top of his little girl. Lily fell flat on her back and started screaming.

He cursed under his breath. As best he could, he ran through the snow toward her. His pulse raced. A vein throbbed on one side of his forehead. What if he bit her? Her precious face. Or limbs. What kind of beast took down a small child? By the time he reached them, Lily was still under the furry fiend, flailing her arms and legs.

The unleashed dog. The possible killer.

Although now that he was closer, he could see that Lily was not screaming out of terror but glee. Lily and the yellow fur ball were rolling around in the snow like a couple of puppies. The ridiculous dog had the nerve to thump his tail and look up at him as if they were friends.

“Are you okay?” He dropped to his knees beside Lily. She was already sitting up, laughing, completely unfazed.

“I’m okay, Daddy!” Lily grinned, pushing the dog’s big, dumb head away. “He’s just happy. He likes me.”

Luke exhaled and uncurled his balled fists. The dog wasn’t actually a threat—just overly friendly. He let out a long breath, glancing around to see where the animal had come from. That was when he saw her. A woman in a black jacket and blue cap rushing toward them from the other side of the fence, her cheeks flushed with cold and possibly embarrassment as they should be.

“Rufus, come,” she said, shouting.

Rufus. Perfect name for the troublemaker.

Rufus had no intention of coming. In fact, Rufus rolled onto his back, looking up at Luke with what could only be interpreted as a grin and a request for a belly rub.

“I am so, so sorry.” Rufus’s owner panted as she stopped in front of them. “He gets a little overexcited. Is she all right?”

Luke rose to his feet, his jaw tight. Regardless of intent, this stranger’s dog had knocked his daughter over, which made him dangerous. And Luke furious.

“Why isn’t he on a leash?” Luke asked through clenched teeth.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know the fence was broken, or he would have been on a leash.” She peered up at him through eyes the color of a hazy summer sky. Really thick lashes. One of those cute, slightly upturned noses. Pretty teeth, too.

He blinked. Focus . This woman was a completely irresponsible dog owner, even if she was drop-dead gorgeous.

“He could have seriously hurt her.” Luke scowled at her, forcing himself to stay angry. As much as he wished he hadn’t noticed, it was impossible not to take in her flawless skin, flushed from cold. Her blue cap that matched her eyes. Long honey-hued hair cascaded over her shoulder. She looked vaguely familiar as if he’d known her from somewhere else. Had he?

“No, no. He’s gentle. It’s just that he loves children and gets excited. Our old neighborhood in LA had a lot of kids, and he’s accustomed to playing with them.”

Los Angeles? Why was she in Sugarville Grove? “Who are you? And what are you doing on the Ellisons’ property?” He narrowed his eyes, unsure whether he wanted to sound as intimidating as he currently suspected he was.

She lifted her chin, glaring right back at him. “I’m Abby Parker. Ramona Ellison’s cousin. I just arrived last night.”

This was the cousin? He’d imagined her middle-aged and frumpy. He wasn’t sure why. “Oh, okay. Sorry. Didn’t realize it was you.”

“I’m just getting settled. The children are…” She didn’t finish her sentence, merely gestured toward the Ellisons’ farmhouse.

“Well, I’d suggest you figure out how to control your dog. I’d heard you were a veterinarian, but that can’t be correct.” That had come out harsher than he’d wished, but it was too late to take it back now.

“I have already apologized.” Her blue eyes hardened and glittered like the sun on snow. “And Lily doesn’t seem to mind.”

“I don’t mind, Daddy.” Lily now sat in the snow with Rufus beside her, acting as nice as could be. Typical.

“That’s neither here nor there,” Luke said. “This dog needs to learn some manners. Maybe take him to school?”

Abby winced and flushed a deeper pink. A very pretty flush. Darn. Her skin was luminescent, like an actress in a commercial for skin cream or something.

“Rufus has been to school. Like I said, he has a weakness for children. He sees them as puppies, I think.” Abby’s expression was now as chilly as the air.

“He likes me a lot, that’s why.” Lily giggled, patting Rufus’s head before wrapping her arm around his neck. “Can he come play at our house?”

Luke’s irritation wavered at Lily’s innocent request. A smile tugged at his mouth, but he resisted it, stuffing any generosity back inside himself. This woman had jeopardized Lily’s safety. Just because she was pretty, and Lily had obviously fallen hard for the unruly Rufus didn’t mean he should go all soft. “Maybe he can visit once he learns not to bowl people over.” Luke rubbed the back of his neck. “Anyway, welcome to Sugarville Grove.”

Abby stuck out her hand. “Thank you. You’re Luke, right?”

“That’s right.” He hesitated for a split second before shaking her hand. Her grip was firm, and her eyes glittered with obvious feistiness. This was no wilting rose. “And this is my daughter, Lily.”

“It’s nice to see you again. And to meet Lily. Hi, Lily. I’m sorry about Rufus.”

“Hi.” Lily flashed a smile. The girl never met a stranger. “I love Rufus, and he loves me.”

Had Abby said nice to see you again? “Have we met before?”

“I used to visit Ramona during the summer. But you may not remember. You were older and probably didn’t even know I was alive. Ramona and I were very close. Back then.” Abby wrapped her arms around her own waist. “I haven’t been here since my aunt’s funeral ten years ago.”

For a moment, it was as if Luke traveled back in time. He had an image of Ramona and this Abby at the lake. It had been summertime, and Abby had worn a polka-dot bikini. But she was right. He’d thought of them as children and himself as a mature college boy. “I do remember you.”

“Ramona and I had crushes on you and Max.”

“Really?” Luke rubbed his face with both gloved hands. “I don’t remember you looking like this.” Why had he said that?

“What does that mean?” Abby lifted that adorable, pointed chin and glared at him.

Luke swallowed. “I mean, you’re beautiful. Now, that is. You were a kid back then.”

She laughed, low and rumbly. “I wasn’t the cutest teenager ever. Kind of awkward with braces and pimples.”

“Not everyone’s best period,” Luke said.

“In your case? I’d have to disagree. Like I said, Ramona and I had big crushes on all of you Hayes boys.”

“I was very sorry about Ramona.” Luke’s voice cracked. “She was well loved in this town.”

“Thank you. It’s a difficult time for her kids, and I’m woefully inadequate as a substitute mother. I’m in way over my head.”

Her husky tone disarmed him. It wasn’t hard to conjure those months after Lily’s mother had left town. He’d been bereft. Utterly shattered. And quite sure he was completely inadequate as a father. The baby had only been a few weeks old, and suddenly, he had to raise an infant without her mother. Thank God for his own. He lowered his voice, so Lily wouldn’t hear, although she and Rufus were back to playing in the snow. “I felt that way after Lily’s mother left us. Lily was only a few weeks old.”

She gasped in obvious surprise and sympathy. “I’m so sorry. That must have been terrifying.”

“It was. But I got through it. You will, too. Pretty soon, you’ll feel like you have everything figured out. Sort of, anyway. You never quite feel like you’re a good enough parent. Being Lily’s dad is harder than anything I’ve ever done.”

She stared at him, looking rather like a startled animal.

“But I’m sure you’ll do fine,” Luke hastened to add.

“I’m not so sure of that. Not at all.” She squinted up toward the sky as if there were answers there. “The loss of both their parents—I don’t know how they can get through that kind of grief.”

“I’ve been wondering that too. My whole family’s been praying for them.” Luke had been devastated to hear John had been killed over in Afghanistan. After his death, Ramona moved back from Boston and had remained on her family’s farm since then. His mother and father had made it a point to look after them.

“John and Ramona were a great love story, that’s for sure. I keep thinking maybe they’re together now.” Abby tugged at her ear.

“Yeah. I hope so.” At Ramona’s funeral, he’d sunk into a sadness that had taken days to shake. The only thing that helped was thinking of the two of them dancing together in heaven. “You weren’t at the funeral. Why’s that?” Again, he sounded harsher than he meant to.

She glanced up at him, tears caught in her thick lashes. “I was on my way to Colorado to join my best friend’s vet practice. I was actually on the road there when I got the call from your brother. It had taken them a couple of days to find me. Ramona had an old phone number listed in her will. I was in the middle of nowhere with spotty cell service. By the time Logan reached me, it was too late to come. I didn’t want the funeral postponed because of me.”

Luke glanced at Lily. She and Rufus were running through the snow, playing chase. “The day was hard. Saddest thing I’ve ever seen was those two kids putting flowers on their mother’s casket.”

“Oh, God. Those poor babies.” Abby’s face crumpled, and her lip quivered as she drew in a deep breath, clearly trying not to cry.

“It was a beautiful memorial. My mom nearly made herself sick planning Ramona’s send-off. She kept repeating this one thing—Ramona’s life must be celebrated. At the church, a lot of folks got up and shared stories. Then, we had everyone back to the house for food and drinks, and people told more stories. I can only hope it was a comfort to her kids.”

“Thank goodness for your mother. She’s been incredible with Sophie and Jack.”

“That’s how she rolls.”

Abby touched her gloved fingers to the side of her face, gazing downward. “This has been a strange couple of days. I feel kind of like Alice falling through the hole.”

“Yes, it must seem unbelievable,” Luke said, honestly.

“That’s one way to put it.”

“Doesn’t seem fair.”

“It isn’t fair. Not one bit of it is—for any one of us. My mother used to say the measure of a person was how they dealt with adversity, but this seems too large a burden for innocent children.”

“You’ve had to give up a lot to be here. Don’t forget to take care of yourself in all this.”

Her eyes widened in obvious surprise. “Thank you. I’ll do my best. Anyway, I should get back to the house. I left the kids alone, thinking I only needed a minute or two for Rufus to do his business. I’m truly sorry Rufus knocked over Lily. I’ll try to figure out how to get the fence fixed.” Abby snapped her finger and thumb. “Let’s go, Rufus.” The obnoxious dog ambled to his feet, then licked Lily’s hand as if to remind her how devoted he was to her.

“Don’t worry about the fence. I’ll repair it for you,” Luke said. “Happens to be one of my specialties.”

She met his gaze, and it was like looking into the most beautiful blue water. He’d thought her eyes were the color of the sky, but they’d darkened into sapphires. “Really? I’d appreciate it. Thank you.”

“Are you planning to stay here?” Luke had not expected to ask the question, but it had tumbled out of him.

“I don’t see that I have a choice. Ripping the kids from their home would seem especially cruel. Don’t you think?”

“I do.”

“I know it’s best for the kids, but I don’t know how I’m going to make a living, let alone keep up with a run-down old house.”

“We’re all here for you. Anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. Also, I apologize for overreacting about Rufus.” In retrospect, Luke had to admit he’d acted like a total heel. This poor woman didn’t need him losing it over what was clearly a harmless dog who loved children. “I get a little weird about Lily. My mom says I’m overprotective.”

“It’s okay. I totally understand. She’s your little girl.”

“Regardless, my apologies for coming on so strong,” Luke said.

“It’s okay. I understand.”

Their eyes locked for a second or two, and an understanding passed between them—almost anything was forgivable when it came to protecting their children. He sensed something deeper, too. A soul connection? No, don’t be ridiculous. You’ve only just met her.

“My mom says you’re coming for Thanksgiving dinner?”

“That’s right,” Abby said.

“See you later, then. Come on, Lily.” Luke gestured for Lily to join him.

His daughter ran to him, nearly knocking him over when she wrapped her arms around his legs. “Put this on.” He handed her the wayward mitten. “Let’s get inside and warm up. We need to help Mimi get ready for Thanksgiving dinner.”

Lily gazed up at Abby. “You’re pretty.”

“Thank you. So are you,” Abby said.

“I know. Everyone says so.”

“Lily, really?” Luke rolled his eyes. “You’re not supposed to say that about yourself.”

“Why?” Lily asked.

“Um. I don’t know, actually.”

This made Abby laugh, which tickled him.

“Lily, don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise,” Abby said. “You’re beautiful inside and out.”

“Okay,” Lily said. “I won’t.”

He found himself not wanting to say goodbye to Abby, but he knew they must. “We’ll see you around four?”

“Sounds good,” Abby said. “Come on, Rufus. Let’s get you home before you cause any more trouble.”

“Bye, Abby. Bye, Rufus.” Lily leaned down to give Rufus one more hug.

“Bye, beautiful Lily.” Abby smiled at his little girl.

What a smile. Dazzling. Or something.

He watched Abby and Rufus head through the broken fence toward the Ellisons’ farmhouse. Why did he feel like a wrecking ball had just knocked into him? And that his life was about to drastically change because Abby Parker had arrived in Sugarville Grove?

Lily tugged on his sleeve. “Daddy?”

“Yeah?” He looked down at her, almost expecting her to have felt the shift, too.

“I have to go potty.”

He chuckled to himself. Clearly, Lily had not felt the seismic shift. Maybe he was imaging things, getting ahead of himself. Setting himself up for disappointment.

But a voice inside him whispered softly, No, she is going to change everything.