Josie fingered her pocket with the ominous note in it. She’d found it hanging in the mail slot when she woke up this morning. It was the third one she had found in the last two weeks. She tried to ignore the words scrawled angrily on the torn notebook paper.  It accused her of taking something important, and it all being her fault. She didn’t understand the cryptic message. It’s your fault and you’re going to pay for what you did. Josie could only hope that the threats and menacing notes would stop when she moved.

She shoved the last remaining box into the trunk of her small Ford Fiesta. The rest of what she needed would be shipped as soon as she had an address. She sighed deeply and took in her surroundings. The sun shone brightly in the fall blue sky, dried fallen leaves flittered across the ground dancing in the cool breeze. There was no doubt in her mind that she would miss her home and her hometown. But she couldn’t stay any longer. So much had happened over the past year, too many bad memories and unknown demons haunted here and she was ready for a fresh start. Her mom accused her of running away from her family and from God, and for no longer relying on her faith that had once been strong. Maybe her mom was right; she was running from all the things that haunted her. Her mom told her over and over again to pray, and that she was praying for her.

Josie felt that her prayers had gotten her nowhere. She nearly scoffed at the idea of praying for anything and winced inwardly when people said they’d be praying for her. Where was god when her brother lay dying in a hospital bed? Why hadn’t he answered her prayers and the prayers of her family and church? Surely he had heard them. Or maybe not, Josie was sure now that the prayers had simply bounced off the ceiling. But something stirred inside Josie and for a moment she wished that she had the faith of her mom, she wished that she could feel like she was close to the Lord again.

She inhaled the aroma of fall once more and wished more than anything that she could rewind the clock and go back in time. Fall used to be her favorite season, she used to love everything about it, but now all it held were fears and nightmares. Josie tugged her jacket a little closer when the chilled breeze blew and headed back into her now empty apartment.

"Paisley," she called after her orange tabby cat. She watched his tail disappeared around the corner of the hall way and into her former bedroom. "Come her boy," she coaxed. He managed to hide himself in the corner of the closet. Josie did sympathize with the poor thing. His whole world was changing, as was hers. Maybe she was crazy to have accepted a job in the heart of the Adirondacks, but something about the place seemed soothing, a retreat to get away from it all. She enjoyed the idea of starting fresh, meeting new people and leaving her past behind. But like Paisley she was filled with anxiety about the future. After a short tussle with the large cat she managed to get a hold of him and wrestle him into the soft cat carrier. "It’ll be a long ride bud, and I know how much you just LOVE car rides," she said sarcastically, "but we will be there before you know it."

Josie perched Paisley on the front seat, made sure the apartment was locked and everything was cleaned up. "Alright Paisley, we have nine hours of driving ahead of us, I think we need some good music or a good book to listen to, then lets get this show on the road."

The day dragged on and the highway stretched out in front of her like a never ending road. But Josie couldn’t help but admire her surroundings. The sun loomed low over the tree covered mountains and they shone like gold and rubies. The golden light was glorious, she wished that she hadn’t buried her camera so deep in the recesses of her car, she would love to capture the moment.

The GPS on her dash indicated that her exit was coming up soon. It would be a welcome relief from driving the highway. After driving for so long her eyes had become road weary and were starting to droop. The tall pine trees loomed over the mountain road she turned on and made the road appear darker as the sun was setting. The change in pace didn’t change the weariness that had settled over her. Josie’s eyes burned and longed to close for just a few moments. She shut her eyes for a split second, when he opened them she gasped and swerved to miss the deer that had jumped into the road. Her tires hit the gavel shoulder, she slammed her foot on the brake which cause the car to slid across the gravel as if it were ice. She reacted hastily by turning the steering wheel hard but it only made matters worse. The car spun and slid down an embankment straight toward a grove of pine trees. She tried regaining control of the car but decided not to fight it.

Her car whirled around and came to a rest before hurtling into the grove of pine trees. Instantly memories flooded her mind. She could hear and feel the crunch of metal; she felt the hard plastic of the car encasing her and the slivers of glass that showered over her glittered red and blue with the flashing lights. She heard the hum of emergency vehicles and the clanking of the extraction equipment echoed in her mind. She felt trapped and helpless; helpless in the hands of the paramedics and helpless to save her brother. Her breathing came fast and hard as she willed the images to go away, she shut her eyes and tried to make them stop. She could hear the shouts and cries of the workers as they tended to her and to her brother. In her semi-conscious state she heard what they were saying and understood every word.

A rap came at her car window making her jump bringing her back to the present. A tall figure attempted to open the door but it was locked. Josie grabbed the handle and opened the door from the inside; her hands and legs were trembling. The fear of the flashback caused her heart to race, her head spun and tears threatened to escape her eyes.

"Are you okay ma’am?" the deep voice asked. 

"I…I think so." She answered, Josie’s voice as a shaky as the rest of her body. Her heart pounded and she was breathing rapidly. Her head felt light and full of air, she knew that if she didn’t calm her breathing and heart rate down that she would easily pass out. "I’m just a little shook up, that’s all." She lied. Her stomach rolled and she felt as though she was going to get sick. She felt as though she could still smell the spilt gasoline mixed with blood.

"You don’t look okay." He knelt in front of her on the ground. In the dim light from the interior of her car she could make out the strong features of his face, the chiseled chin and the deep brown of his eyes. "You are about as pale as a ghost." He reached up and placed two fingers on her wrist and glanced at his watch for a several seconds. "Not to mention your heart rate and breathing are sky high."

"I guess I’m just really spooked." Josie looked down at her lap. Tears threatened the backs of her eyes and her throat burned from holding in the emotion.

"Do you hurt anywhere?"

"No, not really," she said. But she knew that later she would. Her old injuries would ache. She avoided his gaze, she could tell he was studying her, she could feel those deep brown eyes trying to figure out if she was telling the truth.

"My name is Dawson Avery, and you are?"

Josie’s head popped up at the recognition of his name. "Umm, I’m Josie. Josie Anderson, are you Doctor Dawson Avery?" He was the doctor that had hired her to work in his clinic.

"One and the same!" He said with a smile. “You must be nurse Josie, pleasure to meet you.” He reached out to shake her hand which she returned weakly.

"Guilty as charged. I’m so sorry. I feel terrible that we are meeting like this."

"Don’t fret about it; I’m just glad I saw it happen. This road doesn’t get traveled too often. Who knows how long you may have sat here."

"Good to know," Josie smiled. Just then Josie realized she was hearing angry mewing from Paisley. His cat carrier was now on the floor of the passenger side. He must have gotten tossed around when the car was spinning. "Oh my goodness, Paisley I’m so sorry." Josie spun in her seat and lifted the carrier to her lap. She tugged open the flap and extracted the frightened cat onto her lap. His hair was on end and he was mewing fiercely.

"Yikes, angry kitty alert!" Dawson joked.

"He hates car rides, and I probably just scared him for life." She stroked his back to get him to calm down. Dawson reached up and scratched the cat behind his ears. Josie held tight to his collar so he wouldn’t bolt and run into the woods.

“He’s a beautiful cat.”

“Thanks, I got him from a rescue last year when he was just a kitten.” Her parents had practically dragged her to the rescue to get her a companion to help her through the healing process.

“Charlie would have fun chasing him around.” Dawson teased.

“Charlie?”

“My hyperactive golden-lab. He has an affinity for terrorizing cats.” Dawson laughed a deep throaty laugh. His laughter and voice were soothing. Josie could feel her pulse coming down, though her head still felt like it was spinning.

“Your color is starting to return.” Dawson said as he reached up and checked her pulse again. “And your heart rate is starting to slow down. How do you feel?”

“Better, still a little light headed.” She ran her free hand through her blood curls and rubbed her eyes. Fatigue was setting in and she worried what she was going to do about her car. Darkness had descended quickly. The woods held an eerie presence to them in the dark.

“Well it’s getting dark. These roads are scary enough to drive in the dark if you know them. Why don’t you let me drive you to town? We can take care of your car tomorrow.” Dawson suggested. Relief washed over Josie, “are you sure? I don’t want to be a bother.”

“I don’t mind at all.” Dawson stood and Josie realized how tall he was. “Besides, you still look a little shook up. It might be the best plan for tonight.”

“Thank you, I will be forever grateful.” She started to stand but felt woozy and quickly sat back down. “Maybe I should sit for a few more minutes.”

“Good idea. Is there anything you need to take with you?”

“Umm,” she thought for a minute, “yeah I have an overnight bag on top of everything in the backseat and small bag of litter and box for Paisley in the trunk.” Josie used the key fob to pop the trunk and gave further instructions to Dawson on what to grab. Paisley had finally calmed back down and was purring in her lap. “Sorry bud, but you have to go back in the carrier.”

“I’ll go put these in the truck and come back for you and angry kitty.” She watched him head up the embankment. He returned and toted Paisley off to the truck then returned for her. “Do you have everything you need?” She made one last survey of the car and stood up. Her legs still felt like jelly. Dawson wrapped an arm around her waist and held onto her hand as they walked slowly to his black truck. Josie attempted to hide the limp that had been present since the accident. Dawson reached up and opened the passenger side door. Josie struggled slightly to get up into the large truck; Dawson’s strong hands spanned her waist and boosted her in the truck, her heart fluttered. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he said with a smile. He closed the door and hurried over to his side of the car and climbed in.

Josie had unzipped the top of the carrier partially and absent-mindedly scratched the cats’ head. Dawson watched her out of the corner of his eye. Her long blonde curls fell softly over her shoulders. Her blue eyes appeared heavy with fatigue and worry. Though it seemed to him that her eyes hid much more than that. Something was stirring in her head and he didn’t know what. Of course they’d only just met and the few conversations they held were mostly through email in regards to the new job. He watched as she gingerly stroked the cats head lost in her own little world. He wouldn’t deny the immediate attraction he felt toward her. She was beautiful and he sensed her tender spirit. Something about Josie mesmerized him and he looked forward to getting to know her more.

Dawson glanced at the clock, only 6:30 but the darkness made it feel much later than that. His stomach growled and reminded him that it had been hours since lunch. “Are you hungry?” Dawson asked breaking the silence.

“Now that you mention, I guess I am. It’s been a while since lunch.” He heard a low growl come from her stomach too and he grinned.

“Great, we can stop at the diner for a bite to eat.”

“Are there many places to eat in town?”

“Just a couple. It’s pretty much just the diner and a coffee and bakery shop that just opened up.”

“Hmm, that’s doesn’t leave a lot of options.”

“Nope, but it is good for the business of the diner. It’s the best diner in a 50 mile radius!” Dawson assured her.

“Really?”

“Yup, although I guess you could say I’m a little partial since my aunt runs the place.”  Dawson glanced over and saw a smile tugging on her lips. “You’d be surprised at how small the town really is. There aren’t a ton of folks around, but definitely a ton of heart in everyone. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else’s business but we all support each other.”

“Is that a good thing?” Josie wondered.

“Well, not always. Rumors spread like wild fire and everyone knows what’s going on in your life. But for the most part it can be a good thing.”

            Silence stretched between them the rest of the way to town. Dawson knew the winding roads well; he could drive every twist and turn nearly from memory. He was fond of just driving around when he had to think and pray, when the worries of life weighed on his heart.

"Almost there," he said making a final turn that led them to Main Street. The vintage style streetlights cast a warm glow on the houses and storefronts that lined the street. A few of the towns’ elderly couples took their nightly stroll down the street hand in hand. Dawson wondered what it would be like to have that kind of relationship, where love lasted well past the initial excitement and honeymoon phase. He drove the end of the street where the diner sat and pulled into a parking space with ease.

"Welcome to Ruby’s," Dawson said. Josie was still taking in all the sights of the small town and she didn’t even notice that Dawson had hoped out of the car and was opening her door.

"Thank you," Josie said with a slightly shocked expression. "I’m not used to guys opening doors for me."

"My uncle Clark is very old school; if he found out that I let you open your own door, he’d have my hide." He smiled and laughed as he helped her down from the truck. "Feeling any better?"

"Yes, much better, thank you."

"Good"

"So this is the famous diner?" she asked looking up and surveying the front of the old building. It looked like would have been an old saloon at some point in its life. It held a lot of character. The wooden porch held several rocking chairs and small café tables. Dim lights lit the exterior and there was a soft glow from the inside lights casting shadows on the porch. Across the street was a Bed and Breakfast that looked warm and inviting as well.

"Yup, aunt Ruby has been running the diner and the B&B across the street since I was in diapers. I practically grew up here." Dawson said.

"Wow, she must really know what she is doing."

"That she does. She makes the best apple crumb pie on the east coast."

"We’ll see about that, my mom makes one heck of an apple pie every year at thanksgiving." Josie smiled up at Dawson; she knew that she would enjoy working with him. He reached in front of her and opened the door and motioned for her to enter before him.

The smell of diner food and coffee filled her nostrils the heavenly scent of freshly baked apple pie wafted through the air she could nearly taste it.

"Dawson you’re late!" A gracefully aging woman from behind the counter scolded.

"Sorry aunt Ruby, I was being a Good Samaritan." Ruby looked up from her work of cleaning the counter and beamed a welcoming smile at Josie. Ruby scurried around the end of the counter and made her way through the tables to stand with them.

"So nice to meet you Josie." She dried her hands on her apron and extended a hand to Josie.

“Nice to meet you too.”

“My dear you look exhausted!”

“And famished!” Josie agreed, “and I desperately need to use the little girls room.”

“Well we can fix that. The bathroom is just down that hallway on the right.” Ruby indicated a hallway in the back corner and Josie worked her way there through the tables.

Once Josie was out of earshot Ruby turned to Dawson with a questioning gaze “So, who’s the girl?”

“Aunt Ruby,” Dawson groaned.

“What? I’m just asking?” Ruby said with a teasing look in her eyes. Dawson knew exactly what she implied. Ever since he came back from med school without a girl on his arm his aunt has been trying to marry him off to every available woman.

“You know what I mean. Josie is actually the nurse I hired to work at the clinic, but unfortunately a deer scared her off the road.”

“Oh my, the poor thing. Is she okay?”

“Yeah, it appears that way. Her car is still in the ditch, I decided it would be best to drive her here tonight since it was so dark.”

“You’re a good man Dawson.” Ruby patted him on the shoulder.

“I had good examples,” Dawson leaned down and pressed a kiss to the woman’s cheek.

“Now go find a seat and I’ll bring you some coffee.”

Josie splashed cool water on her face and rubbed her tired eyes. Her mind was like a broken record replaying her car spinning around careening toward the trees. Her heart raced and she grabbed the sink for support. She would not pass out or give into the feeling of panic that welled up inside her. She took a deep breath to clear her head and walked back out to the dining area. She spotted Dawson’s muscular frame sitting at a nearby booth. Her breath caught in her chest, she hadn’t realized how handsome he was in the dark. His dark hair waved and his skin had a slightly olive tone that glowed in the light of the diner. He was sipping on what looked like a steaming cup of coffee. She took a seat across from him.

“Want some coffee?” He said indicating the steaming cup.

“No thank you!” Josie said emphatically, “I am not a coffee fan.”

“Really, I can’t live without the stuff.”

“Here you go Josie,” Ruby appeared and handed a menu over to Josie, “do you need one too, or are you just going to get the usual.”

“I’ll look at the menu just to be sure.” He took the second menu Ruby held and grinned up at her. Josie could see the affection he held for his aunt.

“Don’t you have the whole thing memorized by now?”

“I plead the fifth,” a smile spread across his face and Josie tried her best not to be enamored by it.

“Holler when you figure out what you want.” Ruby sauntered away and greeted other customers as she passed tables.

“So what is the usual?”

“Beef pot roast with warm buttered biscuits on top. She makes it all from scratch, the beef cooks for hours with carrots, potatoes and homemade gravy, then she tops it off with her delightful scratch biscuits slathered in creamy butter.”

“Sounds fantastic and a like heart attack waiting to happen.”

“Nah,” he said waving a hand at her,  “maybe a little congestive heart failure from all the salt.”

“I think I’ll risk the danger and try it for myself.”

“Awesome, aunt Ruby” he motioned her over to the table. “We’ll take two orders of the usual please.” Dawson handed the menus back to his aunt.

“Coming right up darling. Can I get you anything to drink Josie?”

“Just water, please.”

“So, just out of curiosity, what’s with the cats name? I mean Paisley is kind of a girl’s name isn’t it?”

“I kind of have a thing for country music and Brad Paisley is my favorite.” Josie could feel herself smiling. She recalled listening to one of his CD’s on the way home from the shelter and deciding that Paisley was a good name for her new kitty.

“You named your cat after a country singer?”

“Well...yeah, at least he’s a good country singer.”

“I guess if you like country music.” Josie sensed a little bit of disgust in his voice.

“I take it that you don’t?”

“Not exactly”

“You don’t know what you’re missing.”

Ruby arrived shortly with their steaming dinner plates. Each plate held a pile of roast beef, potatoes, carrots and biscuits that smelled like heaven. “It smells delicious Ruby!”

“Thank you darling, it’s all he ever orders for dinner. I swear one of these days he’ll turn into it.”

Josie dug right into her supper savoring the mouth-watering meat. She looked up to see Dawson with his head bowed in prayer and she suddenly felt guilty. But she and God weren’t really on speaking terms right now even if it was just to bless a meal. Josie sighed deeply, so many thoughts ran through her mind as she worked on her supper; how and when she was going to get her car back her thoughts about her brother and family everything clouded together in her travel weary brain.

“Everyone okay?” Dawson asked; his concern was genuine.

“Yeah, just tired, it’s been a really long day.” She said scraping up the remaining morsels of her supper.

“I guess so, where are you staying?”

“I figured I’d stay at the bed and breakfast for the next couple days until I can find a decent apartment.”

“Sounds like a good plan, I’ll walk you over if you’re done.” Dawson stood up from the booth, he Josie were the only ones left in the diner. “Aunt Ruby, were headed out. You can just add the meals to my tab.” He shouted to his aunt into the kitchen.

“You don’t have to do that, I can pay for mine.”

“This one is on me, don’t worry about it. Half the time aunt Ruby doesn’t charge me anyway.”

The brisk fall air surprised Josie, she didn’t expect it to be that cold and she shivered lightly and remembered her heavier jacket that was back in her car. Dawson grabbed her things from the back of the truck and she lifted Paisley from the front seat. “Do you think that I can keep Paisley here?”

“I’m sure they won’t mind another little mouth to feed.”

The inside of the bed and breakfast had a distinct smell that was hard to describe, kind of like old pine and potpourri. Dawson wheeled her suitcase in behind him and set it down next to Josie. She tapped the silver bell on the desk, but it wasn’t necessary, the older gentleman was already making his way through the curtained hallway behind the desk.

“Well hello there young lady” he said then looked up and saw Dawson standing there, “hey there son.”

“Hey there uncle Clark, this is Josie Anderson, she is going to need a room for her and her little feline friend for a few nights.”

“That’s no problem, there is plenty of room to spare around here. We haven’t had much traffic lately although once the mountains have a couple blankets of snow we should start to see the skier’s coming into town.” Clark pulled out an aging logbook for Josie to sign in.

“I think you’re in good hands here Josie, uncle Clark and Ruby will take good care of you. I think I’m going to head home for the night. How about I meet you here in the morning and we’ll head over to the clinic, is nine okay?”

“Sounds good to me, have a good night.”

“Good night. Take good care of her Uncle Clark?”

“Will do son, good night.” Clark replied as Dawson left the bed and breakfast “I’ll have you sign in here Miss. Peterson, then I’ll take you to one the best rooms in the house.” When she was finished, Clark stepped around the big oak desk and reached for her luggage.

“Oh I’ve got that.”

“There is one thing this old chap knows a thing or two about and that’s chivalry, now it may be dead where you come from but where I come from we gentlemen like to help a lady out.” Clark smiled kindly and took her things with him down the narrow hallway and around the corner past a flight of stairs to her room. “Feel free to stay here as long as you like and make yourself at home. There should be towels in the bathroom. Get some sleep dear you look worn out. Ruby will have breakfast on the table at eight make sure you come hungry. The dining room is across from the desk when you came in.” Clark made his way out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Josie set up Paisleys litter box right away, the poor cat was probably crossing his legs after being cooped up all day long. “Sorry bud, I didn’t mean to leave you in there so long,” she said releasing him from his prison. She explored the good-sized room. It had a plush full size bed complete with a rustic quilt, a wingback chair in the corner by the window with an end table and lamp, perfect for reading. It had a dresser and small closet and she was surprised to find that she had her very own bathroom complete with claw foot tub, a much-appreciated amenity. It was almost too early to go to bed, but it had really been a long day. She climbed in bed and pulled the warm covers up to her neck, not realizing how exhausted she was until her head hit the pillow, her eyelids felt like lead and eventually she gave into a blissful sleep.

* * *

Dawson’s tires crunched on the gravel driveway leading up to his cabin. It was a welcome sight after a long day away. He hadn’t even taken one step out of his truck when he heard Charlie barking excitedly from the back yard. Charlie, his golden-lab jumped wildly at the gate as Dawson approached.

“Settle down boy,” he said sternly and Charlie calmed down for a just second then jumped up on Dawson when he was through the gate. He knelt down to tousle the dog’s ears and give him such much needed affection. “I know, I know boy, I was gone all day long. But you had free run of the yard, and I’m home now so you can settle down.” Dawson stood up and patted his leg for the dog to follow him. “You hungry boy, I brought you some scraps from aunt Ruby.” As if the dog understood English perfectly he yelped in anticipation and bounded to the back door.

Dawson mixed dog food in with the scraps Ruby had given him. He wasn’t always so keen on feeding his dog ‘people food’ but as his aunt always said, “what do you think they ate before they invented dog food?” He couldn’t argue her valid point. Charlie danced on the hardwood of the kitchen floor, his claws clicking with each step. “You act as though I didn’t leave you food this morning.” Dawson said sitting the dogs dish down next to the water. “Now you better leave me be while I eat what aunt Ruby left for me.” Dawson reached into the brown bag she’d given him and pulled out a container with a slice of his favorite apple crumb pie inside. He popped it in the microwave to warm it back up and dug a pint of vanilla ice cream from his freezer.

“Ahh, apple pie a la mode, my favorite,” he said to Charlie who’d already wolfed down his supper stood there longingly, ears perked up and head cocked as Dawson took each bite of his dessert. “I already told you Charlie, this is mine!” Charlie barked to show his disapproval and Dawson laughed. He looked at his watch and saw that it was only around 8:30, though he’d have guessed it was later than that. He finished the last few morsels of pie and tossed the dishes in the sink at the chagrin of Charlie.

“Alright bud, I know it’s early but this old man needs some rest, let’s go.” Dawson wound his way around the house and up the stairs to his bedroom. A steady stream of thoughts ran through his head, from Josie to the clinic and back to Josie again. He was glad that he was there when her car slid down the embankment, and relieved when he saw that she hadn’t gone into the large trees at the edge of the woods. Otherwise they might be in a whole different scenario right now and he thanked the Lord that she was safe. Dawson climbed into his big king size bed and reached for the worn leather Bible on his nightstand, Charlie hopped in and settled down beside him. “You know don’t you, that the reason I picked this bed was so you would have plenty of room, and yet you still try to kick me out every night.” The dog sighed and rested his head between his paws, Dawson shrugged, it was a losing battle. He opened his Bible to Psalms, his nightly ritual; it helped him to relax after stressful days. 

The morning light shone through Josie’s window waking her before her alarm clock could go off. She rolled over onto her back and peered out through the curtains. The window faced a grove of pine trees and maple trees. The leaves of the maple were starting to turn vibrant colors, which happened to be her favorite thing about fall. The colors were spectacular, the golden, red and orange leaves on the hillsides at home always gave her the image of them being on fire.

 Josie couldn’t believe that today was finally here, she couldn’t decide whether she was elated or terrified at the prospect of starting this new job. After a couple months of planning and saying goodbye to family and friends she was finally starting a new adventure. She was trying to move on and forget the past and make a fresh start. She glanced over at the other pillow where Paisley was sleeping away. It was nice to have her confidant and best friend here with her. Until she found real people to befriend and talk to, Paisley would have to do. Then there was Dawson, he seemed nice and she felt at ease around him. She hoped he’d be able to introduce her to some other young women in the area so she could make friends. After convincing herself for a few more minutes that it was time to actually climb out of bed she lifted the covers and set her feet on the cold hard wood floor.

At five of eight Josie was ready to run down the hallway for breakfast, the tantalizing smells of bacon and eggs had wafted through the air while she was getting ready and teased her poor empty stomach. Her stomach was practically gnawing on itself by the time she made it down the hallway.

“Good morning dear, I trust you slept well.” Ruby said as she entered the dining room.

“Yes I did, thank you!’

“That’s great,” she said with a smile, “now you just sit right here and I’ll bring you your breakfast. Would you like a cup of coffee? Folks around town say it’s the best there is! Even better than that new fangled coffee shop.”

“No thank you, I honestly can’t stand the stuff. I’ll take hot tea though if you have it.”

“Sure thing. You can sit right there at the table dear, I’ll be back in a jiff.” Ruby turned and waddled off toward what Josie assumed was the kitchen. She took a seat at the large round oak table. A lazy Susan with the necessary condiments sat in the middle. The whole place had a rustic cozy feeling. She was beginning to like it here more and more.

Ruby returned with a plate piled with bacon, eggs, home fries, and toast in one hand and steaming mug of tea in the other. Clark followed closely on her heels with two more plates that Josie figured was for both of them.

“Here you go, hope that’s enough for you.” Ruby said setting the plate in front of her. It looked as amazing as it smelled and Josie couldn’t wait to dive right in. She grabbed her fork but paused when she saw the other two waiting.

“I hope you don’t mind Miss. Anderson, but Ruby and I always say grace before a meal.”

“Oh, um, no that’s alright.” Josie said with a bit of hesitation. She set down the fork and bowed her head along with the couple. Clark prayed a short but eloquent prayer thanking the Lord for the food, and for Josie’s being able to join them. It touched her heart that he would include her in his prayer, and the stab of guilt came again. She used to constantly be praying, praying for others in need, for missionaries and always prayed before a meal. But she’d built a very high wall between her and God, it would take a lot of work to tear it down but she wasn’t sure that she was ready to do that yet.

“Ruby, I think you’ve out done yourself. It all looks so good.”

“As long as it tastes as good as it looks, I'm happy. It isn’t often that I get to cook for my very own guests so I tend to go a bit overboard.”

“Don’t let her fool you, she cooks a meal fit for a king all the time. That’s why I look like this.” Clark said rubbing his rounded belly.

"Don't you cook at the diner?" Josie asked taking in a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

"Not everything, I have a cook that works with me, some of the things I still handle like the beef pot roast. But I have to manage the place too so it doesn't always leave time for cooking."

"We'll, that's too bad this is fabulous." She scooped more food into her mouth and remembered her poor hungry cat. "Oh Ruby, you wouldn't by any chance have an extra can of tuna lying around would you? I remembered Paisley's litter box but forgot to grab his food, I'm afraid he'll stop speaking to me if I don't feed him soon."

"I'll have a look around the kitchen when we are done with breakfast. I think I have something that we can feed the little guy."

The rest of breakfast consisted of forks clicking against plates and light pleasant talk. Josie shared with Clark and Ruby where she was from and how she got started in nursing and found the job up in the middle of nowhere. "I grew up going to a camp every summer a little south of here. I'd always loved the landscape and the quietness of the place, so when I was looking for a new job I thought it would be the perfect place to settle down for a while and get away."

 "It is a beautiful place isn't it?" Clark responded. "I've lived here my whole life and I couldn't picture living any where else."

The front door swung open as Ruby started clearing the dishes. "Good morning son," she said with her back to the opening of the dining room.

"How did you know it was me?"

"How long have I known you? I can pick out your footsteps anywhere." Dawson leaned down and gave his aunt a kiss on the cheek. "Good morning!"

"Good morning dear, did you get breakfast, there's more in the kitchen if you want some."

"That's alright, I had something at home." Dawson turned to Josie, "Good morning Josie, did you have a good night?"

"Yes I did thank you," she said standing and glancing at her watch. "You're early."

"Yeah I know, I thought you might be ready early and I could take you over to meet Jake our resident tow truck driver. We could drop off your keys and he could have your car back by the afternoon."

"That would be great, let me go grab my stuff." Josie turned to return to her room. But Ruby stopped her. "Does Paisley take well to strangers? I could put a bowl of tuna in there while you are gone." She asked.

"I'm sure that if you give him food he will be your best friend forever." Josie smiled and left to get her things. The floor creaked in that old house type of way as she walked back to her room to grab her things. Paisley purred and wrapped himself around her feet and butted her leg with his little head. "Don't worry buddy, miss Ruby will be back with a can of tuna later and I promise I'll give you extra treats when I get my things." Dawson had been wearing a coat, which meant that it was probably on the chilly side out there. She's grabbed a sweater and pulled it on over the long sleeved thermal shirt she was wearing and topped it off with her jacket. "Guess we better get used to the colder weather up here Paisley. I'm sure this is nothing compared to winter." Josie patted Paisley on the head and backed out of the room, "you be good buster, be nice to Ruby!" He meowed back in reply and perched himself in the middle of the bed. Josie walked back to the dining room.

"All set?" Dawson asked.

"Yup, unless you need me to grab my stethoscope."

"Nope, I don't have the clinic open on Saturdays yet, I'll just show you around and show you the paperwork."

The two walked to the clinic, which was down around the corner from the bed and breakfast. Josie shivered slightly in the cold air, she hoped the clinic had heat. When they rounded the corner she looked up to see a beautiful two-story building, several stairs led up to a covered wrap around porch, large windows graced each side of the building. It was freshly painted with a beautiful shade of blue, like the color of the sky between the night and the sunrise. The white trim stood out beautiful on the old building.

"This actually used to be an inn and saloon back in its day. Since building and destroying of buildings is strictly regulated up her in the Adirondack Park, it couldn't be torn down. When I finally came home from med school I had a vision to turn it into a clinic. It's taken many hours of work but its finally getting there!"

"It's beautiful!" Josie looked up and down the street at all the homes. The town was more populated than she thought. It would be fun to go out and explore some day.

They walked up the stairs to the front door. A hand painted wood sign with the clinics name, Avery Family Health Clinic, hung next to the door. Dawson unlocked the door and held it open for Josie as she walked through. She entered into a relatively large room that housed a fireplace and several seating areas. A reception desk stood across from the door and to the right was an area designed for kids. The wood floor was covered with a large area rug and the woodwork on the desk was very ornate.

"What do you think?"

"It is definitely not what I pictured." She walked around a little more and noticed a hallway to the right of the door that led to a set of stairs, and a door to what looked like a small dining area. "You have a dining area?"

"Yes, one of the ladies from the church thought it would be a good idea to serve a hot lunch a few days a week. She comes in Monday, Wednesday and Friday, throws together some soup or a casserole and serves it up to me and what ever patients may be here at the time."

"Wow, that's pretty impressive."

"We also have the kitchen back there for parents or family members to access in case I have one of their loved ones staying overnight for observation."

"You actually keep patients overnight?"

"Yup, the nearest hospital is over 30 miles away, if I can treat my patients with a little overnight hydration and some TLC it's cheaper and easier to just keep them here. There are four bedrooms upstairs equipped with hospital beds, and other basic medical equipment. And I also have some cots up there too for family members that need to stay. Plus a fifth bedroom for whomever is staying overnight with the patients"

"Does that happen often?"

"Since the clinics been open its only happened a couple of times, mostly for kids who've gotten a stomach bug and need some IV fluids and rest to get them perked up."

"Wow, it’s neat that we can do that for the community," she walked around a little bit more, noting the reception desk area and the hallway leading back to what would be the exam rooms.

“It saves some of these families a lot of money and time. Want to see the lab?”

“You have a lab too!”

“Yup, I have a lab tech that can come in and run simple blood tests, complete blood counts, chemistries, check urine samples and even do some of the microscopic tests as well.” Dawson moved down the hallway and opened the up the room containing the lab. Josie took notice of the microscope and the other machinery needed for a simple lab.

“This is really cool!” Josie was in awe of everything he had here, and everything he’d accomplished. “How did you manage all this? It couldn’t have been cheap.”

“Mostly grants, I worked on writing them while I was still finishing up med school. I saved up money when I could because I knew this is what I had a passion to do. Even before I went to school I had a vision for this place.”

“Looks like you’ve accomplished your goal.” Josie looked around, she was glad she’d accepted this job. It seemed that she would be a part of something bigger here, more rewarding than what she did back home.

Dawson spent most of the morning going over the details of the employee paperwork with Josie and then the paper work that he had developed for patient charts. It wasn’t much but given the fact that most clinics and hospitals were converting to computer charting it was like taking a step back in time for Josie who was used to everything being document on the computer with checklists and comment boxes.

Josie reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. The longer the morning went on the more her neck ached and the tension in her muscles were causing a headache. She must have irritated it yesterday when her car went down the ditch. She grimaced at the way her neck was tender.

"You okay?" Dawson watched her, concerned laced his deep brown eyes. She wished he didn’t look at her like that. Her heart flip flopped in her chest and sped up and she averted her eyes from his.

"I’m fine," she lied. "I guess I just aggravated an old injury yesterday, no big deal." She stopped rubbing her neck and went back to examining the paper in front of her.

"It is a big deal if you are in pain." His voice held genuine concern, Josie figured it was just because he was a doctor, but something inside of her wanted it to be more than that. Josie considered telling him all about her previous accident, but she’d only known him since yesterday and didn’t want to burden him with the harsh detail of the past year.

"My neck and head are a little sore; it’s nothing a little ibuprofen won’t cure."

            “What injury did you have before?”

            “Just some whiplash from a car accident.” Josie didn’t tell him how severe it had been though. She’d spent endless weeks in a brace and therapy.

            “The way your car spun yesterday I’m not surprised you irritated it.” Dawson laid the chart down that he held in his hands. “Mind if I take a look?”

            “You can if you want.”

            “I’m a doctor, it’s my job.” Dawson smiled and stood to stand behind Josie. He swept her long ponytail to the side before resting his hands down on her shoulders. The electric shock from his hands swept through her arms and chest, her heart beat faster. How could a man whom she’d only met a day ago have such an affect on her? She drew in a deep breath to calm her heart and mind down and hoped he didn’t notice her pulse drumming underneath his fingers.

            The scent of Josie’s lavender shampoo filled Dawson’s nostrils and the soft strands from her ponytail fell across his hands as he felt the tense muscles in her neck. It felt soft and warm under his fingers. He resisted the urge to bend down and inhale the scent of her hair even more. For the second time in less than a day he couldn’t deny the attraction he felt to this woman.

            “You’re muscles are pretty tense.” Dawson said, “Have you ever tried trigger point therapy?”

            “No, I don’t think so. What is trigger point therapy?”

            “Everyone has points in their muscles called trigger points, essentially knots in their muscles that are often tender and cause pain and tension. The therapy uses different methods of applying pressure to help those knots to release. A lot of people say it’s been very beneficial.”

             “Hmm, sounds interesting.”

            “You have quite a few trigger points,” Dawson began putting slow steady pressure on several areas that were quite tender. And worked his way up the back of her neck. He placed both thumbs at the base of her skull, “lean your head back a little,” he instructed. She complied and rested her head back into his hands. “This is probably my most favorite release, it’s called an occipital release. It helps to relieve tension headaches, most of my patients swear by it.” He released his hands after a minute.

            “How does that feel?”

            “Surprisingly better.”

            “Good,” he sat back down next to her.  “I think we can wrap things up here for today. Do you want to go see if Jack brought your car back?”

            “Sure, I have a feeling I’m going to need some of my stuff out of it soon, like my winter jacket. I’m surprised at how cold it is up here already.”

            “It can get cold quickly up here. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a few snowflakes here in the next few weeks.”

Josie thanked Dawson as he helped her with the last few things that she needed out of her car. Jack had retrieved her car from the ditch and it was waiting for her at his garage when they left the clinic. He’d even been kind enough to give it a once over and make sure she didn’t do any permanent damage.

"Thanks, again. I appreciate all you help." Josie turned toward Dawson and resisted the urge to show him her appreciation with a hug.

"You’re welcome," Dawson shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged, "it was my pleasure." He paused for a moment in thought, "would you be interested in going with us to church in the morning?"

Josie sighed, she was afraid he would ask. It been a long time since she darkened the door of her church back home, even though they called often to check on her and see how she was doing. "I think I’ll pass, thank you for the offer though."

Disappointment clouded his eyes. "Well if you change your mind, I’m sure Ruby wouldn’t mind if you tagged along with her and Uncle Clark."

"I’ll think about it."

"Take care Josie, I’ll see you tomorrow, no doubt Aunt Ruby will be cooking up a big Sunday dinner for whoever she decides to invite over tomorrow."

"Thanks Dawson, I look forward to it."

Dawson turned and left the room, Josie listened to his heavy rhythmic footsteps as he walked down the hallway. The mention of dinner made Josie realized that she hadn’t had anything since breakfast and she was surprised to see it was already four in the afternoon. "I know I packed some granola bars here somewhere," she said to no one. Josie lifted the top of the first box, it was just items that she’d last minute thrown together. She inhaled deeply when she saw what was lying on top. Her Bible was nestled in the top of the box. She pulled the Bible from the box and rubbed a hand across the well-worn leather; she fingered the many dog-eared pages and moved over to the wingback chair by the window. There was a time not so long ago that she couldn’t go a day without picking up the beloved book and reading through her favorite passages. She flipped through the pages aimlessly but couldn’t will herself to read anything from the tattered pages. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, "Not yet Lord, I’m not ready yet." Josie closed the Bible and placed it on the end table. Maybe she would soon be ready to open it up again and renew her relationship with her Savior, but for now her sorrow was still too deep.

Paisley saw the opportunity to jump on her lap and stake his claim to it. Josie rubbed his head and was soothed by his deep purrs. "Thanks for being here for me bud." She peered out the window and leaned her head back in the chair and closed her tired eyes for just a moment.

A knock at the door woke her up. "Josie?" She heard Clark on the other side of the door.

"Come in," Paisley jumped from her lap and scurried to investigate their visitor.

“Hello there kitty," Clark bent down and scratched his ears. "How are you today Josie?"

"I’m doing alright and you?"

            "Quite well, thank you."

"Ruby isn’t working at the diner tonight and cooked up a wonderful meal, we were wondering if you’d like to join us for dinner."

"I’d love to Clark, how soon will dinner be ready?" Josie glanced at the clock, 5:30; she’d slept for an hour.

"In just a few minutes, I can walk you to the dining room if you’d like."

"Sure," Josie rose from the chair and joined Clark; He intertwined his arm with hers like the perfect gentleman. He was charming, not much older than 70, but his graying and balding hair betrayed his age. "So what’s for dinner?"

"The best fried chicken you’ve tasted, mashed potatoes and green beans," Clark answered.

"It sounds delightful!"

Clark led Josie down the hallway to the dining room. The table was set with three plates for supper and it smelled amazing. Her stomach grumbled at the sight. "Do you cook like this all the time Ruby?"

"It’s the only way I know how to, I love to feed people. It’s my God given gift." Ruby smiled and flittered away to the kitchen but returned quickly. "Besides you look too skinny anyway, we need to put some meat on those bones."

"Have a seat dear." Clark pulled a chair out for her and stepped around the table and pulled a chair out for his wife. Josie couldn’t get over how much of a gentleman Clark was.

"Clark, I must say you know how to treat a lady."

"My father taught me well," Ruby swatted him on the arm playfully, "and so did my wonderful wife." He clasped Ruby’s hand in his. "Mind if we say grace again?"

"That’s fine." Josie figured around these guys it would be a regular habit, she might as well get used to it again. Clark’s prayer was so heartfelt; it warmed her heart to hear how he spoke to the Lord.

"Amen." He concluded, "Let’s eat."

"Dawson said he invited you to come along to church." Ruby looked at her, it seemed to be more of a question than a statement.

"He did, but I think I’ll just stay here. I’m exhausted from traveling and all that. I think I’ll take the opportunity to sleep in."

"Alright dear, but if you change your mind you are more than welcome to come with us."

"Thanks, I’ll think about it." Thinking about it was all Josie could promise at this point, though in some ways she could feel her heart beginning to soften a little bit.

"Before I forget to tell you, I baked some muffins today for our Sunday school class tomorrow, do you like blueberry muffins? I can leave a couple out for you, for breakfast."

"They are my favorite."

"Wonderful, I’ll leave a couple for you for breakfast. Feel free to help yourself to anything you need in the kitchen while we are gone." Ruby offered. They all dug into the delicious smelling dinner, the clatter of forks, knives and light conversation filled the room.

Josie nibbled at bites of her blueberry muffin and sipped on a cup of hot tea while reading a book by her favorite author. She’d snuggled up in the armchair in her room with an afghan tugged around her shoulders. Paisley perched himself up on the back of the chair keeping watch out the window on the squirrels that played in the yard.

Josie lost herself in the book, it was by one of her favorite authors, Colleen Coble, she was a masterful storyteller and Josie often lost track of time when reading one of her books. It was just after 12 when Josie heard voices down the hallway and footsteps working their way back to her room. A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in," Josie looked up as the door swung open. Dawson’s broad frame filled the doorway dressed in pressed khaki slacks and a close fitting polo shirt. Josie’s heart skipped a couple beats and her mouth went dry. He was too handsome for his own good.

"Good morning, how are you?"

"Not too bad, but you know it’s good afternoon right?" Josie teased.        

"Yeah, but good morning just sounds better." A smile played at Dawson’s lips. "Cute socks by the way." Dawson pointed out her neon polka dotted socks.

Josie’s feet were propped up on the windowsill and she quickly pulled them down and tucked them into her fuzzy moccasins and grinned, "I like fun socks."

"I can see that." Dawson stifled a laugh, and cocked his head toward the door, "Come on, Aunt Ruby will have dinner ready soon, I want you to meet a couple people."

"Just a minute," Josie turned a corner down on the page she was reading tossed it back in the chair for later.

They walked down the hall to the dining room; several new faces greeted her as she entered. A younger couple stood sidled close together, the women had long flowing wavy hair and held a hand to her rounded belly. Clearly they were expecting a little one very soon. The next two face were two younger women, probably around Josie’s age stood side by side. They cast curious glances toward Josie when she walked in the room beside Dawson as well as sweet smiles toward Dawson. A twinge of something struck Josie, but she refused to admit to it being jealousy. She nearly jumped when his warm hand spanned her the small of her back, "Josie I’d like you to meet some of the folks from our church." He eased her toward the group and motioned to the young couple.

“This is Pastor Tim Baker and his wife Anna, they are expecting their first little one in a just a few weeks."

"So nice to meet you Josie," Anna said, she and her husband reached out to shake her hand.

"And this is Miranda and Ally"

"Nice to meet you," the two said nearly in unison.

"Nice to meet you too," Josie returned the round of handshakes.

“Are you going to be in town long?” Miranda asked.

“Hopefully, as long as working at Dawson’s clinic works out.”

“Oh that’s cool,” Ally remarked.

“Do you have a place to stay yet?” Miranda asked with a hopeful tone in her voice.

“Not yet, I figured I’d start looking for a place sometime this week. And then once I have an address I’ll have the rest of my things shipped up here.”

“That’s great! We have a third bedroom and have been looking for another roommate; we’d love to have you. Would you be interested?” Miranda exclaimed.

“Really? But you just met me.”

“You don’t seem like the serial killer type, and we’d love to have another girl to hang out with. At least consider it.” Ally looked excited at the prospect of a new roommate, and sharing the living cost would be a great way to save money.

“I will definitely keep it in mind, thank you so much for the offer.”

            Dawson moved away from the group and let them mingle together while he helped Clark add a new leaf to the table then headed into the kitchen to help Ruby. He could still watch Josie through the saloon style doors. She giggled with delight as she and the other girls held her hands to Anna’s belly. Josie glowed with delight as she felt baby Baker wiggle underneath her fingers. 

            “You like her don’t you?” Ruby said in a hushed tone. Her accusation caught him off guard.

            “What…um…no. I mean she’s a sweet girl. But I, uh…” he stuttered.

            “Mmm Hmm, just what I thought.” Ruby laughed and went back to her final lunch preparations. “I know that look Dawson, you can’t fool me.”

            “I’ve known her for less than two days, I think you just want me to get hitched.” Dawson picked up a bowl of buttery mashed potatoes and started toward the dining room. “I still love you though.”

            They all enjoyed the delightful Sunday dinner followed by a few rounds of Skip-Bo. By the end of the afternoon, Josie was ready to curl up in the chair and finish reading her novel. But she’d enjoyed getting to know the two girls and the Pastor and his wife. She wondered if Dawson had ulterior motives and hoped that the girls would get her to come to church. They said their good byes; Josie gave hugs to her new friends and turned to walk back to her room.

             “Would you be interested in a stroll down Main Street?” Dawson was standing too close for comfort. “I could tell you about and show you our little town.”

            Josie thought for a minute, a smile played on her face, she must have looked like a silly teenager with a crush. “Sure, why not? I’ve been inside all day it would be fun to explore. I just have to grab my heavier coat. I think you guys order an early winter up here.”

            “Yeah I guess we do, but it’s only October. Just wait till November that’s when it really gets cold. But don’t worry, eventually you get used to it and will be strolling around in a sweatshirt when it’s twenty degrees.”

            “Yeah right, I’ll believe it when it happens.” Josie laughed and headed off to her room. Why did Dawson make her feel like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush? It didn’t make sense, she barely even knew him. Sure he was handsome, his tall broad frame showed towered slightly above her five-six frame. His dark brown eyes gleamed with every smile and his teeth glinted so white they sparkled. His deep brown hair curled slightly, just enough that that made her wonder what it would be like to run her fingers through it. Stop it Josie she told herself.

            Josie returned wearing her thick winter jacket, she’d replaced her moccasins for better walking shoes and added a pair of thicker socks. Winters back home in southern PA might have gotten cold, but not usually this fast. It had still been warmer when she left, so the cold was a definite shock to her system.

            “After you,” Dawson motioned his arms toward the door.

            “Thank you.”

            They walked in down Main Street away in the opposite direction of the clinic. Dawson talked about the different storefronts that lined the streets, the folks that owned them and how he’d grown up frequenting each one of them.

            “So, can I ask you a question?”

            “Sure”

            “How exactly did you find the job posting?” Dawson paused in his walking and looked down at Josie with a curious gaze.

            “Well, actually I grew up going to a summer camp just south of here and I loved the area. So, I searched and found your posting. It seemed like a good fit for me, so I took a shot at it and applied.”

            “Interesting, You’d be surprised, I didn’t get a lot of applications from it. What I did get were new grads or nurses that were on the tail end of their career. But I needed someone who could keep up with the pace, and be comfortable and able to handle emergency situations.”

“So I seemed like a good fit?” Josie inquired.

“Absolutely, you have great experience. Although I noticed you’ve been out of work for almost a year. How come?”

“I…um…it’s a long story. I don’t really like talking about it.” Josie’s heart ached. She hadn’t been able to open up about the accident yet. It hurt to much to talk about it, and she didn’t want any more pity, she’d already had enough of that to last a life time.

“Okay, I won’t push.” Dawson sensed the sorrow and emotions that crossed Josie’s eyes and facial expressions when he’d asked his question. He wondered what emotion those eyes hid, and what caused them. He didn’t want to push her, but knew himself that talking about the things that haunt you is sometimes the only way to deal with things. He had his own ghosts that haunted him as well.

            “What do you think about Miranda and Ally’s offer? It would be a good starting place and it would give you some friends to hang out with.”

            “I think it’s a great idea, I think I’ll have to call Miranda tomorrow and tell her yes. I’ll probably wait till my stuff gets here to move in though. I may need to rent a storage unit for all the extra things.” They began walking again back to the B and B.

            “No worries there, I have a big storage space above my barn that’s not really being used, you’re welcome to it if you’d like.”

            “I may just have to take you up on that.”

            “Good. It’ll give you a good excuse to come see my cabin and meet my crazy mutt Charlie.” Dawson didn’t realize what he really implied until the words were out of his mouth. He practically invited her to come see his place. He wanted to kick himself in the rear end.

            “I’d love to meet Charlie, he sounds like a fun dog.” A smile spread wide across her face and her eyes twinkled with light. Dawson felt like he might melt into a puddle on the porch of the bed and breakfast.

            “He’s fun alright, he has way too much energy for me sometimes.”

            “Don’t they all?”

            “Yeah I guess they do. Speaking of Charlie, I should probably head home. He’ll start to think I abandoned him.”

            “I guess it’s good night then. What time should I be at the clinic tomorrow?”

            “Eight o-clock. We don’t open till 8:30, but I like to have all the rooms and charts ready to go by the time patients start arriving.”

            “I’ll see you at eight then, have a good night Dawson.”

            “You too,” without thinking he reached down and enveloped Josie is a warm embrace. “Sleep well.” He released her and bounded off the porch toward his truck. How could he be so stupid? Hugging a girl he barely knew and feeling like he was on cloud nine for doing it. She fit right into his arms, like she was meant to be there. He could get too used to the sensation of holding her. He cranked the key in the ignition and drove off toward home. He and the Lord had a lot to discuss tonight.

               Josie stood on the porch and watched Dawson leave. He’d hugged her. An embrace that seemed so natural and so wonderful at the same time. Goose pimples rose on her arms and she couldn’t get her brain to communicate with her feet for a few seconds. She shook her head to clear her thoughts when she wished that he’d held for just a few seconds longer. No I can’t think like this, it was just a friendly hug, she told herself before heading back through the house back to her room.