Smoky Mountain Sweethearts. Cheryl Harper

him to agree, so he did. “Of course it’s not you. That was part of the finagling, I bet, a way to get me to leave my nice, cushy vehicle and head out onto the dark, cold trail.” He stretched in the seat. “They were already matchmaking. No way did I ever believe it, AA.”

      Her eyes narrowed as she studied his face, like she wanted to trust him but wasn’t sure she could. Then she tipped her chin up. “You coming in?”

      “To the library?” Sam asked in his best “you’ve got to be joking” voice. “I’m headed for pie and right now.”

      She shut the door. “Meet you there in five.” Then she was trotting slowly across the small lawn in front of the library. In the old days, she might have thrown a cartwheel in for punctuation. As it was, he was glad she made it to the door without stopping. In the light of day, he could see the same fatigue in her face, but something had changed in her eyes.

      And that was the thinking of a man who was spending too much time considering a woman who would never be his type. Ever. They made better competitors than friends, but he was glad she’d pushed him as hard as she had. Right now, she needed some pushing. He could do that.

      First, he was going to get two fried pies, and if she took longer than fifteen minutes, he was going to eat them both.

       CHAPTER SIX

      WALKING BACK INTO the library where she’d spent so many happy afternoons after school was like taking a deep breath above the surface after touching the bottom of the pool. Everything was familiar and yet new. Even the librarian had changed.

      “I’d like to apply for a library card,” Avery said as she turned in a slow circle, taking in the new paint color, the new carpet and the same familiar smell of old books.