Roxanne Rustand - Winter Reunion

“I just like my life as it is. I’m content, aren’t you? We both ended up with what we wanted, or we’d be leading totally different lives right now.” Beth was embarrassed and babbling, and couldn’t seem to stop.

At his continued silence, she ventured a quick glance at him. At least he wasn’t laughing…

Dev stared down at her, his eyes intent and searching her own. “I really enjoyed walking with you. Maybe another time?”

“I’d like that.”

He strolled away and Beth continued on to her store, reining in the urge to look back.

Just a walk. A casual conversation. Nothing more. Yet she could still feel the tingle in the hand he’d held, still felt that little sense of loss when he’d released it.

There was no use denying it. Their old chemistry was still there, and it intensified every time she ran into him….

Roxanne Rustand lives in the country with her husband and a menagerie of pets, many of whom find their way into her books. She works part-time as a registered dietitian at a psychiatric facility, but otherwise you’ll find her writing at home in her jammies, surrounded by three dogs begging for treats, or out in the barn with the horses. Her favorite time of all is when her kids are home—though all three are now busy with college and jobs.

This is her twenty-fourth novel, and the first in her Aspen Creek Crossroads series for Love Inspired. Her next book will be Murder at Granite Falls for Love Inspired Suspense, April 2011. RT Book Reviews nominated her for a Career Achievement Award in 2005, and she won the magazine’s award for Best Superromance of 2006.

She loves to hear from readers! Her snail-mail address is P.O. Box 2550, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52406-2550. You can also contact her at www.roxannerustand.com, at www.shoutlife.com/roxannerustand, or through her blog, where readers and writers talk about their pets, at roxannerustand.blogspot.com.

Roxanne Rustand

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your soul.”

—Jeremiah 6:16

With love to my mother, Arline, whose strength, Swedish determination and whimsical sense of humor has always been my greatest inspiration. She always encouraged me to follow my dreams, and even when I was a little girl, she thought I should be a writer someday. So Mom, this one is for you!

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Letter to Reader

Questions for Discussion

Beth Carrigan took a last glance at her cell phone, shoved it into her pocket and heaved a sigh.

A crisp, sunny October weekend in Aspen Creek, Wisconsin, usually brought crowds of tourists from Chicago, Minneapolis, and all parts in between.

It didn’t bring unexpected calls from Washington, D.C., California, and the Henderson Law Office. Calls that now had her stomach doing crazy cartwheels.

What on earth was she going to do?

But everything is going to be fine, Lord. It’s going to be fine, right? She surveyed her bookstore, breathing in the beloved scents of books, dark-roast coffee and apricot tea as she walked to the back, where her friends were already settled in an eclectic mix of comfy upholstered chairs and rockers.

Their voices fell silent as three pairs of worried eyes looked up at her. Their concern was so palpable that she forced herself to dredge up a nonchalant smile. “How’s the coffee? Is it better this time? I bought a new fair trade brand and—”

“The question is, how are you?” Olivia Lawson, the oldest book-club member at fifty-six, had been an adjunct professor of literature at an exclusive private college in Chicago before walking away from the rat race and moving to Aspen Creek to teach at the community college.

Her eyebrows, dark in contrast to her short, prematurely silver hair, drew together in a worried frown. “You definitely look upset. Did that fool banker deny your loan application again?”

“No news.” Beth closed her eyes briefly for a quick silent prayer over the vacant building next door, where she hoped to open a gift shop and provide space for a youth center on the upper level.

Keeley North, owner of an antiques shop a few blocks away, snorted. “If it’s those vandals again, we can all march over to the sheriff’s office and make sure he takes things seriously this time.”

Despite her worries, Beth smiled. Blond, blue-eyed, with an effervescent sense of humor that belied her bulldog tenacity, Keeley was loyal to a fault. Beth could easily see her backing the sheriff into a corner until he called in the National Guard. “No vandals. It’s…well, a little more complicated than that.”

“If this is a bad time, we can all leave, dear.” Olivia frowned. “Unless, of course, there’s something we can do to help.”

For years, they’d been meeting twice a month on Saturday mornings, an hour before the store opened. The five members had been friends in good times and bad, and though Hannah was away to help with family problems in Texas, Beth knew she could count on every one of them for support and the utmost discretion. Still, she stumbled over her thoughts trying to frame her news in the best light.

“The first call was from my mother. She’s taking the scenic route from California, and will arrive here next weekend. For two whole weeks.”

“How wonderful.” The glint in her eyes betrayed Olivia’s true feelings. “You two can spend some quality time together, and catch up.”

Beth bit her lower lip. “I hope so…if things go better this time. Usually she comes wanting to revamp my whole life, but she didn’t sound quite that upbeat on the phone. I hope everything is all right.”

Sophie Alexander, the youngest of the group at twenty-nine, slowly shook her cap of short auburn hair. “Last time you were frazzled for months afterward, just trying to find everything.”

“Believe me, if Mom just spends every minute rearranging my house and the store again, I’ll be very thankful.” Beth took a deep breath. “Because that second call was from Dev. He’s coming back on Monday, and plans to be in town for a week.”

Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “Your mother and ex-husband. In the same town.” She paused for a moment, then tilted her head and angled a speculative look at Beth. “And he called you to say he’s coming. Interesting.”

“Believe me, there’s no love lost between us now. When he filed for divorce, it was final.” Beth winced, trying to hold back the painful memories of the day he’d announced that he wanted to end their marriage…and the even more painful memories of what happened later. “I haven’t heard a word from him since, other than when he came back to town for his mother’s funeral six months ago.”

“As I remember, it wasn’t exactly a friendly meeting.” Keeley frowned. “I know it was a funeral and all, but he barely acknowledged you.”

And Beth had had trouble controlling her hurt and anger even during that brief encounter, though she’d known it was her duty to attend. “Well, he won’t be in town long this time either, before he heads right back to the Middle East…or wherever it is he’s stationed. That was the drill throughout our marriage, and I’m sure he hasn’t changed.”