Page 10 of Windward Hearts

“Oh, absolutely,” Eleanor reassured her friend. “I don’t say this to imply that you shouldn’t be worried. I remember being so stressed when Jeremy decided that, for whatever reason, he hated the fifth grade and never wanted to go. Every day getting him to do his homework was a battle.”

“What changed?” Cadence looked so hopeful that Eleanor had an answer that Eleanor felt terrible letting her friend down.

“Time?” she said with an apologetic shrug. “Growing out of it? Finding something that caught his attention? Some combination of all those things?”

Cadence nodded.

“I know that’s not a helpful answer,” Eleanor admitted, “but you’re doing all the right things. You and Tyler are great parents, and Izzy is a great kid. She’s going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.”

Eleanor may not have been able to provide useful, actionable advice, but her reassurance still seemed to strike a chord with Cadence, whose shoulders relaxed a bit.

“Thanks,” she said, patting Eleanor’s hand before stepping away. “I’m going to go see if Izzy needs any help, but… thanks. It means a lot.”

“You know that I’m always here for you,” Eleanor reminded her friend. “And I feel perfectly comfortable saying that the same goes for all the book club ladies.”

“I know,” Cadence assured her. “You’re the best.”

Cadence headed to the kids’ section to help her daughter, leaving Eleanor to get back to work. As Eleanor continued to shelve books, she smiled to herself and let out a happy little hum. There was always joy in serving her community, but it was especially wonderful to be able to be a part of bringing the bookstore experience to her beloved new friends in Magnolia Shore.

CHAPTER FIVE

City living, Hope realized as she turned in a circle on the sidewalk, her taxi disappearing in the distance, had made her cocky.

She had assumed that she would have no problem navigating Magnolia Shore once she got here, using the directions that her grandmother had given her. It wasn’t like this was her first trip to the adorable little town, after all, although admittedly it had been a while.

Hope turned in another circle, hoping this would help. Unfortunately, it only got her more mixed up.

“Shoot,” she muttered to herself. “I shouldn’t have let that taxi go until I asked for directions.”

She was just digging in her pocket for her cell phone so that she could call Miriam and admit that she was lost when a friendly voice greeted her.

“Excuse me? Can I help you find something?”

She turned to find…

Okay, she thought to herself, so that is a very attractive man.

The person who had called out to her was tall, likely over six feet, but lean in a way that suggested he was strong and active. His dark hair was messy, as though he’d been running his hands through it, and he stood with an easy confidence. The thing that struck Hope the most, however, was the sparkling warmth in his hazel eyes.

It was this last quality that made her agree to his assistance. In the city, she might have been cautious about admitting to a stranger that she was lost, but she would bet dollars to donuts that if she described this guy to Miriam, her grandmother would know exactly who he was. That meant he wasn’t really a stranger, right?

“Um, yeah, actually,” she said with a slightly self-deprecating laugh. “I am totally turned around. I’m looking for Miriam Landers. Her address is⁠—”

“Oh, I know where Miriam lives,” the man said, then flushed slightly as he realized he had cut her off. “Sorry. That was rude.”

“Not at all,” she reassured him. “I love the confidence of a local expert.”

He laughed. “Well, thank you. Anyway, you’re in luck. Miriam’s house is right over there.”

He pointed across the street and one house down. Hope felt her cheeks go red.

“So, right in front of my face,” she said, pressing a hand to her forehead. “Whoops.”

“Don’t worry about it at all,” he said. He glanced down at the wheeling suitcase at her side. “Have a great trip!”

“I will, thank you!” she called back as he continued walking down the sidewalk. It was only when she’d crossed the street that Hope realized that she hadn’t even asked the man’s name, nor introduced herself, but by the time she turned back to do so, he had disappeared out of sight.

Oh well. She’d have to try to make a better impression later. For now, though, she was eager to see her beloved grandmother.