Page 24 of The Cherry Blossom Boathouse

“Ah-huh. More people left, like friends he made at school, some of his family. Usual stuff, you know? Just people moving on with their lives. But Luke seemed to take it more personally than the rest of us.”

Sophie frowned. Luke gave the impression nothing could penetrate that hard exterior of his. But obviously it was just an act.

“Then his dad died,” Grace continued. “My ma always said it was from a broken heart. After that…well, Luke was always serious about the lake, but after that, it became his whole world.” Grace paused a moment, frowning. “And then there was Claire.”

Sophie tried to sound casual. “What’s the deal with her?”

“She came breezing in from D.C. thinking she could change things in the town. Change Luke, too. A lot of us were surprised he took up with her, especially what with his mom cheating on his dad with a city type.”

“No wonder he’s so wary around outsiders.”

“Ah-huh. But still, Claire managed to win him over and love is love. The rest…well, it’s not really my story to tell. But safe to say, she broke Luke’s heart. He retreated into himself.” Grace’s eyes were kind as she looked at Sophie. “He’s a good guy, you know. Just…wary, as you said. With good reason.”

Sophie nodded, trying to ignore the strange ache in her chest. She understood what it was like to have someone try to change everything about the life you’d built. To have them decide you weren’t enough as you were.

“At least I know it’s not just me he finds deeply irritating,” she said, attempting to lighten the mood. “It’s humanity as a whole.”

Grace laughed. “Exactly.” She dusted cinnamon sugar off her fingers. “Anyway, enough about Luke’s tragic backstory. You’re going to be at Spring Awakening this weekend, right?”

“There’s an awakening to spring, as well as a goodbye?”

“Exactly! It’s our annual welcome-to-spring festival. Everyone in town comes out to the harbor. There’s food, local wine, music, dancing under the new cherry blossoms…” Grace’s eyes twinkled. “Very romantic.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sophie hedged. “I should really focus on getting these plans finalized, and there’s so much to do—”

“Sophie Bennett,” Grace said firmly, “you are not spending your first weekend in Solace Springs cooped up alone in this boathouse. The festival is the perfect way to meet everyone in town. Plus,” she added with a wink, “a certain boat captain always helps set up the fairy lights along the docks.”

“That’s supposed to convince me to go?” Sophie asked, ignoring the way her traitorous heart did a little hop at the mention of Luke. “Watch me spend an evening avoiding eye contact with a man who probably thinks fairy lights are ‘unnecessary illumination’?”

“Well, that and the fact that I know he secretly loves this particular community event, even though he pretends to hate it,” Grace said. “He even has a small dance he’ll do, if forced to.”

Sophie tried, and failed, not to imagine Luke dancing under cherry blossoms and twinkling lights. Her brain helpfully supplied an image of his strong hands at her waist, and she quickly redirected her thoughts before Grace noticed her blushing.

“Plus,” Grace continued, “it’s tradition for newcomers to be officially welcomed at Spring Awakening. The whole town will be expecting you.”

“No pressure or anything,” Sophie muttered. “Just my entire social future hanging in the balance. Maybe I should make a spreadsheet of potential conversation topics. ‘Weather’ in column A, ‘Local Fishing Techniques I Know Nothing About’ in column B…”

“Yes, I would totally recommend a spreadsheet when it comes to the people here. So, have I terrified you enough into attending?”

Sophie laughed. “Fine, I’ll come. But I’m not dancing. The last time I tried, a child asked if I needed medical attention.”

Grace quirked an eyebrow. “Look who’s just turned up.”

Sophie followed her gaze through one of the front windows to see Luke was standing outside her front door, looking uncomfortable and impossibly handsome. She got up, ignoring Grace’s wiggling eyebrows, and opened it. “Hey.”

“Hey. Just wanted to let you know I’m free tomorrow,” he said.

“Free…for what?”

“To help. With the renovation. Kyle said he’d be coming to sort the pipes out,” he said, referring to the plumber Sophie had managed to call after returning from their boat trip, “so I could introduce you, be on hand if he needs me, help you with some bits and pieces.”

“You’re volunteering to help me with the renovation?” Sophie clarified, still processing. “To help, and I quote, ‘the woman who knows nothing about proper boathouse maintenance and will probably install fairy lights where load-bearing beams should be’?”

Luke had the decency to look slightly embarrassed. “I never said that.”

“Not in those exact words. There were more grunts and disapproving looks involved.”

Grace snorted into her cup. Luke rolled his eyes as he realized she was there, muttering great under his breath. “Look,” he said, his jaw doing that delicious tensing thing that was entirely unfair during business negotiations, “you need help. I know these structures. It makes sense.”