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“Sorry,” Cameron said in a less animated voice. He reached out and grabbed Ruby by the hand. He raised her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her knuckles. “I can’t tell you how overjoyed we all are that you’ve come back to us.”

Aw. He was a sweetheart in addition to being almost as gorgeous as Liam. This town sure had its fair share of attractive men. No wonder the media was in a frenzy over this town’s matchmaking program. It was just the type of human interest story that you read about in glossy magazines.

“In case you haven’t figured it out yet, this is my brother, Cameron. He’s the owner of this place,” Liam explained.

“Nice to see you, Cameron. Your café is gorgeous,” Ruby said. “And if the aroma is any indication, I know I’m going to enjoy the food here.”

“Thanks. My wife, Paige, helped me redecorate it. Let’s just say it was a little masculine in its décor. That’s what happens when you have a town full of men.”

“Ruby.” A sweet, feminine voice washed over them. A tall, regal woman with blond hair and a stunning face took faltering steps toward her. She stopped short, seeming to be wary of crossing any boundaries. “I know you don’t remember us, but I’m Paige. We were best friends.”

“Hi, Paige,” Ruby said, wishing she could remember this woman who had clearly been an important part of her life. A sudden sound caused her to look down. A beautiful little girl who looked a lot like Cameron stood clutching her mother’s leg. She looked up at Ruby with curious, almond-shaped eyes. Then she gifted her with a toothy grin that melted Ruby’s heart.

By this time all the patrons were staring and whispering. It made her feel uncomfortable. Ruby moved closer to Liam. It felt awkward to be the topic of everyone’s conversation, especially when none of the faces were even remotely familiar. Why had she agreed to come inside the café in the first place? She felt completely outside her comfort zone.

“As I live and breathe!” A tall, broad-shouldered woman with graying hair stepped into their circle. An apron decorated with dancing moose let Ruby know she was one of Cameron’s employees. Tears streamed down her face and she wiped them away with the back of her hand. “Jasper told me you were among the living, but a part of me couldn’t wrap my head around it. Ruby Prescott, you’re a sight for sore eyes. Come over here and give me some sugar.” The woman held her arms open wide and motioned for Ruby to step toward her. When Ruby hesitantly approached her, she felt strong arms envelope her. Helpless to extricate herself, Ruby sank into the embrace.

All of a sudden, a sharp, high-pitched whistle brought silence to the room. Ruby found herself being tugged away from the embrace. Mayor Jasper Prescott was standing there with an irate expression stamped on his craggy face. His cheeks were rosy, although Ruby wasn’t certain if it was from the frigid temperatures outside or his ire.

“Hazel, give the gal some breathing room!” Jasper barked. “You’re going to suffocate her with all that mothering you’re doing.”

“Oh, give it a rest, Jasper,” Hazel fumed. “We were having a moment until you came barreling in here like an out-of-control tornado.”

“If you’d have hugged her any tighter she might have snapped in two.” Jasper huffed. “Let the girl get acclimated before you start squeezing the life out of her.”

Hazel let out a harrumphing sound and turned her back on Jasper. “Neanderthal,” she muttered. She turned all of her attention back to Ruby. “Welcome back, darling,” Hazel said, wiping away tears from her face. “I know you don’t remember me, but we were almost like family. Before you married your honey here, you lived out at my Black Bear cabins. Those sure were some good times. I’m looking forward to making new memories with you.”

All Ruby could do was smile. Her face felt a little stiff from grinning. She didn’t know what else to do in response to all the love the townsfolk were showing her. Her head was beginning to spin. She now knew what Liam had been referring to earlier when he’d been hesitant to enter the café. She would never have imagined that a tiny fishing village could have so much of a social component. Granted it was almost lunchtime, but the Moose Café was a real whirlwind. People were coming out of the woodwork.

She could feel the heat of Liam’s gaze. He narrowed his eyes and studied her then leaned in toward her. “Are you all right?” he asked in a tender voice. “Just say the word and we can blow this Popsicle stand.”

“I’ll be fine once we sit down and order a hot cocoa,” she said in a low voice. “I’d like to get off my feet.”

Liam turned toward Hazel. “Hey, can you find us a table?”

“Why don’t you sit down at this table right here and I’ll make you the best hot chocolate known to mankind,” Hazel suggested. Her eyes radiated kindness. “Aidan is in the back with Sophie, by the way. She’s showing him how to make frozen hot chocolate.”

“While you’re back there, make me one of those caramel lattes with the cinnamon sprinkled on top,” Jasper requested.

Hazel let out a snort. “Coming right up, Your Highness. One caramel latte sprinkled with arsenic flavoring.”

As she stomped away, Jasper frowned at her retreating figure. He shook his head. “You heard that, right? Threatening the life of a beloved town leader.”

“Jasper, be nice,” Paige cautioned. “You’ve really been sniping at Hazel lately. A woman can only take so much.” She bent and picked up her daughter, then handed her to Cameron.

Jasper sputtered. “That right there is a perfect example of why I’m not putting a ring on it.” He began muttering under his breath. “Plenty of women would be mighty glad to have a boyfriend like me.”

“Yeah,” Cameron said. “Those Operation Love gals are just lining up outside the mayor’s office in droves, aren’t they?”

Liam rolled his eyes. “Don’t mind Hazel and Jasper. They have a love tiff at least once a week.” He pulled out the chair so Ruby could sit.

“I figured they might be romantically involved by the way they were bantering. They’re both pretty feisty,” Ruby remarked. “For a moment I thought we might have to take cover.”

“Just so you know, you and Liam weren’t like that,” Cameron interjected. “I promise. You were the perfect couple as far as this town was concerned. Ruby and Liam forever.”

Liam jabbed his brother in the side. Cameron made a grunting sound then shot Liam a dirty look.

Perfect couple? Just hearing that phrase made Ruby feel she had a lot to live up to. The word “perfect” rubbed her the wrong way. And although she knew Cameron was only trying to be complimentary, it made her feel that there was no way she could ever be half as wonderful as the Ruby she’d once been. It wasn’t possible. She was no longer that woman. And even if she got her memory back, she’d be a different woman than the one who had left this town two years ago. Suddenly it felt like she would be trying to fit into a life that no longer existed as it once had been.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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