Reunited on Dragonfly Lane (Sweetwater Springs #7) - Annie Rains

Chapter One

Sophie Daniels checked the clock as she straightened the clothes on the racks in her boutique. Today she was leaving work early to get ready for the wedding of two of her closest friends. Not only that, she had a date with a guy who met all the qualities of her potential Mr. Right.

She headed back to the counter where her mom was sitting with a crochet needle and a ball of yarn. “You’re sure you don’t mind closing?”

Her mom didn’t skip a beat with her crocheting as she looked up and smiled at Sophie. “Of course not. Give Jack and Emma my best.”

“I will.” Sophie grabbed her purse from below the counter and leaned in to kiss her mother’s cheek.

It was going to be a small wedding, including only Jack Hershey and Emma St. James’s closest friends and family. Sophie was pleased to have made the guest list and to have narrowly missed the bridesmaids lineup. That meant she was free to wear a dress of her choosing from her own boutique. One with a hemline that swung well below the jagged scars on her left leg, a reminder of her climbing accident when she was eighteen.

“Good luck on your date.” Her mom winked. “I hope this one has some sense.”

Sophie laughed, easing some of the tension she felt coursing through her body. She hadn’t had time to do her normal yoga routine this morning, which usually helped to ease the cramping in her leg muscle—another remnant of her injuries.

According to the town, Sophie was the girl who’d survived. She’d spent thirty-six hours on the side of a mountain, praying for rescue. And sometimes she felt like she hadn’t fully escaped that cliff. Sometimes, even in a crowded room, she felt all alone.

Yeah, that would probably sound silly to some. Sophie had a lot of friends in town. She also had her family. But no one understood exactly what she’d been through. The girl who’d climbed up that mountain so many years ago wasn’t the one who’d come down.

Sophie narrowed her gaze at her mom. “And by having sense, you mean that you hope my date falls madly in love with me?”

Her mother’s gaze flicked from her crochet work to Sophie’s eyes. “Any sane man would. What’s not to love about my daughter?”

“You’re my mother so you have to say that,” Sophie said.

“But it’s also the truth.”

Sophie shook her head, laughing as she walked toward the boutique’s door. “Bye, Mom. No half-off discounts while I’m gone,” she said, only partly teasing. Her mom loved to mark down clothing for her friends. And everyone who came in was considered a friend by the time they left the store.

“Have fun tonight,” her mom called as Sophie stepped onto the sidewalk of Main Street. Sophie waved again as she stood on the other side of the glass door. Then she turned and breathed in the springtime air. This was her favorite season. All things were new in the spring, and the thrill of possibilities always invigorated her this time of year. Instead of turning right toward her car in the parking area, she turned left and followed her craving for a hot tea from the Sweetwater Café. She’d be up late tonight, and a little caffeine would go a long way.

Tonight’s date was a high school history teacher. That meant he had a job and liked kids. Check, check. She also knew that he had a house, which implied that he was responsible and didn’t live with his parents. Another check. And he was an indoor kind of guy. That hadn’t always been her type but given that it took thirty minutes of yoga every morning to tease out her muscle stiffness, a guy on the less active side—one she could actually keep up with—was preferable.

Sophie pulled open the café’s door. Since Emma was the bride tonight, she wouldn’t be working the counter today. Neither would her longtime employee Nina, who was one of the bridesmaids. Instead, a newcomer to town, Diana, greeted Sophie as she walked in.

“I’m afraid I haven’t memorized everyone’s drinks just yet,” Diana said, talking about Emma’s talent for knowing exactly what her customers wanted before they ordered. “What can I get you?”

Sophie ordered a hot tea with honey and waited patiently. Once Diana handed her the drink, Sophie paid and then turned to leave, when she noticed the couple at one of the tables against the wall. The man looked familiar but it took a moment for