Storybook Romance. Lissa Manley

next Story Time, all right?”

      “Yay!” they crowed, again together.

      “I owe you a big thank-you, too,” Sam said, his chocolate-brown eyes shining with sincerity. “These two don’t usually settle down much, so it was a nice break for me to have them interested in something else.”

      “Books are a great way to keep kids occupied,” she replied dutifully.

      “I think it was the storyteller who kept them enthralled.” He squeezed her upper arm. “Kudos to you.”

      His praise, as well as his touch, had her lighting up like a sparkler again. “I love exposing kids to literature, so it was not a chore, trust me.”

      “We’ll count on seeing you on Wednesday.”

      She’d also look forward to it. Because of the kids, of course.

      Sam opened the door and he and the twins left. When they reached the curb, he turned and waved, his dark hair shining like polished walnuts in the early-autumn sun, his teeth flashing in a smile that almost stopped Allison’s heart.

      She stood there for a few moments, unable to drag her gaze away. Sam took a twin’s hand in each of his and walked across the street and her heart twisted. What adorable children—a handful, yes, but that was to be expected at their age. And to think they might have been hers if her dreams of marrying Sam and having his babies had come true.

      But that’s just what they were—girlish dreams, not reality. She was older now, and wiser. Of course, she had to keep up her guard; her focus now was her business, not romance.

      But the twins... Well, she had no idea how she would manage to stay away from them.

       Chapter Three

      Allison made herself turn from the window, only to come up against Coraline Connolly’s bright blue gaze. “Oh, hi, Coraline. I didn’t see you come in.” She noted the large book in the older woman’s arms. “Did you find everything you need?”

      Coraline bestowed a beatific smile on Allison. “Oh, yes, I discovered quite a lot here today.”

      Was Coraline referring to more than reading material? Allison drew her eyebrows together. “Um...okay. Excellent.” She headed to the check-out counter. “It looks like you located the book you wanted.”

      “Oh, yes, dear, I did.” She held up the book. “I want to try my hand at organic gardening next spring, so I’m going to purchase this book.”

      “Excellent!” Since Viv was helping another customer at register one, Allison stopped at register two. “Anything else today?”

      “Yes. I wanted to ask how things are going with you and Mayor Langston.” The mayor was Allison’s main contact, and host of sorts, from the SOS Committee. He owned the Hometown Grocery, which was run by his wife, Helen, and he was somewhat of a bookworm himself, which was why he had been assigned to be her host. Allison guessed he was in his mid-to late-fifties.

      “Oh, things are going really well with him. In fact, he just stopped by yesterday afternoon, and he was very pleased with the plans you and I have made for the creative-writing workshops.”

      “Perfect. Glad to hear that’s all working out.” Coraline put the book on the counter. “There’s something else I wanted to discuss with you.”

      “Yes?” As a founding member of the SOS Committee and a longtime resident of Bygones, Coraline had a vested interest in ensuring the committee’s plan was successful.

      Coraline leaned in. “I just wanted to know if you’re still in love with Sam Franklin.”

      Allison felt her jaw go so slack she was surprised it wasn’t resting on the counter. “Wh-what?” She hadn’t told anybody she’d loved Sam, not even Lori.

      “Are you still in love with Sam?” Coraline repeated.

      The change of subject had thrown Allison, but she recovered in a moment. “No,” she managed to say in all truthfulness. She’d put those feelings behind long ago, and that’s where they would stay.

      Coraline peered at her. “But you were in love with him in high school, right?”

      Lying wasn’t an option, so Allison said, “Yes, I was. But that was ages ago.” She fiddled with a bag. “How did you know?”

      “Oh, it was as obvious as the nose on my face.” Coraline turned her lips up into a small smile. “I guess you could say I have a nose for these kinds of things.” She chuckled.

      “Wow.” Allison shook her head. “I thought I was pretty good at hiding my feelings.”

      “Oh, you were. But when you changed your schedule every year to be in the same classes as Sam, I had an inkling there might be a pretty strong crush going on.”

      Allison’s face warmed. “I thought I was being so clever.”

      “You were. I’m just cleverer...and I did the same thing in college years ago when I wanted to be in the same classes as my dearly departed Jasper.”

      “Ah. That explains it.” Allison picked up the book. “I’m relieved to know my feelings weren’t common knowledge.”

      “I’m assuming Sam never knew?” Coraline asked.

      Allison scanned the bar code on the gardening book. “No way. I would have been mortified if he had found out.”

      “Because he didn’t feel the same way?”

      “Right.” Allison had just been his sister’s pesky, nerdy friend, not dating material as far as Sam was concerned. She’d never felt worthy of him. “He was always dating someone prettier, more outgoing. I didn’t stand a chance.”

      “Unrequited love is tricky, isn’t it?” Coraline pulled her wallet out of her purse. “Kind of an odd mix of wanting the other person to know and, well, not.”

      “Exactly, especially when you’re a gawky teenage girl with no self-confidence.” Allison looked at the total. “That’ll be seventeen ninety-nine.”

      Coraline handed Allison a twenty. “I always suspected you left town because of heartbreak.”

      Allison blinked. Was there no end to Coraline’s dead-on observations? She had an uncanny eye for details, and a taste for matchmaking, it seemed. “Partly.” Allison made change as she went on. “I was devastated when he left town for college.” She handed the money to Coraline. “The other part involved a job at a large bookstore in Kansas City.” And escaping her parents. But she wouldn’t say that.

      “But now you’re back, and Sam is single.” Coraline tucked her wallet back into her purse. “Maybe a second chance is possible?”

      “No, it’s not,” Allison replied quickly and firmly.

      “After all he went through with his wife’s betrayal, Sam needs a good Christian woman, and so do those darling twins of his.”

      Unexpected longing spread through Allison like a burst dam, but she recovered quickly and set those feelings aside. What else could she do? “I agree, but it won’t be me.” Allison put the book in a bag and handed it to Coraline.

      “Why not?”

      “Because my focus is on running this bookstore, not on finding a man.”

      “Well, yes, I can see why that’d be true. It’s very important that all the new businesses here on Main Street do well.” Coraline cocked her head to the side. “But even successful businesswomen have men in their lives.”

      “This is the biggest opportunity of my life.” Allison straightened some paperwork on the counter. “I can’t risk it by losing focus or mooning over Sam.”

      “Don’t