The Firefighter's Twins. Heidi McCahan

Sometime soon he’d carve out time to tackle those. Getting the boys settled in their new bedroom and unpacking their toys was as far as he’d gotten. Well, that and the kitchen essentials. Even with Mom’s help, establishing a new routine and helping them cope with Monica’s absence was all he could do.

      “How about you, Mrs. Campbell? Are you close by?”

      “My husband and I live in the new retirement community a little closer to town. But I stay with the boys when Shay’s at the station.”

      He grimaced. Did she have to tell everybody about that? It wasn’t a secret that he didn’t have a wife, but the looks of sympathy and awkward silence that usually followed made him uncomfortable.

      If Caroline was surprised by the revelation, she hid it well. “That’s wonderful. We have family nearby, too. It’s such a blessing, especially when the guys are on duty. This is a great group of people, Shay. We treat each other like family, so if you need anything, let us know.”

      “Thanks. I will.” He forced a smile, ignoring Mom’s triumphant look.

      “I better serve some more ice cream. Oh, wait.” Caroline surveyed the gazebo. “Huh. That’s weird. I thought for sure she’d stop by. I wanted to introduce you to Natalie McDowell.”

      Shay’s gut clenched. He wasn’t here to make new friends. “That’s okay. I’m not exactly—”

      “I heard Chief Murphy assigned you to her fall festival committee. I thought you might want to say hello before the first meeting.” Caroline shrugged. “She manages this farm. I’m sure things are hectic today, with Maria almost giving birth and all. Maybe she’ll stop by later.”

      Visions of a sundress, boots and a golf cart raced through his mind. Uh-oh. Based on their previous interaction, she’d be less than thrilled about his assigned role. He wasn’t really crazy about it, either. Working closely with an attractive young woman only put him and his broken heart on a pointless trajectory. Between Monica’s sudden departure, the move from Virginia and caring for two toddlers, there wasn’t space in his life for a new relationship. He couldn’t fathom falling in love again, anyway. Especially not with someone as strong-willed and determined as Natalie.

       Chapter Two

      After attending the early service at church the next morning, Natalie sat at her kitchen table, eating a sandwich while scrolling through her email on her iPad. There were a hundred things to do today, and all she really wanted was a quiet afternoon at home. And possibly a nap.

      A message from Forever Love dropped into her inbox. She stopped chewing and let her finger hover over the screen. Did she even want to read this right now? Her brief meeting with Karen after the Maria debacle had ended on a cryptic note. While Karen had taken several pictures with her phone and asked plenty of questions, she’d driven away after offering a quick handshake and the standard “we’ll be in touch.”

      Oh, why not. What did she have to lose? She opened the message.

      “‘Dear Natalie,’” she read out loud, “‘it was wonderful to meet with you and see your delightful venue. Magnolia Lane is everything I hoped it would be.’”

      Natalie’s pulse sped as she devoured the rest of the message silently. “Forever Love is actively working to expand its reach into the greater Raleigh area. Our research indicates this market has tremendous potential. We have a proposition we believe you’ll find very appealing. Our firm is interested in acquiring your business. Secondly, we’d like to offer you a position as an event planner here in our Charlotte office...”

      Natalie gasped. “What in the world?” She read the details again. Sell Magnolia Lane? The thought had never crossed her mind. But working for an elite firm like Forever Love—now that she’d dreamed about often, especially in the lean times when she’d struggled to open Magnolia Lane. Having someone else in her corner to brainstorm strategies for dealing with high-maintenance brides, or share the burden of upkeep and help secure new vendors when the caterer went out of business... Forever Love’s proposition felt like a breath of fresh air.

      Easy. Natalie heeded the warning in her head and forced herself to focus on the message’s closing lines. “My business partner and I would like to give you some time to consider our offer. If you’re available, we’d like to discuss this via a video conference call on Thursday, October 2, at 1:00 p.m. Please respond at your convenience and indicate your availability...”

      “Yes, yes, I’m available.” Natalie’s fingers trembled as she clicked over to her digital calendar and scrolled to October 2. Even though it was less than two weeks away, thankfully she was still free. She scheduled the call with Forever Love.

      A dozen questions flew through her mind, but a quick glance at the clock revealed she had all of five minutes to get out the door and over to The Grille to make sure Nolan, the new manager, was prepared for the after-church lunch rush. If he had everything under control, she’d have just enough time to walk across the highway to the fall festival committee meeting.

      After typing a brief response and accepting the meeting request, Natalie pushed back her chair and tucked her iPad inside her handbag. Striding to the sink, she added her plate to the dirty dishes already stacked on the counter. Chores would have to wait. She cast a longing glance toward her bungalow’s cozy living room as she headed for the front door. Sunlight streamed through the wide front window, spilling onto the overstuffed cushions of her favorite chair and a stack of untouched novels she’d intended to read before the hectic fall season started. Those would have to wait, too.

      With a heavy sigh, she shifted her focus to the mirror in the entryway, frowning at her reflection. A string of late nights and early mornings hadn’t done her complexion any favors. She fished a tube of lip gloss out from the depths of her bag, and then she dabbed on a quick coat and surveyed the results. Good enough. Natalie readjusted the coral scarf layered over her white T-shirt and navy cardigan and then slipped out the front door.

      Outside, her porch swing swayed in the breeze. She drew in a deep breath—crisp, cool air and no humidity. Birds chirped, while the familiar rumble of a tractor echoed across the otherwise empty fields. She shouldered her bag again as she walked down the steps and across the yard.

      “Hey, there, sunshine,” her sister Kirsten called out from the parking lot, wearing a stylish, belted denim dress and short, open-toed suede boots. She clasped Daddy’s elbow with one hand, while Mama assisted him on his left side. “We thought we’d have lunch here today.”

      “Great.” Natalie pasted on a smile, determined to mask her heartache. Daddy hadn’t made eye contact yet, his focus on the gravel in front of him as he struggled to walk the short distance from the car to the front door.

      “Hey, Mama and Daddy.” Natalie held the door open for them. “I bet Nolan has your favorite table ready.”

      Daddy met her gaze briefly, a twinkle evident in his blue eyes. “Sure hope so.”

      Mama squeezed Natalie’s arm as they passed. “Hey, sugar.”

      Natalie followed them inside. The aroma of fried food lingered in the air, even though the restaurant didn’t open until twelve thirty on Sundays. The dining area sat empty, although it wouldn’t stay that way for long. While Mama and Daddy made their way to a corner booth near the windows with a beautiful view of the pond, Natalie tugged on Kirsten’s short sleeve.

      “What’s the occasion?”

      Kirsten lingered near the door. “What do you mean?”

      “Mama and Daddy haven’t been here for lunch in weeks.”

      Kirsten sighed. “I wanted Mama to have a break from fixing a meal. They used to love to go out for lunch after church, but Daddy says he gets too worn out. I convinced them to come here, since they’re only two minutes from the house.”

      Natalie