The City Girl's Homecoming. Kathy Douglass

a sigh of relief. His father had already filled the feeding troughs with food and water. Reginald always claimed being a good neighbor didn’t cost a thing, but Cade knew that wasn’t true. In this case, it cost valuable time on top of maintenance costs, such as extra feed. Battle Lands Farm was profitable and could easily absorb the cost. Cade, on the other hand, got the same twenty-four hours as everyone else, so he would have to work faster and harder to make up for lost time.

      “So, how are your plans going?”

      “Not bad.” Cade was developing a farm-to-table business. He’d convinced his father to go organic several years ago, believing it was better for their customers as well as the environment. The business was what he should be focusing on instead of how sweet Megan Jennings smelled. “I’ve just finalized the marketing plan and I’ve determined how much produce I’ll have available for this year’s trial. I’m also working on a delivery schedule. But, none of this will make a bit of difference if I don’t have any customers. Then I’ll end up selling everything to grocery stores again.”

      “I know you don’t like doing that.”

      “No.” Cade worked hard to produce the best fruits and vegetables. He wanted the people who ate that food to get the best flavor and the maximum amount of nutrients. That meant dining on the food within a day or two of it being harvested, not after weeks. In order to accomplish that, he needed to have local clients in the restaurant business who shared his vision. He would continue to provide produce at the farmer’s market that was held at the Granary’s parking lot from late spring to early fall. But he wanted to move the business in this other direction, as well. Until he had enough clients for his farm-to-table produce, he would continue to supply grocery chains.

      “It’ll work out. I’m sure of that. Once you put your mind to something, Cade, you always find a way to make it happen. You’ll figure this out, too.”

      Cade appreciated his father’s support. Of course, it would be easier to pull this off if his mind was focused on his plan and not the very beautiful and oh-so-wrong for him Megan Jennings.

      * * *

      When Megan was finished with her meeting at Whitaker Acres, she returned to her office. The drive had enabled her to clear her mind. There was something so peaceful about driving on roads that weren’t so congested that traveling three miles took nearly half an hour. The scenic countryside was an extra added bonus.

      She loved this little town. Only about twenty miles from downtown Raleigh, it was an easy commute to the state capital. And though it had the requisite chain stores, the town possessed a charm and personality all its own. The downtown had many small businesses that made Spring Forest unique. Snap Pop Candy Shop, Whole Bean Coffee, and Mimzi’s Ice Cream, all within walking distance of her office, had been major selling points in her decision to take the job. There was something about the small town that gave her a sense of home. It felt familiar even though she’d never been here before.

      She parked her car at the back of the converted craftsman house that served as the Sutton Law Office building and went inside.

      Emma Alvarez, the office manager and Daniel’s fiancée was at her desk when Megan arrived. She looked up. “How did it go with Bunny and Birdie?”

      “Only time will tell. Right now they’re in denial. Birdie can’t believe that Gator would steal from them. I tried to show them the proof we have, but they wouldn’t even look at it. I left copies with them. Hopefully they’ll read the files and decide to press charges.”

      Emma patted Megan’s hand. “You’ve done all you can. That’s all you can expect of yourself.”

      “I know.” Megan was silent for a moment.

      “What else happened?”

      Although they hadn’t known each other long, Emma was pretty attuned to Megan. There was no sense trying to deceive her. “I met the grumpiest man in town.”

      “Who?”

      “Cade Battle. I think he’d intended to stay for lunch until I got an invitation. Then he suddenly didn’t have time. He was just this side of rude.”

      “Rude? To you? Why?”

      Megan shrugged. “I have no idea.”

      “As good as the sisters cook, missing lunch is no more than he deserved.”

      “True.” Emma’s diamond solitaire sparkled on her left ring finger, catching Megan’s eye. “It’s getting close to the big day.”

      Emma nodded. “I can hardly wait.”

      “I bet.” Megan knew firsthand the excitement that came with planning a wedding. And she knew the disappointment that came when the wedding was called off and the couple didn’t become a family. She really hoped Emma and Daniel managed to pull it off. They were good people and deserved to be happy.

      Emma glanced at the clock and shut down her computer. “I need to get going. It’s time for me to pick up the girls.”

      Emma had initially been hired by Daniel as a nanny for his three daughters. Once he realized how organized she was, he’d asked her to become his temporary office manager, working from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Somewhere in there, they’d fallen in love. Emma kept the same hours so she could be available for her soon-to-be stepdaughters.

      “See you tomorrow,” Megan said, walking to her office at the back of the building. The office was so different from the one she’d had at her New York firm. That one had been outfitted with expensive furniture. Original artwork had hung on the walls. This one was simply decorated and had a homey feel to it. While her New York office had been designed to impress clients, this office was designed to make her clients feel comfortable.

      Megan updated her case files to reflect her meeting with the sisters and then put a reminder on her calendar to follow up with them. That simple task had her once more thinking about Cade Battle and the way he looked with his shirt off. He was definitely well built. There was something about him that appealed to her on a basic level. She quickly slammed the door on that thought reminding herself that he didn’t like her. After returning calls to other clients, she turned off her computer and headed for the Main Street Grille.

      It was only a couple of blocks from the office, so she decided to walk and return for her car after she’d gotten her order.

      As expected, the Grille was doing brisk business. The food, burgers and sandwiches for lunch with typical pub offerings added to the dinner menu was anything but typical. The burgers were juicy and flavorful. The corned beef on a Kaiser roll and pastrami on rye tasted as good as the sandwiches she’d bought at her favorite deli in New York.

      She looked around. The tables and booths were filled with families enjoying a night out together and a yearning grew within her. Two children near her laughed, the sound mingling with boisterous conversation. Someone bumped into her and she looked around.

      “Sorry,” a man’s voice said.

      Megan looked up and into Cade’s face and her silly heart skipped a beat. His eyes swept over her and her skin began to tingle as if he’d actually touched her. She’d never had such a strong reaction to a man and the intensity of the feeling surprised her.

      “I didn’t see you standing there,” Cade said. A hint of something she didn’t recognize flashed in his eyes for a moment only to be replaced by coolness and indifference. He stepped away from her. Disappointment settled in her stomach.

      “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “It’s crowded in here.”

      He nodded then looked around as if searching for someone. Clearly he was uninclined to continue the conversation.

      “Do you come here a lot?” Megan asked. It seemed foolish to be standing there and not talk. After all, they might not be friends, but they weren’t strangers any longer.

      “Often enough.”

      That was vague. What, did he think she would stalk him by hanging