Page 1 of Tangled Up In You

ChapterOne

"Everything is great."Molly Trent gripped the phone tightly in her hand as her gaze swept the cluttered mess of boxes crowding the back room of the health and wellness store she'd recently inherited. "It's perfect."

"You're lying. You're doing that thing you do," Layla Warren said.

"What thing?"

"Pretending everything is okay when it's not. Looking for the rainbow in the middle of the storm."

"Okay, it's not perfect. But I'm good at starting over. It's what I do. I was getting itchy feet anyway. Change is good for me. I'll make this work." Despite her words, she felt a bit overwhelmed by the task in front of her. "I just wish Phoebe was here, and that I was working with her, the way I used to. I should have realized that her unexpected call a few months ago might have had a more significant reason behind it. Clearly, she had health issues."

"She obviously didn't want you to know, or she would have told you."

"Maybe, but I should have visited her after that call. I just figured there would be time for us to reconnect."

Unfortunately, that time had ended eight days ago when Phoebe had had a heart attack in the middle of her store. She was dead before they got her to the hospital. The next day, Molly had heard from Phoebe's lawyer, who'd told her that Phoebe had left the building to her, which included the wellness store, the yoga studio, and the apartment upstairs. She'd been completely blown away by the inheritance. She'd only been part of Phoebe's life for a couple of years, a long time ago. But Phoebe had never married or had children, and, apparently, she'd decided that Molly was the only one who could take over her business.

"Did you tell your mom you were leaving San Francisco?" Layla asked.

"Yes. She was disappointed to hear I was returning to Whisper Lake. She doesn't believe in revisiting the past. She's a big believer in moving forward and never looking back."

"How do you feel about being in Whisper Lake again?"

"Too soon to know. I just got here last night. But this store was a refuge for me when I was sixteen. Phoebe's passion for natural healing was the reason behind my studies and my career, as unimpressive as that has been so far," she said dryly.

She'd been dabbling in various parts of the health and wellness industry for the past six years, never sure where she fit in, and most of her jobs had been easy to leave. In fact, she'd been about to quit her most recent job at a skin care center when she'd gotten the call from Phoebe's lawyer.

"I want to carry on Phoebe's legacy and make the store even better if I can," she continued. "Phoebe was proud of the way she could help people, whether it was with natural healing sleep aids, stress-reducing lotions, aromatherapy candles, herbs, yoga, meditation, or a combination of all the above. I wish the store hadn't come with Phoebe's death, but I have to admit I'm excited about the challenge."

"I'm glad," Layla said. "I just hope this doesn't mean you won't come back to San Francisco."

"We'll see. You know I don't like to plan. How are you doing with your beautiful babies? I'm surprised you even have time for this call."

"Both sets of parents have come to help with the twins. They are having a blast, and I'm taking a break."

"Good for you. I should get going. Kiss your babies for me."

"I will. Don't work too hard, Molly."

She'd no sooner ended the call when a jolting crash reverberated through the building. She rushed into the showroom, seeing one of the heavy displays on its side, the front door wide open. She ran through the door, wondering who had knocked over the rack and fled.

As she hit the sidewalk, she barreled straight into a man—a man on crutches.

The force of her body sent them both to the ground in a tangled mess of arms, legs, and crutches.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry," she said. "I didn't see you."

"Clearly. Do you want to let me up?"

She suddenly realized she was lying on top of an incredibly attractive man. He had dark-brown, wavy hair, a strong jaw, and dazzling blue eyes, the same deep blue as the lake. He wore a cream-colored knit shirt and faded jeans.

She cleared her throat, realizing she was staring at him for far too long. Then she flushed, becoming aware that he was staring back at her. Time seemed to stand still for a few long seconds. Then she pulled her arm out from under a crutch and forced herself to get to her feet.

"I am sorry." She extended her hand to help him up.

"You said that." An annoyed grimace ran across his face as he ignored her hand and got up, putting his weight on his right foot, his left foot encased in a walking boot.

She grabbed his crutches and handed them to him. "I hope I didn't injure you."

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