Mae cut her off. “Don’t give me that city face. You want to rest? Then rest by doing something that makes your heart full, not just your calendar empty. This town doesn’t heal you with silence—it heals you with people.”
It was the kind of thing Zoe would’ve brushed off a week ago. But today, with the sunflower still in her hand and the scent of soil and blossoms in the air, she found herself saying, “Alright. What do you need help with?”
Mae beamed. “Now we’re talking. You’re on decoration duty. Tomorrow morning. Nine sharp.”
As quickly as she had appeared, Mae shuffled back out of the shop, her cane tapping rhythmically against the wooden floor.
Sarah gave her a triumphant look. “You will thank me later.”
Zoe shook her head, but her heart was lighter somehow.
The next morning, Zoe arrived at the town square with coffee in one hand and a notebook in the other. Folding tables were already scattered across the grass, and hay bales lined the sidewalks. Fall in Willow Creek was serious business, and people showed up early to prove it.
She didn’t expect to see Luke there.
He was lifting wooden crates from the back of a truck, his flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves, exposing forearms dusted with flour from the pumpkins he’d been hauling. Zoe tried not to stare—and failed, just a little.
He noticed her as he set down a crate. “You’re early.”
She held up her coffee. “Bribery works both ways.”
Luke smirked. “They roped you into this, too?”
“Granny Mae ambushed me at the flower shop. I think I got off easy.”
“She once convinced me to dress up as a scarecrow for the kids’ hayride.”
Zoe laughed. “Please tell me there are pictures.”
“Unfortunately, yes. And if you play your cards right, I might just delete them before Mae shows you.”
They fell into an easy rhythm, arranging decorations and stringing lights along the trees. For once, Zoe didn’t feel out of place. People passed by with warm smiles, inviting her into their conversations. It was strange, being noticed for something other than her job title. Here, she was just Zoe.
They took a break near the fountain, sitting side by side on the edge.
“You’re not what I expected,” Luke said after a long pause.
“How so?”
“I figured you’d be gone by now. Most people from the city don’t last more than a weekend.”
Zoe looked out over the square, the laughter of children echoing in the background. “I anticipated that I would have left by now as well, but if my sister can successfully adapt to living in a small town, then I am confident that I can do the same.”
Luke’s expression softened. “Glad you’re still here.”
She met his gaze. Something gentle passed between them, something sizzling and deeply felt. She didn’t need to define it. Not yet.
The wind stirred the leaves at their feet, and for the first time in a long time, Zoe Carter felt like she was truly happy.
Chapter 5: A Chance Encounter
The bell above the door chimed softly as Zoe stepped into Mae’s Porch Teas, a cozy little shop that felt like stepping into someone’s living room. Doilies. Floral teacups. Scones the size of fists. It was charming and eccentric—just like Granny Mae.
Zoe didn’t expect to see Luke there.
He was seated at a small table near the window, nursing a cup of something steaming. No flannel today. Just a plain black T-shirt and jeans, his hair still damp from a recent shower. He looked up as she entered, his mouth twitching into a half-smile.
“Well, well,” he said. “Didn’t peg you as a tea-room kind of woman.”