Page 6 of The Vineyard Bride

“More than anyone.”

When the last of the sunlight diminished westward, headed across the great continent of North America, Sam and Amanda gathered their half-bottle of wine, empty packaging, and their blanket and headed back to Sam’s convertible.

“I told you that it wouldn’t rain,” Amanda teased as she folded up the blanket and placed it gently in the trunk.

“You think you’re a meteorologist, huh?”

Amanda laughed as she danced around the side of the car and dropped into the passenger seat.As she settled in, buckling her seatbelt, her eyelids fluttered closed, and her shoulders dropped back.She felt languid and sleepy, as though she was a little girl about to be carried into the house by Richard Harris, her father.

“Where are we headed?”Sam asked gently as he started the engine.“The Sheridan House?”

“That sounds good,” Amanda breathed.

“Just close your eyes,” Sam murmured, drawing a hand over her knee as he eased the car out of the beach parking lot.“We’ll be home in thirty minutes.”

“No.I should stay awake.Keep you company.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Sam said with a laugh.“I got my oldies’ station on.I’ll be all right.”

“You’re such an old soul,” Amanda said, her eyelashes drifting across her cheeks.

During those blissful and dark moments of sleep, Amanda’s mind took her into a sort of abyss of dreams— chasing Audrey through the hills of Martha’s Vineyard; lacing a sailing rope through her fingers as she and Sam sped out across the Sound; listening to the laughter of Grandpa Wes and Kellan as they watched a bird from the window.

This is real life.

If you don’t stop to look around for a moment.

You’ll miss it.

The sudden bright flash of light erupted over Amanda’s face.Next came a terrifying honk and the sound of shattering glass.As Sam smashed his foot against the brake and cried out, Amanda was yanked forward, caught painfully with the seatbelt.Glass wavered across her fingers and her thighs.She blinked through the terrifying light of the vehicles, trying to make sense of what was before her.

Glass.Bent metal.The smell of burning oil.

“Sam!?Sam!?”Amanda heard herself scream her boyfriend’s name with pure terror.“Sam, are you all right?”

Have I lost my love all over again?

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