Page 1 of Surprised By Love

Chapter One

SAM

Neverinamillionyears did I think I’d be moving back home.

Then again, I didn’t think that I’d be divorced before I turned twenty-seven. Or, that my husband and the father of my child would cheat on me, then send me divorce papers on our seventh anniversary.

I fight back tears, not sure if I’m angry or sad. Maybe a bit of both. But it’s not about the divorce–Derek had been distant for a while. I’m pissed that he sold our house after telling me we could stay, and I’m sad because it’s the only home our daughter has ever known.

I hop onto my bed and sit on my suitcase, struggling with the zipper until I get it closed, then grab hold of the handle and pull it to the floor with a thud. Pausing for a moment, making sure the sound doesn’t wake Amelia, who is sleeping in the next room, I struggle to keep it from scraping along the floor as I carry it outside to my car.

I can’t believe my whole life fits into this tiny hatchback.

Heading back inside, I take a last walk through the house to make sure I have everything before waking Amelia. When I see the furniture, appliances, and Derek’s clothing still hanging in the closet, memories flashback to when we first moved in seven years ago.

My chin trembles and my heart breaks as I open the door to my daughter’s bedroom. It’s bittersweet seeing her sleeping in this room for the last time. I wish I didn’t have to wake her, but we need to get on the road.

I grin when I see dark wavy hair splayed over her pillow and her arms wrapped around her favourite stuffed toy—a Jack Russell Terrier. It was a birthday present from her aunt Becca on Amelia’s first birthday, and she called him Oggie, short for doggie, since she couldn’t say the word. I chuckle at how adorable she was. Even at six years old, she never goes to bed without Oggie next to her.

Pulling down the blanket, I put socks and sneakers on her feet and sit her up. Trying not to jostle her too much, I guide her arms through the sleeves of her pink winter jacket.

“Come on, big girl,” I say, lifting her out of bed. Still holding Oggie, Amelia wraps her little legs around my waist and loops her arms around my neck. I move quietly, trying not to wake her, as I open the door to the attached garage and place her in her car seat. I drape a crochet blanket over her to keep her warm and toss the duffle bag full of things to keep her occupied during the drive onto the seat beside her.

Unshed tears sting my eyes as I pull out of the garage. I detach the house key and the garage door opener and drop them in the mailbox, as per Derek’s request. It breaks my heart that I wasn’t able to keep it in the divorce.

I get back in the car, do up my seatbelt, and try to get comfortable. It’ll take over five hours to get to my sister’s house in Sunset Creek.

It’s a cool November morning. The sun is rising, birds are chirping, and not a cloud in the sky. Perfect day for a fresh start. As upset as I’m about leaving, I’m equally excited to be moving back to the small town where I grew up. Back with my sisters Vicki and Becca, who I miss terribly. I won’t see my sister Jessica as much as I’d like, but I’ll see her more than I did living here. She lives four hours away from Sunset Creek, but she comes to visit there as much as she can.

There’s a lump in my throat as I glance in the rear-view mirror and see the For Sale sign, with the word SOLD across the center, fading into the distance.

I grip the steering wheel tighter, my knuckles turning white at the memory that still haunts me. The very morning I woke up to the sign being hammered into our front lawn. The moment that forced me to make a choice that would change our lives forever.

A tear slides down my cheek. I can’t do this here. I can’t fall apart with Amelia in the back seat. So I wipe my face and focus on our new life.

We’ve been driving for a while when my phone goes off and I look at the screen to see Amber’s number. I’ve known Amber Stone since childhood. Although I haven’t seen her much since she left Sunset Creek when she started high school, she’s still my best friend. She recently moved back to Ontario, from British Columbia, to run her grandmother’s inn with her high school boyfriend Dylan. I put it on Bluetooth but turn it down low, hoping not to wake Amelia just yet. “Hey Amber. You’re up early.”

She laughs. “Not really. When you run an inn, you’re up early most days. Are you on the road?”

“Yeah, we left about an hour ago. So far, not much traffic, so I think we’ll make good time.”

“That’s great. Have you talked to Vicki about working at the diner like you mentioned?”

“I have. In fact, I offered to do some baking and some waitressing for now.”

“Those lucky bastards!” Amber exclaims. “They’re going to be in for a huge treat once they taste your baked goods. There is nothing like them. I wish you would’ve taken me up on my offer to move to Winterberry. We could use your baking skills at the inn. Not that Jane’s baked goods aren’t good, but she’s more of a chef than a baker.”

I laugh. “You know I would have loved to, but I think the right place for me right now is back with my sisters.”

She lets out a huff. “I know, and you’re right. So how is my peanut doing?”

As if she heard Amber’s nickname for her, Amelia shouts out, “Auntie Amber, I’m good!”

I look at her in the rear-view mirror and see her sitting straight up, a big smile on her face, still holding Oggie.

Amber laughs. “Hey there, peanut. How’s my favourite girl?”

Amelia yawns loudly before answering. “I’m good. I just woke up. We’re in the car going to aunt Vicki’s house. We’re going to be living there now.”

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