Page 34 of There I Find Hope

Maybe they didn’t exactly give me hope, but they gave me a glimmer of something. Hope seems as good a word as any to describe it.

My life seems like it’s filled with hope now. Hope for the future, hope for my business, hope for everything. And yes, I’d like to meet you.

How about we do this: I make candy for a living. At least I used to. I’m planning on doing it again. How about you go to the diner and sit at a table with a bag of candy on the edge. That way, when I arrive, I’ll know who you are. Does that sound okay?

I don’t know how old you are, what you look like, or anything. I’m kind of curious, but I don’t want you to tell me now. I’ll just meet you when I meet you.

Does that sound good?

Your appreciative friend,

Lover of the lake

~~~

Dear Lover of the Lake,

That sounds perfect to me. But you forgot to tell me what day. I have to be away for a bit, so how about we do it the third Tuesday of next month? It’ll be the day after I get back.

If that doesn’t suit, let me know, otherwise you can expect to see me there. With candy.

Your friend,

Business Boy

Chapter 14

Noah stood on the front step of the bed-and-breakfast waiting for Sunday to come out.

It was early, six o’clock, and Sunday had said she would slip out as soon as she could, but she needed to help her mom with breakfast prep first.

Rather than going in, he had told her he would wait outside. It seemed like if there were guests milling around inside, one more person would just add to the melee.

Plus, he enjoyed the view of the lake from the porch.

There was just something soothing about that spot, a cozy, small-town feeling that descended on him when he was in Strawberry Sands. The bed-and-breakfast, with good smells of bacon and toast wafting out, only added to that feeling.

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