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The truth was they’d never left me

Michael’s sudden appearance had merely woken them up

My hands shook as silent, dry sobs wrackedfor relief, for so, I fumbled for my apron and pulled it on Then I connected my phone to the speaker in my workshop, hit Spotify, and The Vaccines blasted into the room

Sitting down at s I was in the ated silver cats with a to drown out hts

I could hide from Michael until he left Hartwell Simple

His reappearance had been a shock

Life had kicked ut that day, but I knew I’d be okay as soon as he was gone

After all, tiain

Hartwell, Delaware

Present Day

A fire crackled in the fireplace in Emery’s bookstore, a delicious reprieve from the cold October day outside By ht low teh ere open all year round, this was the beginning of our quiet season

Thankfully, h profit (as all of our businesses did) during the spring and suh the quiet season I also made and sold my jewelry to boutiques around the country, so that supple about the quiet season was rab coffees at Emery’s and catch up on our lives The bookstore/coffeehouse was empty except for me, Emery, Bailey, and Jessica

Jess checked her watch

Emery put a plate of cookies on the table in front of us, thewith the action, and then settled in the armchair closest to the fire

“Got somewhere to be?” I asked Jess