From Darkness into Love, A Small Town, Second Chance, Sports, Mystery Romance

Since returning home, she’d fought not to show what she was feeling. But then, she hadn’t been sitting next to him on a raised platform in front of the town. However, for the past two hours every time he moved, his leg bumped against hers, and electricity zipped from the point of impact. It brought everything full circle – something she wasn’t sure she was ready to face.

“Jessie?” Cam’s husky voice broke into her thoughts. “Refill?”

“Sure.” That the word came out sounding like a squeak was something she chose to ignore. “Thank you.”

Cam grinned, and her gaze was immediately drawn to his dimples, still so deep they created craters in his lean cheeks, “I’ll be right back.”

As soon as he was gone, Jessie grabbed the edge of the table. With her head spinning from Cam’s cologne, and her hands shaking, she was a mess, and all she wanted to do was sink into the floor. Except that wasn’t appropriate behavior for a bridesmaid.

Ryan, the groom, laid his hand on hers, “Are you okay?”

“I need some air.”

“Go,” he nodded toward the glass doors. “I’ll cover for you.”

Jessie stepped off the elevated stage, wound around a few tables, and slipped out an open door. The bouquets of pink, white, yellow, and purple flowers still decorated the ceremony area, but her focus was on the cliff several yards beyond. She dropped her shoes on a chair and, bypassing the arch where Cassie and Ryan were pronounced husband and wife, she could finally breathe.

The wind whipped her long hair around her head and molded the periwinkle dress to her body. With the view spread out below, she could easily imagine living in another time. One where she might have been a Princess looking down upon her charges as they readied for battle.

A fanciful thought, yes. But somehow the analogy fits. It hadn’t been easy to return home after two years away. However, it had been the right thing to do for Cassie, one of her best friends. Then, once committed, there’d been no running, especially when their other friend, Sadie, got involved. Since returning, Jessie had been forced to admit how much she’d missed them – and Swan Harbor more even than she’d realized.