Chasing Hope

by Nancy Stopper

  “You know I never say no to one of your treats.”

  Not only was he a flit, but he was also a tease. And his attentions weren’t solely on the young crowd. His charm extended to the older woman, his sassy grin a permanent fixture. There was no way this man wasn’t involved with someone already, so why had he turned his attention toward Sarah.

  “I’ll be right back.” Emma headed into the kitchen, leaving Sarah alone with Lucas. She stood frozen in place. She couldn’t make her feet move to escape from this embarrassing situation.

  The man extended his hand. “I’m Lucas.”

  After drawing in a deep breath to calm her racing heart, Sarah reached out and placed her hand in his. The minute her skin slid against his, a jolt traveled up her arm, spearing her straight in the heart. She didn’t speak. She couldn’t make her mouth form the words.

  His grin grew a bit wider. “…and you are?”

  After shaking her head and willing her mouth to work, she finally responded, “Oh, I’m sorry. Sarah. I’m Sarah. Nice to meet you. I’m not normally this scatterbrained.”

  “Well, nice to meet you, Sarah. Will you join me for a cup of coffee?”

  Was he serious? If she sat with him now, she’d be a salivating mess by the time they finished. Clearly, she could only handle this man in small doses. Sarah shook her head. “No, um, oh. I was just leaving.”

  “Maybe another time. It was nice to meet you. Hope to see you again.” He chuckled. Had he seen through her poorly-veiled embarrassment?

  Heat rose on her cheeks. “You, too, Lucas.”

  After another minute staring into his eyes, she finally forced herself to take a step… and then another, until she reached the door and pulled it open.

  As soon as she stepped out of sight of the shop, she sagged against the front of the building. What just happened? He’d asked her out, right? At least it sounded like he asked her out. She hadn’t been asked out in so long she wasn’t sure.

  No way could she drive home with her hands shaking like this. Besides, it was a beautiful day and she had told herself she wouldn’t hole up in the house when she could be outside, enjoying the weather and getting to know her new town. And what better place that the town green right across the street, a plush, peaceful haven from the bustle of life around it.

  When she stepped into the large park, her heart rate slowed and her breathing calmed. The town green had been the first place she’d visited when she first came to town and its peacefulness always calmed her. Wrought-iron benches with wooden slats lined the sidewalks, and the bench directly opposite Emma’s shop gave Sarah a perfect view of Main Street and into the large picture window of the Mug ’n Muffin. Lucas still stood at the counter, waving his hands and talking to Emma, his head thrown back in laughter. Sarah’s stomach fluttered. Had he been as affected when their arms brushed? She’d been a wobbling mess while he stood there looking completely unaffected. And he hadn’t pulled away. It had been a long time since she’d felt this kind of attraction toward a man. Since Alex.

  As she kept her eyes fixed on the bakery, Lucas turned and faced the window. Sarah snapped her head away. Had he seen her? That would be so embarrassing. Her eyes darted furtively back to the shop. Lucas had crossed the shop and now stood, hands on his hips, staring out the window. She could tell the moment he spotted her—a huge grin broke out on his face and he raised his mug. She snapped her head around. She was no better than a shy schoolgirl afraid to look at her latest crush. She couldn’t meet his eyes again. She had barely the courage to move her daughter an hour and a half away from her family, she wasn’t ready for a crush. As she forced herself to keep her eyes off of Emma’s shop, she studied the other buildings on Main Street.

  Across First Street, on the corner of Main, the firehouse and sheriff’s departments stood as beacons of strength and order, watching over the residents of Oak Grove. While she’d been drawn to the stations on her first visit, she’d never entered either building. She’d come close on several occasions, but each time, she stopped with her hand hovering over the handle. She couldn’t bring herself to enter the symbol of everything she’d lost in her life.

  Station One. Funny since it was the only firehouse in town. Equipped with one fire engine and one ambulance, the station served Oak Grove and the surrounding rural areas. Volunteers filled most of the positions, with the station maintaining only a small full-time fire and EMS crew. She bet no one else in town knew as much about the stations as she did, but she’d researched the details of the local fire response before making an offer on her home. She couldn’t bear another delay like the one that had killed Alex.

  Two brass bells mounted on the front of the fire station clanged and reality broke into her train of thought. The firefighters and paramedics milling around the front of the station scrambled into the open doors, shouting commands as they did. In no time, the fire engine and ambulance screeched out of their bays and turned onto Main Street, sirens blaring and lights flashing. Sarah held her breath, tension squeezing her chest.

  She was unable to wrench her eyes away until the vehicles rushed out of sight. A deafening silence replaced the clamor of bells and engines. Was someone else living through the horror that struck her family just two years ago? Would another family lose a loved one to a fire?

  A strangled huff sounded from across the street, and she turned to see Lucas standing on the sidewalk in front of Mug ’n Muffin, his head lowered and his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

  * * *

  Lucas stood, frozen in place, watching his fellow firefighters and paramedics racing to an emergency. He ached to be on the engine with them. His heart raced and his feet had moved toward the station on their own when the bells rang. But he wasn’t welcome on the engine. Not right now. The captain shouldn’t have taken him off the crew. They needed him... and he needed them. He clenched his muscles, forcing his body to stay put when every cell yearned to follow after the vehicles.

  After the last strains of the sirens faded on the air, he glanced into the park. Sarah had been sitting on that bench, staring across the street, since she’d walked out of the coffee shop. As he talked to Emma, he’d kept his gaze pinned on Sarah. A mixture of concern and longing shone on her face. What could be going through her mind that left her with such a troubled look?

  Their initial conversation was too short. Maybe now after she’d had a few minutes to relax, she’d be up to spending some time with him. They didn’t have to drink coffee, he’d be happy just to sit beside her on the bench. But before he could head across the street, she hustled in the opposite direction, his opportunity to redeem after his rocky introduction lost.

  Where was the smooth, suave Lucas that the ladies in town called Oak Grove’s Most Eligible Bachelor? Could he have sounded more like a dork? That Lucas must have stayed outside, and Awkward Lucas had entered the coffee shop alone.

  He couldn’t pull his eyes from her the entire time he’d been in the shop. She’d worn a pair of tight-fitting jeans that perfectly showcased her round hips. As his eyes traveled up her body, they landed on the bright red sweater that hugged her breasts. Her blonde hair hung straight and long down her back. He hadn’t meant to, but he’d stared so long he’d nearly embarrassed himself. Acted no better than a horny teenager drooling over the cute girl across the classroom. She’d smiled when their gazes had locked, but happiness didn’t reach her eyes. Sadness permeated her look, the swirl of emotions drawing him in and he couldn’t look away.

  When he’d touched her, the air between them sizzled. He’d felt it and he was certain she had, too. At least he’d regrouped in the end and had gotten her name before she left. If his brain hadn’t been scrambled from the mere sight of her, he’d have gotten her number. Considering how quickly she ran out of the shop, he’d probably scared her off.

  She was clearly new in town. No way had she lived here long and he not have met her. Now, he just needed to find a way to run into her again. Smiling at the challenge he had ahe
ad of him, he headed to his brother Joey’s bar, looking forward to a cold beer and a hot plate of nachos.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “Bye, Mommy.” Lily yelled and waved as Sarah backed toward her car.

  Sarah didn’t want to leave Lily here with Jessica with Sarah back at home, ninety minutes away. It was too soon. She’d just adjusted to leaving Lily at preschool for a few hours. The long list of tasks she had waiting for her could wait.

  But Lily needed the freedom, and Sarah needed the time alone. Raising her daughter as a single mother was incredibly rewarding but at the same time, exhausting. Luckily, her family was still not that far away and weekends between cousins were only a drive away. So, Sarah plastered a smile on her face and waved back at Lily.

  A few large drops of rain landed on Sarah’s head. What she wouldn’t give for a few minutes’ peace and an uneventful drive back home. Was that too much to ask? She looked up and cursed. The rain didn’t faze her sister and nephew, who stood beside Lily on Jessica’s porch. Well, she couldn’t do anything about the weather, and she certainly wouldn’t get anything done if she didn’t get home first. As the drops quickened, she dashed into the car.

  Lily, Jessica, and Nicky darted into the house as Sarah backed out of the driveway. With a final, hesitant wave to the trio through the glass door, Sarah pulled away for the ninety-minute drive back to Oak Grove.

  The deep plunking sound of huge rain drops hitting the roof echoed through Sarah’s car. She focused on the windshield and squinted her eyes. The glass filled with water faster than her wipers, even at their highest speed, could swipe it away. Her stomach tightened and her heart raced. She probably should have just stayed at Jessica’s, but she’d never really be able to start a new life for her and Lily if she couldn’t leave her daughter for a simple overnight sleepover.

  She gripped the steering wheel tighter, pain radiating through her knuckles. Damn, she could barely see the hood of the car, much less the road in front of her. She sat forward in her chair, her muscles in her cheeks throbbing from her constant tensing. Because she had to drive so slow, the sun was going down and she likely wouldn’t make it home before the sky nightfall. She couldn’t have picked a worse night to drive the route from Philly to Oak Grove.

  If she thought the interstate was bad, the winding road leading back into Oak Grove was so much worse. Her stomach clenched and she swiped at the sweat that dotted her forehead. Was there anything else she could add to the stress of the drive home?

  Thank God Lily was with Jessica. Those words ran through her mind over and over, the one comforting thought swirling in a sea of frightening ones. The lengthy list of things she hoped to accomplish this weekend forgotten, her only goal now was to reach her new home safely.

  She turned the knob on the air conditioner and a huge blast of cold air smacked her in the face… but the thickening sheen on the window didn’t clear. Her jaw ached from gritting her teeth as she eased off the gas pedal. She eyed the shoulder… maybe she could pull off and wait out the storm.

  A slight movement in her peripheral vision startled her and she jumped in her seat, her eyes shifting to the side of the road. She shrieked, jerked the wheel to the left, and slammed both feet on the brake. The car skidded out of control toward the deer directly in front of her.

  She released the brake and slammed the gear shift down, trusting the lower gear would slow the car. Maybe she could gain a little traction. The tires slipped and then gripped the surface, the car straightened, and she finally regained control, stopping just short of the animal.

  The deer stood in the middle of the road, her tongue sticking out of her mouth, her aloof look saying what’s your problem? Their eyes remained locked on each other for a moment, after which, the deer ambled the remaining distance across the road. Two fawns ran onto the road, spindly legs flailing as they hustled behind their mother.

  At least she didn’t wreck the car or hurt the doe and its babies. The same couldn’t be said for the inside of the car where her purse had tipped over and strewn its contents throughout the car. She could drive home and clean it up later, but with the storm still raging outside her window, she wanted to keep her cell phone handy. At least she could grab that before she went on her way. But not until she moved from the middle of the road.

  She could climb out and walk around, but she’d get soaked. Could she reach her phone without leaving the safety of her vehicle? Well, it was worth a shot. She stretched over the console of the car and the tips of her fingers skimmed the strap of her purse. She withdrew a second and caught her breath and then stretched again, finally grasping the handle and pulling the bag onto the passenger seat. Damn, that shouldn’t have been so hard. Finally, her hands stopped shaking enough to collect the few loose items she could reach.

  After she shoved the other items back into her purse, she pressed the speed dial button on her phone.

  “Sarah! What’s wrong?”

  Thank God her sister answered. Her voice always calmed Sarah’s nerves. “Nothing’s wrong.” Her voice wobbled and she gritted her teeth. “Why do you ask?”

  “Well, you usually text me, so when your name popped up on my display, I got worried. Are you home yet?”

  “Not quite… almost.” She sure wouldn’t get any closer until she calmed her racing heart and her hands stopped shaking.

  “Are you driving?” Concern laced Jessica’s voice.

  She drew in a deep breath, knowing she could count on Jessica’s rational thinking to calm Sarah’s overly excitable nerves. “No. I pulled over. I almost hit a mother deer and her two little ones. I stopped the car just in time.”

  “Oh, thank goodness. You had me scared for a moment.” Jessica paused. What was she thinking? If she encouraged Sarah to come back to Philly, she wasn’t sure she could resist. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I am. It just rattled me a little.”

  “I’m sure it did.” Sarah opened her mouth to say something when Jessica’s voice echoed through her ear. “So… why don’t you tell me more about that sexy man you met at the coffee shop?”

  Sarah groaned. “I knew I shouldn’t have mentioned him. You’re like a freaking dog with a bone. There’s not much to tell. I stared. I made a fool of myself. I left.”

  “It couldn’t have been that bad.”

  Only Sarah acting like an awkward teenager in front of the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Lucas’s face filled Sarah’s mind, his piercing eyes staring back at her, eyes sizzling with awareness as they trailed up her body. She imagined laying her head on his broad chest, feeling his heart beat beneath her cheek. Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him in close, peppering kisses along his neck, up to his ear, around to… “Dammit, Jessica!”

  “Better now?” Her sister’s chuckle rang through the phone.

  She could always count on Jessica. “Yes, thank you. I’m glad I called. Give Lily a kiss for me. I’m going to head home now.”

  “Text me when you get home. You know I’ll worry.”

  All of her life, Jessica had always worried enough for the both of them. Tonight was no different. “Yes, I know you will, Mom.”

  Jessica laughed again and Sarah pressed End before placing her phone in the console, wanting it nearby for the rest of her trip home. Thank God Lily’s safe.

  After one more cleansing breath, she convinced herself she could finish the drive home. Seat belt fastened—check. Hands on the steering wheel—check.

  Sarah checked behind her but found only the dark road behind her. Not one car had passed the entire time she’d talked to Jessica. At least no one else was out in this mess. She slowly pulled her sedan out into the road, starting out at a much slower pace.

  Rain continued to pound her car and her muscles burned from the tight grip she had on the steering wheel. Only a few more minutes and she’d be safely tucked into her new cottage and then it wouldn’t matter if the storm raged outside. As she approached the first traffic light on the outskirts of town, she to
ok her foot off the gas and prepared to stop. She didn’t expect many cars to cross her path at this late hour, but she slowed anyway. All she needed was another deer to dart in front of her.

  When the light turned green, she turned her head left and then right before heading into the intersection. Suddenly, bright white lights filled the car, blinding her. Deafening sounds of crushing metal filled the air, and her body slammed against the door. She screamed… her car spun out of control… the airbag deployed, smacking into her face and upper body and slamming her back against the seat. Intense pain shot up her arms and across her chest.

  Lily’s beautiful face flashed through her mind just before her car slammed into a tree.

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  Turn the page for an excerpt from One Last Dance, book 2 in Nancy’s Oak Grove series. The Oak Grove series features the Bennetts, Rachel’s family!

  ONE LAST DANCE

  Book 2 in the Oak Grove Series

  By: Nancy Stopper

  CHAPTER ONE

  Nobody could call Joey Bennett a useless playboy who wouldn’t amount to anything, even though he’d skipped college and hadn’t been able to enlist in the Army like many of his friends. They also couldn’t say his bar and grill wouldn’t succeed, as the proof was spread out in front of him.

  His foot tapped to the upbeat music the band cranked out. The tune had the customers whooping and hollering. He’d expected a full house the first time his bar debuted live music and the expanded dance floor, especially over Memorial Day weekend, but even he couldn’t have predicted the numbers that poured through the door. Customers filled every empty space and overflowed onto the back patio.