June 21, 2024
Hello, Everyone:
It's officially the first day of summer, but it feels like we've been in the thick of it for weeks already. This 90-degree heat⏤it's too much, especially since I've been painting the kitchen before the cabinets get put in on Monday. I was working on clearing the mess from the neighbor's walnut tree that came down in our yard during last week's storm, too. Then, feeling very overwhelmed a few days ago (there's a little book release happening on top of everything else in a few days), I paid someone to chop it up and haul it away. I spotted them working on someone's tree across the street and ran outside to ask if they'd give me a quote. An hour later and $100 bucks, it was gone, thank goodness.
4 More Sleeps Until Release Day!
It's such a relief to have this book coming out. Back in January, when I knew the renovations would be happening right in the middle of prepping for publication, I was N.E.R.V.O.U.S. I don't function well with a lot of change. "Routine" could be my middle name. But here we are, another book baby is on the way, releasing Tuesday, and I love this one so much. I hope you do, too.
As promised, here's the first chapter of Apple Blossom Dreams. Enjoy!
CHAPTER 1
Butter spritz. Lemon bars. Blueberry, strawberry, and apple streusel coffee cakes.
And cider donuts, of course. Cider donuts for days.
Linn Miranelli typed in the names of twelve more pastries and cookies on the spreadsheet in front of her. She’d worked on this baking schedule for the last hour while she sipped her coffee and the second batch of cider donuts cooled on the racks behind her. Early morning in the Apple Hill Farm’s store kitchen was her favorite time of day. The warm sugar smells, the quiet before the farm came to life, the day’s possibilities—these little pleasures filled her soul with a long-sought peace.
She straightened on the stool and twisted to relieve the knots in her back muscles. The sunrise painted pink and lavender streaks across the horizon when she glanced up to look through the window and rest her eyes. Every day for the last three months she’d thanked the heavens she’d landed in Port Chance.
The front door closed across the room. Any second, Rose Lorch would flip on the lights to get ready for customers who’d show up within the hour. It would be an odd morning if there wasn’t someone bustling to the pastry counter at eight o’clock on the nose to buy donuts for breakfast or a work meeting.
Linn waited for her boss’s greeting.
And waited some more.
“Hello?”
No answer.
Maybe she’d mistaken the sound for something else. Beyond the bright kitchen, the rest of the shop remained dark. Linn didn’t mind the quiet as she prepped the baked goods she and her assistant Trudy Dix would work on throughout the day. But she’d definitely heard that door close.
Even if filling the bakery case inside the farm store was what she’d been hired to do, it wasn’t all sugar and sunshine. She’d underestimated the amount of key ingredients she needed and shorted herself the first few weeks. Her feet ached from standing. She’d been tweaking the list since yesterday, flipping pages of the recipe book on the kitchen counter. She’d have this list in its final form before Trudy arrived. Her no-nonsense assistant liked to get right down to business. Trudy was a dear, talkative and upbeat, but she didn’t like to be idle. Linn hopped off the stool to start on the dirty dishes before Trudy showed up. Full of nervous energy, the woman would wash them in a heartbeat, but Linn didn’t expect Trudy to start the day cleaning up her mess.
Linn glanced through the window at the sound of a car door closing. A honeysuckle bush outside somewhat obscured her view from this window, but the sight of an unfamiliar truck set her mind—and heart—at ease. It wasn’t Trudy after all. She peered through the window again as she finished washing dishes.
Beyond the farm store’s parking lot, pristine white fencing surrounded the main barn, home to the Lorches’ menagerie of animals. Donkeys, goats, pigs, and their ambassador turkey—ironically named Tofu—greeted visitors at the end of the long driveway when people came to shop throughout the year and pick apples in the fall. Apple Hill Farm was a happy place. Already the Lorches seemed like extended family, and the orchard’s shop, which included the bakery and a small eating area, a second home.
She looked up again when voices caught her attention over the noise she made at the sink. Peering through the window, she shut off the water to listen.
Jordan Lorch, owner and husband to Rose, who was the oldest sister in the Wendell clan, faced away from her, elbows on the rim of his truck bed. He was deep in conversation with the man across from him who also leaned on the truck. All she could see of the visitor behind Jordan’s lanky frame was a ball cap and one arm resting on the truck’s rim.
Something landed on the floor with a heavy thunk inside the empty shop, startling her. Linn whirled around.
“Is someone in here?”
The only noticeable sounds were the electric buzz of the overhead lights and the crackle of hot oil in the vat. Linn turned a complete circle, taking in her surroundings to be sure she hadn’t missed anything. Or anyone.
That’s when the donuts cooling on the rack drew her attention. She’d lined them up in four rows of five.
But now there were only nineteen donuts.
Linn blinked.
Was this some sort of trick or was she losing her mind?
She’d rolled twenty donuts, dropped them into the vat, then plucked them out and set them to cool on the counter one by one. But there was no denying the empty spot on the rack. Linn leaned in, inspecting it up close. Yep, sugar granules clung to the metal where the missing donut had rested.
Linn made a quick loop through the shop, turning on lights as she circled around the displays.
Farmhouse decor and gifts intermixed with tables and shelves of sauces, jams, and syrups that Rose made on-site or had shipped in from vendors. Pottery, glassware, and metalwork crafted by local artists also found homes between kitchen linens, cookware, and handmade cards assembled by one of Rose’s friends who lived in the apartment below Linn. Once apple season arrived, the store shifted focus to bins filled with plastic bags of apples. Applesauce, apple hand pies, cobbler, and turnovers were made daily starting in August, she’d been told. That was less than two weeks away. She’d been testing batches daily, perfecting the recipes a little more with each round.
Linn rounded one of the hutches and stopped, zeroing in on a weighted doorstop in the form of a stuffed calico cat on the floor. It stared forlornly up at her as if challenging her to catch whomever inflicted this indignity.
She picked it up, set it back on the hutch, and looked around at the other displays. Nothing else appeared out of order.
Linn hurried to the front door to peer through the paned window. A white picket fence surrounded a circular garden with a miniature windmill and the farm’s signage in the center of the gravel driveway, a popular photo op for visitors. The Lorches’ expansive home, all white gables and stone chimneys, stood across the driveway and tree-shaded lawn. Beyond the house, a cluster of maples and oaks separated the far edge of the property from the Mississippi River.
There was no sign of a donut thief from what she could see inside the shop or out.
As if I don’t have enough to keep me busy. Now invisible pastry snatchers are a thing. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and shook her head, turning back toward the kitchen. Now that the lights were on, the shop looked like its usual cheery self. She rounded the checkout counter just as a blur of yellow dashed from the kitchen and along the far wall near the soy candles display.
“Hey!” she called. “Come back here!”
A second later, the front door flew open and snapped closed again. A brown ponytail ducked past the kitchen window outside that she’d been peacefully gazing out only minutes before.
Linn jogged through the shop toward the front door, determined to catch whomever dared steal from her, and not once but twice. So intent on catching another look at the kid, she wasn’t watching where she was going.
Oof!
Her foot caught the corner of a display table. While a lightning bolt of pain shot up her leg, Linn hopped on one foot for a few steps. Why was she even chasing after a kid who’d disappeared before she crossed the room? Who was she kidding?
Linn paused just outside the door, scanning the parking lot, looking for a flash of yellow or a dust cloud as the little thief sought cover. She rounded the corner of the building, hoping Jordan had seen the imp, when she collided with a much bigger obstacle than she expected, knocking her back a few steps. A hand landed on her forearm in an instant to keep her upright.
“Whoa!” the man howled. He held a girl at his side by the back of her collar with his other hand. “Easy there. You steady?”
It took her a second to regain her bearings, but once she looked up to match the deep, melodious voice with a face, Linn regretted it.
His was the kind of face that made one lose track of the surroundings if you happened to pass on the sidewalk. Or made you self-conscious enough to smooth down stray hairs or wrinkles in a shirt. His was one of those symmetrical faces that psychology studies claimed were a sign of undeniable virility, with a dimpled chin to boot. The only imperfection Linn detected was the heavy, dark brows that formed a perpetual look of surprise on his face. Like, even though the initial shock of the collision had worn off by now, his brows were still aloft. It was a face full of good humor and optimism. And now that Linn studied those brows, they weren’t an imperfection at all.
“I…I think so.”
Stumbling over the words, Linn bit her lip. The man’s presence was more unnerving than the fact that she’d just been ripped off by a kid. She bore a strong resemblance to him, dimpled chin and all. The girl’s yellow tee shirt, with its dusting of crumbs and sugar crystals catching the sunlight, marked her as the culprit without a doubt. A cute culprit, but one with sticky fingers nonetheless.
He looked down at the girl. “What have you gotten yourself into this time?”
She grimaced, pulling against the hold he had on her shoulder. “I was just exploring.”
He squinted. “What’s that all over your mouth then?”
The girl made a quick swipe across her mouth with the back of her hand.
“Dad. Nothing.” She shot Linn a quick look, then studied the ground.
Linn automatically brushed her fingers across her own mouth. She’d sampled an imperfect donut when the first batch cooled. Now she felt guilty by association.
“There’s a whole lot of ‘nothing’ going on for the guilty face.” The man glanced back at Linn. “Did Evie ask for what she took?”
Linn dropped her hand. Now he’d put her on the spot. Warmth spread over her face as she exchanged looks with the girl whose wide, dark eyes lent her an innocent look. Linn bet Evie used it to her advantage.
“No, but that’s fine. She just surprised me is all.”
“Taking without permission is not okay,” he said, bending at the waist to look into the girl’s eyes. “Do you understand?”
The girl nodded.
“I hope so,” the man said, dropping his shoulders as if relieved. “I’m Heath, by the way. I’ll be working for Jordan here, starting soon.” He smiled, but it was a fleeting one.
“Hello.”
Linn didn’t chance saying anything more since her voice wasn’t to be trusted at the moment. He reminded her of someone famous. Someone with great hair. Silky thick and dark gold, like a jar of fresh honey at the farmer’s market. She chuckled under her breath. Hair and honey were never a good mix, which she’d found out a few weeks earlier when there’d been some on her fingers, and⏤
She glanced at Heath. His half-smile was frozen while he stared back at her. Did he think her rude? Or worse, crazy for giggling at nothing?
“I’m sorry.” Linn bit down on her lip to keep from laughing anymore. “I’m not laughing at you or…or Evie. Just a thought that crossed…never mind.” She waved away the embarrassing moment.
Heath's eyes danced. “Oh, yeah? I’d love to hear…”
He stopped talking when Evie glanced up at him with her lip thrust out, frowning.
“Never mind,” he said, squaring his shoulders. The smile disappeared again. A stern look transformed his expression like a storm cloud had passed across his face.
“This is Evelyn. Evie. But I guess you two have already met,” he said in a serious tone. He ruffled the top of his daughter’s head, earning a deeper frown. “She’s a good baker if you ever need any help.” He eyed the apron Linn wore with the farm logo printed on the front.
She smiled. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
There wasn’t a chance this girl would set foot in the kitchen again now that she’d been caught stealing, though she imagined not many people had given this girl a break by the looks of her. The defiant tilt of her chin when she looked back at Linn gave it away. Looking closer, though, a thinly veiled sadness ringed her eyes. Where did that come from? A twinge of sympathy wiggled its way into Lynn’s chest.
Heath shuffled his feet. “We should find Jordan again. He’ll be giving us a tour of the rest of the farm and the rental house. Can’t tell you how excited we are to be here.”
“I’m happy for you.” What else should she say? This was a little awkward.
That dimple appeared in his chin when he tipped his head toward her. Linn found herself mentally tracing the strong jawline.
“Have a good day,” he said.
“Thank you. Same to you.”
Evie, who’d been toeing rocks with her shoe, looked up at Linn when her father placed a hand on her shoulder again with a silent prompt.
“Bye,” Evie chirped.
The girl couldn’t wait to escape, judging by the way she tried dodging out from under her father’s hand. Linn chuckled to herself as the two walked toward the ATV Jordan had waiting for that tour around the property. Linn knew trouble when it presented itself. She’d been a handful herself when she was younger. Her marriage had provided many lessons too.
But trouble in the form of a freckled, donut-stealing pre-teen?
This was a first.
For fans of clean romance and women’s fiction, discover the magic of the delightful river town and its inhabitants as this charming sweet romance series unfolds. Apple Blossom Dreams is Book #2 in the Port Chance series, releasing next month on Amazon. It'll be in Kindle Unlimited too.
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On Monday, I'll be visiting with readers in the Coffee Loft After Party group if you'd like to join me. I'll be hanging out there quite a bit actually between now and as the new Fall Collection publishes, beginning in early September. I'm well into writing A Cafe Au Lait Kind of Love, and may give a sneak peek at the characters and a scene.
If you're not a part of the group yet, join us! Every Monday one of the authors from the Fall Collection pops in. On Fridays, you'll meet a Bookstagrammer who will help spread the word about the new books. We'd love to see you there!
Not all boss/office romances happen in big city high rises. The love story in Love Like Water, Book #1 in the Hearts in Hendricks series, takes place on the shores of Lake Superior in a small town. Aboard a quirky tour bus with a fiberglass fish on top, among other places. You can get it along with more than 20 other clean romance books in the Clean & Wholesome Boss and Office Romance promo from now through July 6th.
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I'm finishing up The Women (it's fantastically heart wrenching, BTW) at the moment, then I'll be looking for something light. If you have a recommendation, send me an e-mail! Most the of books I read are through word of mouth, so I'm all ears.
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Port Chance Series * NEW BOOK *
New small-town romance series! It's in Kindle Unlimited too.
That Woman on Thistledown Lane
Hearts in Hendricks series:
Now on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Google Play, & more!
Love Like Water: books2read.com/u/mZLjz5
Love Like Fire: books2read.com/u/bwqd5G
Love Like Air: books2read.com/u/ml8rQ7
Love Like Forever: books2read.com/u/mdjLQy
Blueberry Point Romance series
More small-town romance in Hendricks, MN at Darcy and Sean Stetman's romantic inn. Seven books plus a season-inspired novella collection. Find the series here:
Blueberry Point Romance Collection
Silver Leaf Falls series
Multi-author small-town romance series, all in Kindle Unlimited! Read my book as a stand alone or as part of the series. You can find A Forever Kiss in Silver Leaf Falls here as well as the rest of the Silver Leaf Falls books.
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