“Thanks, Coach, that’s a real comfort.”

  “Seriously, Jamie, Harry’s a good guy if you give him a chance. In fact, I think the two of you might just turn out to be great friends.”

  I’m sure he’s wrong, but I don’t tell him that. Instead, I say, “Harry has a hard time with boundaries.”

  “You mean because he asked out your college sweetheart?”

  “While I was still dating her,” I remind him.

  Dale laughs. “If I remember correctly, she didn’t go out with him.”

  Defending my position, I tell him, “He should have never tried to get her to.”

  “All’s well that ends well,” he drawls.

  There’s nothing like a trite platitude. “If you say so.”

  “Why don’t we meet at Shirley May’s in town for breakfast in the morning before we head to the arena? That way I can give you a little history on some of the guys.”

  “That’s where I’m having supper with the mayor,” I tell him.

  “It’s good eating for a town this size,” he assures me before adding, “See you at ten in the morning. And Jamie, thanks for joining the Ice Breakers. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you to leave the Big Apple, but this is going to be a great move for you. I just know it.”

  Instead of telling Dale how much I needed to get out of New York, I say, “I’m thirty-five. This is my last stop as a pro. Not only do I love working with you, but I like the idea of my hockey career coming full circle.”

  I can tell he’s touched because he pauses like he’s trying to suppress emotion. “Maybe once you’re done playing, you’ll consider being my assistant coach.”

  “That’s a real compliment, Dale, but we’ll have to wait and see. New York is still my home and it’s the only place I’ve imagined living out my retirement.”

  “You never know, you might meet a nice local girl and settle down right here in Maple Falls.”

  “And I might grow wings and take up cliff jumping.” I hurriedly add, “And you know heights aren’t my thing.” Getting involved in a romantic relationship is not on my to-do list. In fact, it’s not on my radar at all.

  Undeterred, Dale says, “I know it sounds farfetched, but word is there’s something about this town that sparks love in the hearts of hockey players.” He backs up this pronouncement by adding, “The first year the Ice Breakers’ charity team played, every unattached player got hitched. And they met their intended right here in Maple Falls.”

  “There must be a lot of single gals here.” I cringe inwardly at the thought. I’m not in the headspace to fight off female adoration—which unfortunately comes hand-in-hand with being a professional hockey player.

  “There not always from here,” he says. “But this is definitely where the guys are getting bitten by the love bug.”

  “You’d better watch out, or you might be next,” I tease.

  “I wouldn’t mind that at all, son. In fact, I’d like to meet a nice lady to spend my downtime with.”

  “Good luck,” I tell him. “But I’m not looking.”

  With a note of warning in his voice, he tells me, “That’s exactly when Cupid sends his arrows flying.”

  I don’t bother responding to such a ridiculous statement. Instead, I tell him, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Dale.” Then I hang up.

  I may finish my hockey career in Maple Falls, but I guarantee I will not fall in love here.

  CHAPTER 3

  ASHLYN

  As I drag my luggage out of my house, my Uber driver feels the need to comment, “You sure don’t travel light.”

  I stare down the walkway at him while cocking my go-to-war eyebrow—the left one. “I’m just taking what I need.”

  “Are you going away for a year?”

  “Are you hoping to get a tip?” I counter. Seriously, if I had enough time, I’d send him on his way and call for another ride.

  His attitude changes quickly and he hurries to put my things in the trunk before opening the back door for me. “I’ll get you there in one piece and on time.”

  “Can you get me there without further conversation?” I want to know.

  Instead of taking the hint, he asks, “You got a boyfriend?”

  As far as I’m concerned, the only real downside of living in LA is the subpar pool of eligible men. It’s not that there aren’t any single guys, because there are. It’s just that most of them are busy trying to date gorgeous girls in their twenties. Even the fifty-year-old, fat, bald ones think they’re entitled to romance movie stars and supermodels. Cute as I am, the only ones asking me out are usually waiters hoping for their big break. I’ve had two of those dump me as soon as they met someone they thought could advance their careers.

  For the fun of it, I lie, “I have a girlfriend.” Then I embellish, “She’s a three-hundred-pound body builder. I’m pretty sure she could take you.” That does the trick, and I get to enjoy the forty-five-minute drive to LAX in relative peace.

  The two-hour flight to Washington whizzes by and with each passing mile I feel myself decompress a little more. I haven’t been back to Maple Falls in two years. My mom has visited me several times, which I suppose is why I haven’t felt the need to go home sooner.

  Meanwhile, my dad has stayed home to keep the town from falling to ruin in his absence. This intense devotion is the primary reason I’m worried he won’t go away with my mom and choose to risk his marriage instead.

  At the airport I pick up a rental car so that if my parents don’t leave town as hoped, I’ll have a vehicle at my disposal. This might be pessimistic thinking, but just because I want something to happen, doesn’t mean it will.

  Driving through the familiar countryside, I realize how much I love Washington state, especially in the fall when all the leaves start to change color. The sight of the emerging orange tint causes a feeling of pure contentment to fill me. So much so, I can almost taste all the goodies I used to devour at Maple Fest. I don’t expect to be here long enough to enjoy my hometown’s longstanding celebration, but I make a promise to myself to come back for it next year.

  Passing Main Street feels surreal. Everything is just as quaint and homey as it was the last time I was here. Maple Falls could be on the cover of a coffee table book spotlighting the charm of American towns.

  I’m looking forward to spending some time in the bookstore before hitting the diner for my favorites. More than anything, I can’t wait to put my boots on and go for a walk in the woods. As much as I enjoy mountain hikes around LA, nothing compares to the forest surrounding my parents’ house.

  Unfortunately, my peaceful contemplation doesn’t last long. As soon as I turn down the road to my childhood home, I spot my mom standing on the porch. She’s throwing handfuls of clothes onto the lawn. Pulling in the driveway, I ram the gearshift into park as she yells, “I told you that if you made one more dinner engagement during the weekend I was going to leave you!”

  I look around for my dad, but I don’t see him. My mom rants, "But I've decided I’m not going. Instead, you are!”

  Getting out of my rental, I glance around to see who she’s talking to, but there’s no one there. “Mom?” I approach her slowly like I’m going to attempt to disarm a robber who’s hopped up on speed. She seems that unpredictable.

  My older doppelgänger, by twenty-six years, turns around with such force, she nearly falls into the bushes. “Ashlyn, thank God you’re home!” She dumps the remaining load of clothes onto the ground before running toward me with her arms open. Once I’m locked in her embrace, she announces, “You can help your dad pack. He’s moving out.”

  Taking a step backwards, I stare at her angry expression. My mom is very pretty. The only noticeable changes to her appearance in the last decade are the slight greying of her auburn bob and the tiny crows’ feet forming around her large green eyes. Other than that, she looks just like she did when I was growing up—beautiful.

  “Dad is moving out?” I ask in disbelief. So much for waiting until I got home to try to fix things.

  “He doesn’t know it yet, but he sure is.”

  Putting my arm around her narrow shoulders, I turn her around and lead her back up the stairs and into the house. For the time being, I leave my dad’s belongings strewn about the yard. “I thought you weren’t going to give him an ultimatum yet. What happened?”

  “He just called and told me he wouldn’t be joining me at the Elliots’ dinner party on Friday night because he’s taking the new captain of the Ice Breakers out to eat instead.”

  “Why does he need to take a hockey player out?” I ask this even though I’m pretty sure I know the answer.

  My mom confirms my suspicions. “Maple Fest.”

  Like the rest of us, my dad has always loved Maple Fest, but ever since he became mayor, he’s been downright maniacal about it. “Maybe he can go out with the captain another night,” I suggest.

  My mom shakes her head with such force she nearly loses her balance again. “I’m done giving him chances, Ashlyn. He knew we had plans, and he went ahead and chose to do something else.”

  Oh, dear. “Why don’t you go upstairs and take a bath?” I suggest. “Maybe take a glass of wine with you.” Or a bottle.

  Her head starts to move in a slow nod before it gains speed. “Good idea.”

  As she strides toward the kitchen, I yell after her, “I’ll just get my stuff and unpack.” But instead of going to the car, I walk out onto the porch and sit down on the swing. Pulling out my phone, I peruse last minute travel sites in search of someplace to send my parents so they can begin to repair their relationship.

  On the third site, I find the perfect getaway—one week in sunny Barbados. The hotel has several small cottages on the property which are nicely isolated from the main building. I impulsively book one of them starting this weekend. That means they need to leave here tomorrow night. Luckily, I find the perfect flight, but the only seats left are in first class. Using all my air miles, I buy the tickets and pray I can pull this off.

  Instead of taking my luggage up to my old childhood bedroom, I hurry to pick up my dad’s things off the lawn. Then I get back into my car and point it in the direction of Maple Falls Town Hall. I don’t think I can convince my mom to go away with the man who’s causing her such distress, which means I’ll have to start with my dad and hope for the best.

  Driving through town, I notice there are actually two new traffic lights which triple the previous number we had. The town seems busier, too. More stores have popped up in the last two years, which I take to mean that Maple Falls’ population is increasing.

  Parking on the street in front of Town Hall, I get out and climb the steps two at a time toward the impressive three-story white cement edifice that is the governmental hub of our town. The Greek columned building lends a certain grandeur that far exceeds the norm for small-town Washington.

  Once inside, I look for a sign that will take me to the mayor’s office. When I don’t see one, I stop a serious looking woman wearing a black pantsuit. “Can you please tell me where I’d find the mayor’s office?”

  Her eyes narrow slightly before she responds, “Second floor. Third door on the right after you get off the elevator.”

  “Thank you.” I turn and walk the direction of her pointed finger. Once in the elevator, I realize I haven’t been in this building since my fifth-grade class came here on a field trip. And then, instead of absorbing the wonders of local government, I spent most of that day pining over Jeremiah Hornsicle.

  When the doors slide open on the second floor, I turn right and enter the door marked “Mayor’s Office.” Approaching the counter, I make eye contact with a stuffy-looking character. He must be about my age but that’s where any similarity ends. He looks like he just walked out of central casting for the role of nerd in High School Musical. If the black-rimmed glasses and argyle sweater aren’t bad enough, this dude is wearing white socks with black pants.

  I school my features in an attempt not to show any judgment. He might be very nice and simply have a poor fashion sense. “I’m here to see the mayor.”

  Without glancing up from his computer screen, he asks, “Do you have an appointment?”

  “I don’t, but I’m his …”

  Before I can say “daughter,” he snaps, “Then he can’t see you.”

  “But I’m his …”

  He finally makes eye contact. “Mayor Thompkins is very busy. You’ll have to call and make an appointment.”

  I resist the urge to fling myself over the counter and put this loser in a headlock. “I would appreciate it if you would tell Mayor Thompkins that his daughter is here.” I emphasize my status like I’m the crowned princess of Maple Falls returning to the palace after a lengthy tour of the continent.

  His eyes open wider as he looks me up and down slowly. “You’re Ashlyn Thompkins?” As if I’m special enough for anyone to impersonate.

  “I am,” I tell him. “And I’d like to see my father. Unless, of course, you think he’s too busy.”

  Instead of responding, he stands up and walks through the first door in front of him with near military precision. I hear him say, “Mayor Thompkins, I’m sorry to disturb you but a woman claiming to be your daughter is demanding to see you.” Claiming? Demanding? Who is this troll?

  Almost immediately, an older and slightly rounder version of my dad pops through the door. “Ashlyn, what are you doing here?”

  I sprint around the counter to give him a big hug, before telling him, “We need to talk.”

  CHAPTER 4

  JAMIE

  I start to get antsy after hanging up with Dale. If I were still in Manhattan, I’d burn off steam by hitting the streets and running down to the tip of the island and back.

  While I suppose I could stroll through the woods behind my house, I’m a little nervous I might lose my way. Also, my city-boy upbringing has me concerned I might run into a mountain lion, or God forbid, a bear. While studying up on this part of Washington, I discovered that black bears are common. And even though Google claims they’re “generally vegetarians” and not “normally” dangerous to humans, I think it’s safest to assume any bear will try to eat me given the opportunity.

  My fear of the local wildlife is why I decide to head over to the ice arena where the team practices. I’m not looking to chat with anyone quite yet, but I’d like to get a lay of the land. Grabbing a baseball cap, I put it on and hope it will be enough of a disguise to keep me from being recognized.

  The stadium is only a mile from the house I’m renting, so I’m there in record time. It would probably take me thirty minutes to drive the same distance in New York City, which is why I take the subway there. I don’t drive unless I’m going upstate for a long weekend. Then it takes a minimum of two hours to go thirty miles.

  Getting out of the car, I stop for a few minutes to appreciate the bucolic scenery. The whole landscape is full of the most amazing evergreens. If I’m going to live here, I’m going to have to find a proper guide to teach me the ins and outs of surviving in the woods.

  Walking into the stadium, the first person I see is Troy Hart. Troy retired from the game years ago and moved to Washington. He and his wife are raising their four sons here. In addition to owning the Ice Breakers, they also own the stadium where the team practices. Forgetting my intention to stay anonymous, I walk up and greet him. “Troy, how are you, man? It’s been years!”

  He looks up from his phone and grins ear to ear. “Jamie! We’re so excited you agreed to join us.” He reaches out and pulls me in for a hug. Then he pats me on the back enthusiastically.

  “I’m looking forward to the change of pace,” I tell him.

  “You won’t regret it,” Troy says. “I don’t ever want to go on vacation because every day in Maple Falls feels like the perfect getaway.”

  “You’re like a walking advertisement for happiness, aren’t you?” I’m only half-teasing. There’s an aura of contentment around Troy that’s quite appealing. I wonder how long it will take for me to feel the same way, if that’s even possible.

  He shrugs his shoulders. Like he’s reading my mind, he says, “Give yourself a few months and you’ll know exactly what I mean.”

  I grimace slightly. “I’m worried I’ll get bored. What do people do around here for fun?”

  “There are some decent restaurants, a movie theater, and even a world-class bookstore,” he brags. “Trust me, you’ll get used to things pretty quickly.”

  “Dale says you own a lodge here, too. You going to run for mayor next?”

  He rolls his eyes. “Heck, no. Bill Thompkins is the perfect man for that job.”

  “Dedicated and pushy?” I guess.

  With a laugh, he responds, “You must have already met him.” His phone rings before I can tell him about my brief conversation with the mayor. Troy looks at his screen before pressing a button to send the call to voicemail. “It’s just my brother, Zach. He can wait.” He rolls his eyes before adding, “He and his wife are expecting their third child and he’s in a constant panic about what they’ll do when the kids outnumber them.”

  Before I can make an uninformed comment about children, he tells me, “We have a lot of high school and college teams scheduled to come up for hockey clinics and to see the Ice Breakers play. I know they’ll be excited to meet you.”

  “I’ve always enjoyed talking to kids who love the game,” I tell him. Then I add, “With the Ice Breakers in town, Maple Falls must be on the precipice of some pretty big growth.” At least I hope they are. I’m starting to second-guess my decision to rusticate.

  Troy shakes his head. “Most of the woods around here were donated to the town when old Victor MacDonald died.” He explains, “Victor was one of the first settlers of Maple Falls. When he passed and the town took ownership of the land, they protected most of it from being developed. That way our little hamlet will stay just the way we like it.”