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Chapter One

Saturday mornings at Diana’s Donuts typically brought brisk business, but today had gotten just plain ridiculous. Must be the hint of fall in the late-September air, because Diana Matthews couldn’t brew coffee fast enough, and the steady flow of customers had all but cleaned out the bakery case.

“Here you go, Alan, a half caf and a blueberry muffin. Sorry we ran out of crullers.” With a friendly but frazzled smile, Diana handed Juniper Bluff’s local insurance agent his change, then swiveled toward the kitchen. “Kimberly, how are those scones coming?”

“Five more minutes,” came her assistant’s shout.

A crusty farmer, one of Diana’s regulars, plopped his empty coffee mug on the counter. “Di, honey, how about a refill?”

“How many times do I have to tell you, LeRoy? It’s Diana.” Her smile tightened as she poured. She’d never cared much for the nickname—or being called anybody’s “honey”—at least not since the person who’d once used such endearments had vanished from her life.

“But, Di, your doughnuts are to die for. Get it?” LeRoy laughed at his own play on words.

She widened her grin to disguise an annoyed eye roll.

Her apron pocket vibrated with a call on her cell phone. The display showed her dad’s number. “Ethan,” she called to the freckled teenager who bused tables on Saturdays, “cover the register for me. I need to take this call.”

While Ethan scurried around to help the next customer, Diana slipped into her office. “Hey, Dad, how’s it going with Aunt Jennie?”

“All packed and ready to go. We should get to the care center around noon. Any chance you can meet us there?”

Diana’s heart warmed in anticipation. Mom and Dad had driven over to San Antonio yesterday to move Dad’s aunt into an assisted-living facility on the outskirts of Juniper Bluff. “I’ll try, but we’re crazy-busy today. On top of everything else, Nora, my part-time counter girl, called in sick.”

“Uh-oh. Well, get there when you can. Aunt Jennie’s been asking about you, and you know you’re her favorite great-niece.”

“Yeah, right,” Diana said with a chuckle. “Only because I bribe her with cream-filled chocolate doughnuts.” She peeked through the miniblinds to see how Ethan was faring. “Give Aunt Jennie my love, and tell her I’ll see her real soon.”

Clicking off, she hurried out in time to help Ethan fill an order for four lattes to go, along with the last two apple fritters.

“I’ll take over here,” she said. “Looks like some tables need clearing.” As Ethan grabbed a dish tub and cleaning cloth, Diana gave her attention to the next customer.

“Mornin’, Diana.” Doc Ingram, Juniper Bluff’s longtime veterinarian, slid some bills across the counter. “Need two regular coffees and—” he frowned toward the bakery case “—two of whatever you’ve got left.”

“Sorry, we’ve been swamped today. If you can hang on a sec, Kimberly’s about to bring out some fresh-baked cinnamon-raisin scones.” Diana reached behind her for two ceramic mugs bearing the pink Diana’s Donuts logo. “Who’s the other coffee for?” She looked past the doc for a glimpse of his companion.

A familiar face beneath close-cropped brown hair grinned hesitantly back at her. “Hello, Di.”

Both mugs crashed to the tile floor. Diana gasped and skittered backward as hot coffee splashed her bare ankles between her sneakers and jeans cuffs.

Kimberly had just stepped through from the kitchen with a tray of scones. “Diana, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Teeth clenched, eyes lowered, Diana snatched a wet cloth from the workstation and swiped at her legs. No way could she risk another glance at the man standing next to Doc Ingram. It couldn’t be. It simply could not be Tripp Willoughby.

Kimberly shoved the tray of scones into the display case, then grabbed a broom and dustpan. “You take care of the customers. I’ll get this cleaned up.”

Murmuring her thanks, Diana bent over the sink to rinse out the coffee-stained cloth, using those few moments to compose herself. After drying her hands, she squared her shoulders and turned. With studied slowness, she let her gaze drift upward to the face of the man she’d never expected to see again.

Concern etched the hard planes of Tripp’s features. “Sorry for taking you by surprise like that. Sure you’re okay?”

“Of course. My goodness, Tripp, what’s it been—ten years? Twelve?” As if she didn’t recall the exact day, hour and minute he’d told her it was over between them. Flicking at a wayward strand of hair, trimmed to shoulder length now instead of the waist-long braid she’d worn through college, Diana wondered if she looked as different to him as he did to her.

“Been a while, hasn’t it?” At least he had the decency to show a little remorse. Shame-faced guilt would have suited the occasion even better.

One elbow propped on the napkin dispenser, Doc Ingram arched a gray-flecked brow. “What am I missing here? You two know each other?”

“We, um, met in college.” With a shaky laugh, Diana edged away. “Let me try again with those coffees.”

Kimberly had most of the spill mopped up. Their backs to the customers, she nudged Diana. “Lucy, you got some ’splainin’ to do.”

“Cool it, Kim. Go bake more muffins or something.” After filling two new mugs, Diana carefully set them on the front counter. She smiled stiffly at Tripp. “First coffee and pastry is on the house. Care for one of our fresh-baked scones?”

“Thanks, but I’ll stick with just coffee.” He scanned the menu board behind Diana’s head. “Unless I could have one of those Greek yogurts instead?”

Pursing her lips, she wondered when the guy who used to inhale junk food like it was going out of style decided to eat healthy. “Sure. Plain, berry or lemon?”

“Plain, thanks. Any chance you have soy milk for the coffee?”

“On the condiments bar to your right.” Diana retrieved a yogurt from the cooler, then turned her attention to Doc Ingram. “How about a warm, buttery scone for you, Doc—or have you gone health-nut on me, too?”

A bemused look in his eye, the vet quirked a grin. “I’ll take two, thanks. Need some carbs to tide me over for my farm calls.”

“Great. Y’all find a table and I’ll bring your scones right out.” Diana took Doc Ingram’s payment and handed him a receipt.

When another customer stepped up to the counter, it was all Diana could do to tear her gaze from Tripp’s retreating back. She hurriedly filled a coffee order, then snatched two scones from the display case.

Kimberly had just returned from disposing of the shattered mugs. “You’re looking a little freaked out. Want me to deliver those?”

“No—actually, yes. I think I’m getting a headache.”

“Hope you didn’t catch Nora’s bug.” Kimberly leaned closer and squinted, then wiggled her brows. “Nope, looks more like a bad case of blast-from-the-past blues. I’m warning you, soon as things slow down around here, you are telling me everything you know about our good-looking newcomer.”

While Kimberly took the scones out to Doc Ingram’s table, Diana made sure the other customers had been served. The steady flow seemed to have tapered off, so she took advantage of the lull to clean up the workstation.

And to eavesdrop. Even with all the other conversations droning around her, she had no trouble homing in on Kimberly’s voice as the perky bakery assistant chatted it up with Doc Ingram and Tripp.

“So you’re new in town?” Kimberly was saying. “Didn’t catch your name.”

“Tripp. Tripp Willoughby.” His rich baritone was still as silky-smooth as Diana remembered. “Just moved here a couple days ago.”

Oh, great. He was living in Juniper Bluff now? Stomach flipping, Diana squeezed her eyes shut.

“Tripp’s taking over the small-animal side of my practice,” Doc Ingram explained. “Now I’ll be able to focus entirely on horses and cattle, like I’ve been hoping to do for a while.”

“So it’s Doctor Willoughby—cool!” Kimberly bubbled. “My little dachshund’s about due for her yearly checkup. I’ll be sure to make an appointment.”

Diana scoured the coffee stains around the sink drain and hoped she hadn’t flirted quite so overtly when her former high school classmate Seth Austin would stop in before he and Christina got engaged last year. Now they were happily married and expecting twins.

While Diana remained depressingly single.

Of your own choosing, she reminded herself. She hadn’t exactly been dateless since things ended with Tripp, but no relationship since had made it past the superficial level.

She dared a glance across the shop. Kimberly had moved on from Tripp’s table to pour coffee refills for other customers. Without other distractions, and without being obvious, Diana could observe the man who’d unceremoniously broken her heart the fall of her senior year in college—and just when she’d been so certain they had something special going on.

Apparently, she’d completely misread Tripp’s signals, and everything she’d imagined about sharing a future with him was just that—all in her imagination.

* * *

Was it only Tripp’s imagination, or was Diana staring a hole through the side of his head? He didn’t dare shift his gaze to find out.

He’d sure gotten an eyeful when he’d stepped through the door earlier. Diana Matthews was every bit as beautiful as he remembered. Yep, even without the waist-length dark brown braid he used to love weaving his fingers through. The fresh herbal scent of the shampoo she’d always used still lingered in his memory.

What had he gone and done, accepting Robert Ingram’s offer of a partnership in his veterinary practice—and when Tripp knew Juniper Bluff was Diana’s hometown?

Okay, so he’d wrongly assumed Diana would be married, with 2.5 kids and living somewhere far, far away from here by now. Hadn’t his sister told him only a few months after the breakup that Diana was seeing someone else?

Besides, he couldn’t pass up this opportunity to get out of the big city and leave behind the pressures of a huge practice where he was one of fourteen vets on staff and rarely got to see the same patient twice in a row.

“Coffee okay?” Robert’s question, laced with friendly concern, interrupted Tripp’s thoughts.

“Yeah. Fine.” Not the coffee fanatic he used to be, he stirred in another splash of soy milk and hoped his stomach would settle quickly.

“Had no idea you knew Diana. Small world, huh?”

“Yeah.”

Robert polished off the last two bites of his scones, then drained his coffee mug. “Need anything else before we head back to the clinic?”

“I’m good, thanks.” Pushing back his chair, Tripp avoided so much as a glance in Diana’s direction, scared to death of what he’d see in her eyes. After how he’d left things, she had every right to despise him.

He’d just hoped, after all these years, she might have forgiven and forgotten.

Like he could ever forget her. Or forgive himself.

Outside, he inhaled a bolstering breath of sun-warmed Texas air and followed Robert to the white dually pickup with Ingram Veterinary Hospital and the clinic phone number emblazoned across both sides.

As they neared the clinic on the south edge of town, Robert broke the silence that had settled between them. “Ready to hold down the fort while I head out on some calls?”

“No problem.” Tripp mentally reviewed the small-animal appointments scheduled for the rest of the morning. It should be a slow and easy first day on the job.

Robert pulled in behind the long, gray-brick clinic building and shut off the engine. He angled Tripp a curious grin. “You always this talkative?”

With a self-conscious chuckle, Tripp shook his head. “Guess I’m still recovering from the shock of running into Diana.”

“I’m getting the impression y’all were way more than just college friends.”

“Yeah.” Tripp sighed. “We were.”

“Well, she’s still single, and so are you, right?” Quirking a grin, Robert shoved open his door. “And Diana’s Donuts is the best place in town to get your morning cup of java.”

Tripp sat in the pickup a moment longer while his new partner’s words sank in. Could it be more than mere coincidence that had landed him in Juniper Bluff? Was this God’s way of fixing the worst mistake Tripp had ever made in his crazy, mixed-up life?

Noticing Robert already had the back door to the clinic unlocked, Tripp scrambled from the pickup. Not a good idea to flake out on his first day. While Robert geared up for his farm calls, Tripp grabbed a lab coat on his way to check in with Yolanda, the salt-and-pepper-haired receptionist.

“Good, you’re back.” Yolanda nodded to the waiting area. “Mrs. Cox just got here for her ten a.m. appointment—Schatzi’s annual checkup and shots. Plus, we’ve got two walk-ins. Sue Ellen Jamison’s cat needs to be dewormed, and Carl Vasquez’s German shepherd tangled with a coyote last night.”

Tripp smiled toward the pet owners. “Bring Mr. Vasquez and his dog to exam room one. Apologize to Mrs. Cox for the delay, and tell Ms. Jamison we’ll work her in as soon as we can.”

Two hectic but gratifying hours later, he scanned the empty waiting area. Yes—all caught up, and none too soon. It was lunchtime, and his stomach was growling louder than Sue Ellen Jamison’s angry cat.

“I heard that,” Yolanda said with a snicker. She made a notation in a patient file, then tucked it into a slot on the shelf behind her. “By the way, Sue Ellen said to tell you nobody’s ever gotten Cleopatra to take her medicine as easily as you did.”

Tripp rubbed the teeth marks on his left thumb. “Then I’d hate to see the last vet who tried.”

“That would be Doc Ingram, and he has the scars to prove it.” Yolanda shut down the computer, scooped up her shoulder bag and started turning off lights. “Truth is, I think Cleopatra had a whole lot to do with convincing the doc it was time to bring a small-animal vet on board.”

“Well, there was no mention of a psychopathic Siamese in the paperwork I signed.” Chuckling, Tripp followed the receptionist out the rear door. They said their goodbyes, and Tripp climbed into his SUV. Time to grab a sandwich and some groceries and head home.

With only a couple of days between his last day at his former practice and coming to Juniper Bluff, Tripp hadn’t had much time to settle in. Robert Ingram had made arrangements for Tripp to stay at a place outside of town called Serenity Hills Guest Ranch. One of their staff cabins was currently vacant, and for a bachelor like Tripp, the single bedroom, small living area and kitchenette would serve him just fine until either the owners kicked him out or he found a place closer to the clinic.

As he waited for his to-go order at the supermarket deli, another advantage of living so far out of town occurred to him: a much smaller likelihood of accidentally running into Diana. Despite what Robert had hinted about the possibility of their getting back together, Tripp figured he’d long ago blown his chances.

Anyway, hadn’t he pretty much convinced himself marriage and family weren’t for him? Something much more ominous than hunger pangs could be blamed for the rumblings in his abdomen. Sure, the Crohn’s might be well controlled most of the time, but flare-ups were inevitable. And how, in good conscience, could Tripp ever risk passing on this possibly genetic and sometimes excruciatingly painful disease to any children in his future?

* * *

Business at the doughnut shop generally slowed as lunchtime approached, which meant Diana could turn things over to Kimberly and get away for a while. Still shaken by the unexpected encounter with Tripp, she needed a break before her runaway emotions got the best of her—and before her nosy assistant had a chance to pepper her with more questions.

Figuring her parents would be too busy helping Aunt Jennie move in to think about lunch, she filled a small white bag with her great-aunt’s favorite doughnuts, then texted her mom with an offer to run by the supermarket deli and pick up sandwiches.

At the supermarket, a line of customers waited at the deli counter, so she picked up a sandwich menu and joined the queue.

While she studied the menu, someone paused beside her. “I hear the ham-and-Swiss is really good.”

The page nearly fell from her hand. “Tripp.”

“Yep, it’s still me.” His lopsided grin made her stomach dip. He held up a bulging deli bag. “Guess great minds think alike.”

Or not. Diana forced a smile. “Just moved in and you’re already discovering all the popular eateries in Juniper Bluff. When you’re ready to try Mexican, I recommend Casa Luis.”

An odd look crossed Tripp’s face. “Thanks, I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Oh, I forgot. You’re on some kind of health kick these days.”

“You could say so.” Tripp glanced away. “Well, don’t let me keep you. Have a good afternoon, Diana.”

“Yeah, you, too.” The line moved, and Diana took a giant step forward. She was so ready to end this conversation.

“Diana?”

She winced, then turned and met Tripp’s steady gaze. “Yes?”

“I just wanted to say how good it is to see you again. Your own business and everything—that’s...really great. I’m happy for you.”

At the pensive look in his eyes, the corner of her heart that had been frozen all these years melted a tiny bit. “Thanks. I’m glad to know you’re doing well, too. I hope you’ll be very happy in Juniper Bluff.”

“I think I will be. The slower pace is already a welcome change.”

“Funny,” Diana mused with a twist to her lips, “I didn’t think anything could lure you from your big-city lifestyle.”

Tripp shrugged. “Maybe that was true...once.”

“Well, I guess a lot can change in twelve years.”

“Yeah, a lot can change.” The words came out on a sigh. After a moment’s pause, he offered a parting smile and strode away.

Lost in trying to figure out what this new Tripp Willoughby was all about, Diana jumped when the deli clerk called her name. “Oh, hi, Stan. Yes, I’d like two Reubens, an egg salad on whole wheat and a ham-and-Swiss on rye, light on the mustard.”

She added a gallon of fresh-brewed iced tea to her order, then selected a large bag of chips. Fifteen minutes later, she was on her way to the assisted-living center.

By the time she arrived, she’d regained a semblance of composure. At the reception desk she asked for directions to Aunt Jennie’s quarters, then followed the signs to apartment 18C. The door stood open, and her great-aunt beamed from the opposite end of a small dinette.

Aunt Jennie stretched out her arms. “Come around here and give me a big ol’ hug!”

Diana dropped the deli and doughnut bags onto the table, then scooped the petite ninety-two-year-old into a gentle but enthusiastic embrace. “I’m so glad you’re finally here!”

Aunt Jennie patted Diana’s cheek as she knelt on the carpet beside her chair. In a conspiratorial whisper, she asked, “Did you remember my favorite doughnuts?”

“Right here.” Diana slid the smallest bag closer. Rising, she swept her gaze around the room. “Oh, good, you brought some of your own things to make it feel more like home.”

“Yes, but it was very sad leaving my comfy little house and garden.” The elderly woman’s lips turned down with remorse. “Even harder to give up my sweet little Ginger-dog.”

“I know, and I’m so sorry.” Diana had known Aunt Jennie wouldn’t be allowed to bring her lovable corgi to the new apartment. Aunt Jennie’s next-door neighbor Mrs. Doudtman had taken Ginger, saying she’d be a great playmate for her two shelties.

“She’ll adjust, honey, just like I will.” Aunt Jennie patted Diana’s arm.

Her great-aunt might be putting up a brave front, but the wistful look in her eyes every time she mentioned Ginger’s name brought a lump to Diana’s throat. She’d have offered to keep Ginger herself, but she already shared her two-bedroom cottage with three cats, a lop-eared rabbit and a parakeet. Besides, her tiny backyard wasn’t fenced, so a dog was out of the question. Ginger was too prissy to last long as a farm dog, which meant Diana’s parents weren’t able to take her, either.

But Diana did have an idea she hoped to implement soon. She’d begun investigating programs where volunteers brought pets to visit shut-ins, and if things worked out, she planned to establish a group right here in Juniper Bluff.

Thinking about pets brought to mind an unexpected complication. Unless Diana wanted to drive the extra miles to a veterinary clinic in a neighboring town, anytime her menagerie needed health care, she’d have no choice but to make an appointment with Tripp.