The Story Of Us - Teri Wilson Page 0,76

of the newly restored business district and Valentine’s Day, which had long been Jamie’s favorite holiday. This year it carried special meaning, of course, because it also marked the one-year anniversary of Sawyer’s official, permanent homecoming.

So much had happened since that night he’d kissed her in the courtyard of True Love Books & Cafe. Sawyer had purchased a little cottage, just one street over from the house she’d bought from her parents. He’d celebrated the occasion with a housewarming party—catered by Rick, naturally—that had included a backyard bonfire where he’d set his suitcase aflame. The following morning, he’d broken ground on the Ridley project, and life for both of them had been a whirlwind ever since.

Jamie had been forced to close True Love Books, but only temporarily while the block was under construction. The timing was most convenient, because only a month prior, she’d sold her manuscript to a publisher—a longstanding publishing company in New York City that had put out books she’d adored since childhood. When the call came, she’d had to pinch herself, because the good news had felt more like a dream than real life. Then she’d been buried in line edits and copyedits and proofreading, and the temporary closure of her bookshop had felt like a blessing in disguise.

She couldn’t wait to open back up again, though. She missed spending her days working side-by-side with Lucy, who’d recently begun rocking a glittering diamond ring on a very important finger. She missed being surrounded by the scents of ink on paper, crystal bowls filled with Anita’s flowers and the sweet aroma of Rick’s buttercream cupcakes in the café. Mostly, she missed the feeling she’d always gotten that True Love was a very real part of the glue that held the community together—the beautiful beating heart of Waterford.

She hoped it wasn’t weird that the front display table would be piled high with copies of her very own novel for the grand reopening. She couldn’t resist, because in addition to being a love story about two lost soulmates finding their way back to each other, her book was also a tribute to the community. Beyond the romance and the poetic language, she’d written a love letter to Waterford itself, setting her story on the very streets where Mary and Harrison had walked so long ago and where she and Sawyer had fallen in love.

Twice.

She had a sneaking suspicion that the unveiling of the Ridley enterprise falling on Valentine’s Day was more than just a coincidence. After all, Sawyer had acted as the lead architect on the project, so the scheduled completion date had definitely been his doing. He was also well aware that Jamie’s book was scheduled to be released that day, “the most romantic day of the year” according to her editor. But restructuring the landscape of a town as old as Waterford hadn’t exactly been an easy task. There had been plenty of surprises along the way, including rusted-out pipes, foundations requiring extensive repair, and permits necessitating the approval of the state’s historical preservation office. Sawyer had navigated it all like a pro, even surprising Jamie with a brand-new plaque for True Love’s front door, proclaiming the bookshop an official Oregon State Historical Landmark.

Never again would she have to worry about True Love Books & Cafe closing its doors. It was a permanent part of Waterford’s story now—past, present and future.

“I still can’t believe you did this,” she said, polishing the gilded border of the plaque as Sawyer approached.

Instead of his ever-present messenger bag, Eliot’s purple cat carrier swung from his shoulder. Since Jamie had been up with the dawn getting the store ready for her book party, he’d volunteered to stop by Jamie’s house to feed the kitty breakfast at his preferred wake-up time and then bring the furry beast to True Love in time for the action. Eliot and Sawyer had become as thick as thieves in the past few months. In fact, as of Christmas morning, Sawyer had become the proud owner of a coffee mug that said Cat Dad…much to Rick’s amusement.

Sawyer gave Jamie a gentle kiss when he reached the threshold of the store, and then tilted his head. “Can’t believe I did what?”

She’d been talking about the plaque—and the store’s designation as a landmark—but looking at him standing there in the center of the business district that he’d worked so hard to save, she realized she meant something else. Something bigger.

“All of this,” she said, her voice dropping to aching whisper.