âDestiny is a small town with real people living normal lives.
âThey worry about keeping their jobs, paying their bills and finding a way to put their kids through college. But you know all that, Bobby, because you once lived in this town. Back when you made a promise not to set foot in it again until you could return a big success with all the money in the world.â
An icy wave coursed through him, despite the warmth of the sun hitting his back. Yes, heâd said all thatâand moreâthe day sheâd chosen a shot at the glamorous life of high-fashion modeling over being his teenage bride.
âWhat can I say?â His reply came out clipped, sharp as a shard of glass. âMission accomplished.â
Dear Reader,
In this age of technology that allows people to connect across the miles and across the years, there probably isnât much mystery left to that old question, âI wonder whatever happened to â¦?â When it comes to first loves, the answer is usually a click away, but for some avoidance is the only answer.
When Leeann and Bobbyâs future plans took their teenage love in a direction neither of them planned, the last thing they expected was to one day end up right back where it all began. But sometimes love, and life, surprises a person in a way they never imagined.
So is an unexpected reunion an opportunity to set the record straight, right old wrongs, offer explanations with the insight only available after time has passed? Or is it another chance to find that part of yourself thatâs been missing all along?
Leeann and Bobby are about to find out.
Happy reading!
Christyne Butler
Bobby Winslow was back in town.
According to the front page of the local paper there had yet to be an official sighting of the man whoâd been voted âBest Hands (When it comes to working on cars)â in high school. But that didnât matter. The reporter was certain the townâs bad boy, whoâd spent the past six years rising to the number one spot in Americaâs Cup Pro Racing stock car circuit, was on his way home.
Deputy Leeann Harris gave an indelicate snort and tossed the newspaper into the backseat of her cruiser.
She had to.
Otherwise sheâd be tempted to take her eyes off the curvy mountain road to look again at the photos beneath the bold headline, including one taken just a few days ago when Bobby had been wheeled out of an injury rehabilitation center; it was the first time heâd been seen in five months. Heâd struggled to his feet and spoken briefly, thanking those who took care of him after his accident and stating he was looking forward to continuing his recovery at home.
Home.
Everyone around town assumed that meant Destiny, Wyoming.
Never mind that Bobby had left at the age of eighteen with a vow to never step foot back inside the county limits. A vow made during a fervent outburst filled with the hurt and anger of a broken teenage heart.
A vow directed straight at her.
Of course, sheâd made her own vow that spring day fourteen years ago.
This time it took the physical shaking of her head to force Leeannâs mind back to the road ahead, both figuratively and literally.
She refused to get mired down in the past. Not today.
Using a technique sheâd learned long ago to center herself in the here and now, Leeann mentally cataloged her surroundings starting with the beautiful late September day outside her windshield.
The sky was a dazzling shade of blue, sharp and piercing, perfect for squinting eyes and almost impossible to look away from. Birch, ash and maple trees stood tall and majestic on either side of the road. Their green leaves were giving way to the blazing yellows, oranges and fiery reds of autumn, while the smattering of pines and blue spruces stubbornly refused to let go of their glorious emerald needles.
The winding road wore a fresh coat of blacktop, like itâd pulled on a warm woolen jacket in preparation for another Wyoming winter of snow and ice. But when she rolled down the window and pulled in a deep breath, the air still held the lingering warmth of summer.
âWhat a beautiful day to be unemployed,â she said to herself. Technically she wasnât out of work until her shift ended inâshe glanced at her watchâtwo more hours. After that, her three years with the Destiny, Wyoming, sheriff department would come to an end.