Dry Creek Sweethearts. Janet Tronstad

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      Linda looked back at the bus when she reached the main road. She’d walked over to the bus instead of driving and she was glad she had. It gave her a few minutes to pull herself together before she got back to the café.

      She stood a moment at the bent-heart stop sign that marked the gravel road crossing by the Enger driveway. There were several plastic red flowers planted in the dirt at the bottom of that sign as a reminder of the love of the eloping couple from twenty-six years ago.

      Linda had to blink to stop from crying. One miracle in the love department was probably all that would happen in Dry Creek for a while. Besides, she couldn’t stand here all day. Even if Doris June Hargrove and Curtis Nelson had their happily-ever-after, that didn’t mean God was going to give one to her and Duane. Linda didn’t even have the hope needed to pray for one.

      The day was still overcast and the ground was damp as she kept walking back to the café. Everything smelled musty, like wet earth. She hadn’t worn a jacket and she crossed her arms to warm herself. The day had turned chilly. Or maybe it was just her. There had been nothing in the day when she got up to warn her that her worst nightmare was coming true.

      Apparently Phil wasn’t crazy after all. Duane was back there in his black tour bus, looking very much like the rock star he was. She wished she had believed he was really in the bus, because then she would have used the walk over here to think of something clever to say to him.

      Instead, she’d sounded like what she was—a delivery person from the local café. And, a bit of a shrew. She couldn’t believe she’d practically asked if he was living with someone. His private life was certainly none of her business. Technically, it wasn’t even any of her concern if he had gotten a dog to replace Boots.

      Thinking of Boots reminded her that she’d have to give Mrs. Hargrove a call and warn her that Duane was back in town. She hoped Boots wouldn’t be as shocked to see Duane as she had been. Then she’d have to call Lucy. It was Saturday and her sister was at home, but she’d never forgive Linda if she missed a chance to see the Jazz Man up close and in person.

      She wondered how long Duane would be here.

      Linda shook her head. She had always thought that, if she saw Duane again, she would say something to make him regret leaving Dry Creek. Make him regret leaving her. She certainly didn’t think she’d be taking a righteous stand about some mammoth tip he wanted to give her. Now that she had a moment to think about it, she decided her reaction had made her sound as if she had needed the twenty dollars and had been too embarrassed to accept it.

      Linda knew God didn’t care more about some people than others because they had larger bank accounts. And, truthfully, she was happy with the money she made in her café, especially now that they’d started setting the pie money aside for Lucy’s college fund so that worry was covered.

      It’s just that Linda didn’t like the feeling that Duane might look at her and be glad he wasn’t married to her. Of course, if he did it probably would have nothing to do with money. Cold hard cash was only the beginning of the differences in their lives now. Duane was probably relieved not to be with her because she’d grown old and boring while he’d turned into a glamorous rock star without a care in the world. He probably knew without asking that she didn’t own one designer pair of jeans, but had three old fuzzy bathrobes instead.

      Linda had known since her visit to Hollywood that she wouldn’t fit in with Duane’s road trip life, but she hadn’t known until this morning that she’d turned into the same kind of disapproving adult she and Duane had complained about all those years ago. She probably would never have to admit it to him, but she didn’t even like the rock music he played anymore. It was too loud and it made her want to turn the volume down.

      She shook her head. She had indeed turned into her mother. It wasn’t a happy thought.

      There were several people on the porch of the café when Linda walked up and she doubted it was because she was serving Irish oatmeal for breakfast this week.