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never will say anything but that she’s fine.”
    “Leah—Oh, never mind.” Her mother’s voice broke off as she again enfolded her daughter in her arms. Tenderly, she kissed her head. “You’re a good person.”
    Leah fiercely hugged her mother back. “I wish her mom was more like you. I wish her mom would have reached out to her more.”
    “I know.” She shook her head sadly. “Sometimes I just don’t understand people. Never would I have imagined that a parent could be so uncaring. It certainly wasn’t Melody’s fault she was attacked.”
    “If you acted that way to me, why, I just don’t know what I’d do. Probably go off the deep end.” As she visualized how empty her life would be, without her mother’s love and support, Leah reached out her hand. “Mom, I hope that’s not what’s been happening to Melody.”
    As her mother clasped her hand, she shook her head. “Nope. I’m not going to let you go there. Let’s think positively. You’re going to get to the inn tonight. You’re going to visit with her, and spend the night there.”
    “And stay another day or two.”
    “And then you’re going to come right back, with plenty of time to celebrate Christmas Day.”
    “Yep. And if Melody wants to stay with us, she’s more than welcome.”
    “Of course. Well, is your car full of gas?”
    “Yes.” She stepped closer to the door—anxious to leave, but not. This trip was a big deal for her. Never had she driven so far by herself. Never had she taken a chance like the one she was taking now.
    “Then, I guess you better go. The sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll come home.”
    Leah grabbed the door’s handle but didn’t turn it. “I’ll call you tonight.”
    “You better. Good-bye, dear. Have a good trip, and be careful.”
    “I will. And Mom … I hope you won’t be too lonely.”
    “I have my books and the dogs. That’s enough for me. Now, it’s time, Leah.”
    Leah hugged her mom again and hustled to her sedan. She tossed her pack in the backseat and started the car.
    She was going on an adventure. And though it really wasn’t much of one … after all, all she was doing was checking up on Melody and then coming back … Leah couldn’t wait.
    Things in her life had been pretty boring lately. All she’d been doing was working at Great Grinds and taking classes in counseling at the community college. It was time for excitement.
    But as she drove down her street, and her house and her mom’s silhouette faded into the background, Leah wondered if she was about to get more than she bargained for.
    As the doubts settled in again, she turned up the radio. It did as she hoped—blocked everything in the world out.
    For better or worse, she was on her way.

Chapter 5
     
    December 21, 10:00 A.M.
    “I hope I didn’t disturb you.”
    Melody looked up at the man who stood at the doorway of the parlor. Levi Bender. Her eyes flew to his hand, which was gripping the oak doorframe like he was in danger of falling.
    Of course, it was so obvious that his balance wasn’t in question, it was his comfort level. Though whether he was worried more about hers or his, she didn’t know. “You didn’t disturb me. I was simply enjoying the fire.”
    “Oh.”
    His reticence was almost laughable. He seemed as awkward around her as she usually felt around most strangers. Most of the time, men who were muscular remindedher too much of the man who had attacked her. Who raped her.
    But Levi felt different. As he hovered nearby, an unusual kind of awareness pulsed through her. He was a handsome man. His dark hair and eyes tempted her to look at him a little too long. A little too closely.
    Not to look away. How could that be?
    When he continued to pause at the door, obviously debating whether to join her or not, she sighed. “Please join me, if you’d like. The fire feels
gut,
and there’s a carafe of coffee on the back table.”
    A spark of interest flashed in his eyes.
“Kaffi?”
    “It’s fresh.