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sister; constantly keeping an eye out for trouble where her friend was concerned. Grace might have been out of the dating pool for a while, but she’d experienced her fair share of good looking jerks during her twenties. She searched her memory for what she knew of Mick. Nice guy, kind of dumb, good looking, and very into Valerie.
    The worry ebbed as she came around the bend and saw their little cottage on the corner of Baker Street. Valerie was just stepping out of the house. She waved and smiled as Grace came up the walk.
    “Hey, we were just on our way out. Want to join us?”
    She considered the invitation, took one look at Valerie’s face and realized it was just a half-hearted consideration. “Nah, I’ve got stuff to do. You have fun. Bring me back something.”
    “Have a good day. Try not to break anyone’s eggs.”
    Grace rolled her eyes and walked into the house, ready for a nice hot bath and a cup of coffee. She locked the door and set her phone on the speaker dock in her bathroom. Turning on the singer-songwriter station, she set about preparing her coffee. Coffee to her had always been a process rather than an instant gratification exercise. She loved the task of boiling water in the kettle while grinding the beans. The smell of freshly ground coffee filled the room, the aroma heavenly. After the kettle started to whistle, she poured the hot water into her French press, watching the dark grounds at the bottom swirl and fizz at the top. She let it brew for a few minutes while she ran a steaming hot bath with a generous helping of bubbles added to it. When she returned, the grounds were settling, so she pushed the filter down as far as it would go and poured herself a large cup of delicious black coffee. She grabbed a magazine and headed—coffee in hand—to her waiting bathtub.
    The heat of the water soothed her sore hamstrings. She realized her run had been quite a bit longer than intended and she’d forgotten to stretch afterward. As she sipped her coffee and flipped through the magazine, she couldn’t help but think again about how much Drew and John looked alike.
    Her mind kept going over and over the details of his face. The eyes and brows were the real clincher. She’d spent many long moments looking into John’s eyes, searching for what? Love, she supposed; answers maybe. He was always loving and gentle and kind, but he was also guarded and slightly closed off. She could recall many conversations which had begun lightheartedly and ended with him shutting down, changing the subject, or trying to redirect her. That was why learning of his plan to propose had been so shocking and painful. Anytime they’d talked about the future, their plans, or the idea of starting a family, he’d withdrawn.
    Grace was still soaking in the hot water, with a steaming washcloth on her face, a half-hour later when she heard her front bell ring. She glanced at the clock. Who the hell is at my door this early in the morning on a Saturday?
    Soaking wet and dripping bubbles, she wrapped herself in a terrycloth robe and cautiously answered the door. She hid her body behind the big wooden door and poked her head around the side to see who it was. Her eyes went wide as she saw Drew. He held a grocery box full of produce. Her heart leapt in excitement.
    “Uh . . . I think you’ve got the wrong house, Drew.”
    He took in her flushed skin and dripping hair. “Did I come at a bad time? You look a little, um, busy.” His ears went charmingly pink at the tips.
    “I was in the bath. It’s only eight-thirty in the morning, you know.” Her gaze went to the package in his hands. “Why do you have a box of vegetables?”
    “Valerie came in this morning and ordered them, said you’d been asking for vegetables all week, but hadn’t had the chance to come to the shop. She told me to deliver them straight-away.”
    She stared blankly and he squirmed uncomfortably in the silence.
    “Erm, can I bring this in for you?”
    She