Love’s Cure (Lilac Lake)

CHAPTER ONE

O n this summer day , Crystal Owen stood in the middle of the Lilac Lake Café in the center of Lilac Lake, a small town in the Lakes District of New Hampshire. At thirty-two, she was the proud owner of a thriving business on Main Street. She brushed back a curly lock of purple hair and let out a sigh of satisfaction. Her success hadn’t come easily, but then she’d had a hard life growing up and sometimes felt as if she was hanging onto this dream with bruised fingers.

And now it was time to do something for herself.

Alone, Crystal sat on a bar stool and sipped her cup of coffee. She wanted to settle down in a way she’d been unable to do in the past. She’d married and divorced Nick Woodruff under the best of circumstances. She and Nick would always be friends. They’d married for all the wrong reasons—loneliness and the ease of living in the same town. Besides, Crystal had always known Nick loved Whitney Gilford enough to let her go to Hollywood and become a movie star.

Crystal set down her coffee cup and shook her head. Life sure could get complicated. In the community, she was known as “the poor Owen girl” who’d grown up with an alcoholic, drug-addicted mother and a younger sister to care for. Few people knew that if it hadn’t been for Genie Wittner, her best friends’ grandmother, “GG,” she would never have had the funds to buy the tired old Café several years ago. She’d long since paid the loan back to Mrs. Wittner but she’d never forget her generosity.

After spending summers with GG, Whitney Gilford, her best friend, was now living in Lilac Lake and had married Crystal’s ex-husband, Nick Woodruff. Whitney’s two sisters, Dani and Taylor, also lived in Lilac Lake. Dani was married to Brad Collister, and Taylor, the youngest of the sisters, was married to Cooper Walker, an editor at a publishing house in New York City. Taylor spent as much time as she could at the cottage the three sisters owned jointly. Someone tapped on the door.

Crystal turned and smiled when she saw Whitney. Any awkwardness about being married to Nick had long since been worked out, made easy because Nick was one of the nicest guys around. He had always been that way.

“Hey, girlfriend,” said Crystal opening the door. “What are you doing up at the crack of dawn?”

Whitney gave her a quick hug. “Nick got an early call about a possible robbery at the Beckman Lumber Yard, and I thought this would be a good time to take an early morning walk with Mindy and the baby.”

Crystal observed the black-and-tan dachshund, Mindy, and grinned. “Those short legs can’t carry you too far, huh?” She bent over and peeked into the baby carriage, smiling at the sleeping little boy named Timothy. “He’s adorable,” whispered Crystal, feeling a momentary pang of jealousy. Lately, she’d been thinking about children of her own.

Mindy wiggled with excitement when Crystal rubbed her ears. “C’mon, you know where I keep treats for the dogs who visit our patio.”

The dog trotted behind Crystal, and Whitney followed, pushing the carriage.

“I’ve got time for a quick cup of coffee. The sweet rolls are rising, the cookies and pies are cooling off, and I’m pretty much ready for the day.” Crystal sighed. “This early morning work can drag you down. I’m glad the Café closes at 4 P.M.”

Whitney chuckled softly. “You’re so positive all the time. I don’t know how you do it.”

“Practice, practice, practice,” said Crystal.

Whitney sobered. “I admire you, Crystal. What are you doing for fun? Are you doing any summer theater work?”

“Not now. Maybe later. The Ogunquit Theater in Maine keeps me informed about small parts that become available from time to time.” She poured Whitney a cup of coffee, sat down on a bar stool again, and faced her. “I’m ready to settle down in a way I wasn’t able to do before. My mother is gone, my sister is happy teaching in Florida, and with the Café doing well, I’m freer since I can remember.”

“By settling down, do you mean finding the right man for you?” Whitney asked, gazing deeply into her eyes.

“Maybe. I’m thinking of taking some vacation time, getting away for a while, giving myself a break, and letting life happen. See new places, new faces.”

“Who would you get to run the Café?” Whitney asked.

“I’m not sure. I’d have to wait until early spring after ski season has ended when the Café is slowest.”

“Good for you,” said Whitney. “I’d be glad to help you in any way I can, but it’s difficult with the baby.”

“Thanks. I’m very happy for you and Nick,” she said sincerely, though a fresh pang of regret rolled through her. She hadn’t wanted children earlier with Nick, but now she was ready.

Crystal rose. “I’ve been overthinking things. I’ve got a Café to run. That should be enough for me right now.”

Whitney stood and wrapped an arm around her. “It’s never wrong to think of finding love and having a family. You’re going to make a wonderful partner for the right man. Someone who deserves you.”

“Thanks,” said Crystal. “You truly are my best friend. You’ll never know how much I looked forward to having you and your sisters visit your grandmother and the Lilac Lake Inn each summer.”

“It certainly made our summers special while we were growing up. You and the other local kids meant the world to us. You still do.” Tears shone in Whitney’s eyes, and she fanned the air in front of her face. “Maybe it’s my hormones making me teary, but I mean every word. I’ve always loved my time here.”

Crystal faced Whitney. “We loved having you be part of our summers. Those few weeks were magical. Maybe that’s what I’m looking for. Something magical. Am I being foolish?”

“No,” said Whitney firmly. “We all need a little magic in our lives, something to heal us from the wounds of the world.”

Crystal gave Whitney a wry smile. “Are you saying I need love to be my cure?”

Whitney laughed. “I guess you could say that.”

A customer knocked on the door.

Crystal became all business and went to open the door. It was time to get back to real life.

###

T hat night, Crystal sat with Dani and Brad Collister in Jake’s, a favorite spot for locals in Lilac Lake. After working in the Café all day, it was a great place for her to unwind and grab a light dinner.

Melissa Hendrickson, who was a chef at her parents’ restaurant, Fins, showed up with a man Crystal hadn’t seen before.

“Hey, everybody, I want you to meet, Emmett Chambers. He’s visiting from New York and is thinking of going into medical practice here. He came to my parents’ restaurant last night. You all know how my mother talks to everyone when she’s acting as hostess, and she convinced him to get out and meet some of the people in town.”

As Brad stood to shake hands with him, Crystal studied the newcomer. Of average height, he had straight brown hair and unusual eyes, a mix of blue and green. He was dressed in jeans, a green golf shirt, and moccasins. He was attractive, but the look he gave them was reserved, making him seem a little stiff.

Crystal returned his smile and listened as everyone asked him questions about the kind of medical practice he was interested in.

Emmett spoke about attending Cornell, specifically The Weill Medical School in New York, and the agreement he’d made with the school to practice in a rural area for a full year after his residency before opening a practice elsewhere.

“That’s why I’m here,” he said. “Lilac Lake and the surrounding area was one of the places they’d listed.”

There was something about him that didn’t ring true. He made it seem as if he was a hard-working guy who’d made it on his own. But his manner suggested otherwise. Gazing around the table, she noticed that she seemed to be the only one who felt that way. Were her disappointments in life making her cynical? She drew a deep breath and told herself to relax and enjoy a new face in the crowd.

“I’m glad you chose Lilac Lake,” said Melissa. “Dr. Johnson has been here for years, but he’s ready to retire. Portsmouth Regional Hospital is closest to us, and, of course, there are the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centers here in New Hampshire, and Boston and all the facilities there are not that far away, except for emergencies.”

“My sister had her baby in Portsmouth,” said Dani. “But as someone who lived and worked in Boston, I would choose to travel to Boston for something more serious.”

“I like the idea of Family Medicine,” said Emmett. “That’s why I chose to enter that field. I want to get to know my patients and their families.”

“Well, then, you’ve come to the right place,” said Dani. “Lilac Lake is a true small town where everybody pretty much knows everyone else.”

“Where are you staying?” Crystal asked.

“At the Lilac Lake Inn,” Emmett said. “It’s beautiful.”

That nagging feeling of not knowing who Emmett really was traveled through Crystal. As she studied him, his turquoise eyes settled on her. She felt her face burn and drew in a breath as a rush of desire caused her pulse to race. She looked away, wondering why he was bringing out so many different emotions inside her.

“If you chose to work here for a year, where would you live?” asked Melissa. “I’ve just built a house in The Meadows, a new development of Brad’s.”

“That’s a possibility,” said Emmett. “Dr. Johnson wants me to buy his house.”

Crystal stood. “Guess I’d better go. You all know how early I must rise.”

Her friends said goodnight to her, and she turned and walked away.

###

I n her apartment over the Café, Crystal tried to get comfortable in bed. But her earlier thoughts about wanting to settle down became mixed up with her strong, uncertain reaction to Emmett Chambers.

She stared up at the ceiling and drew deep breaths as she tried to settle herself. Her life was nicely organized. She had many friends who truly cared for her. She’d never been anxious to have a deep relationship with anyone until Nick convinced her that it was safe, that unlike her mother, friends could be loyal, kind, and loving.

Now, honesty was something she demanded of anyone close to her. That’s why it bothered her that she had the feeling Emmett wasn’t being open with them.