Free Prelude: Prequel to The Lewis Legacy Series by Joann Durgin Page A

crunch a few twigs to tip you off, but you seemed lost in your own little world. It’s a good thing thing I come in peace.”
    Sam’s humor always made her smile and put her at ease. She patted the moss-covered ground beside her. “Have a seat.”
    “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”
    “I was about to say the same thing to you. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that’s a really bad pick-up line.”
    He looked at her askance. “Since when did you grow up enough to know what a pick-up line is?”
    “While you were away. Remember?”
    She heard his soft chuckle. “Seems to be a running theme with you. You’ve discovered my favorite place in the world to sit and think.” After kicking off his tennis shoes, Sam settled beside her. Sarah liked seeing him in his denim shorts and burnt orange University of Texas T-shirt emblazoned with the Longhorns logo.
    “Mine, too.” Birds chirped on either side of the creek, bubbles from fish skimmed along the surface of the water, and a light breeze ruffled the leaves in the trees directly behind them. They sat in silence, but it wasn’t awkward. Just two friends enjoying the quiet. “Everyone needs a special place to ponder, and to be honest, the company is nice.”
    Leaning forward, she pulled a stray blade of grass from between her toes. She tossed it and watched it flutter down to the surface of the water, carried away by the gentle current. “It’s so peaceful here, and sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world. I also feel God’s presence here more than anywhere else.” Raising her knees, Sarah wrapped her arms around them.
    “And, in those moments, you understand you’re not alone at all.”
    “Exactly. Sam, do you remember when we used to fish here? We caught a lot, as I recall.”
    “We did. Small mouth bass, spotted bass, catfish.” He laughed. “I remember you standing on my doorstep on my seventeenth birthday, grinning from ear to ear with a black crappie dangling from your hand. You pretty much threw it at me, wished me happy birthday, and then ran off down the street.”
    She grinned. “I’m surprised you even remember.”
    “Kind of hard to forget a fish being thrown in my face. It was one of the more unique birthday gifts I’ve ever received. ‘Here, have a happy crappie birthday.’”
    Sarah wrinkled her nose even as she enjoyed the rich sound of his laughter. “I always liked catching and reeling them in, but not gutting and preparing them.” She mock shuddered.
    “Admit it. In the case of my birthday fish, you just liked saying crappie.”
    That made her laugh. “Maybe. My dad used to say the crappie was a little fish with a big heart.”
    “Interesting theory. It tasted good, anyway. And you sure were cute.”
    She smirked. “Back then, you didn’t think two seconds about whether or not I was cute.”
    “Well, looking back on it now, I do.”
    Unsure how to answer that one, she needed to keep the conversation moving forward. “You know, there’s something I find interesting.”
    Sam waited for her to speak again, patient but wearing a curious expression.
    “As boring as I find our little town at times, this little creek is quiet, but it’s not boring at all.”
    “Ah, so what you’re really saying is the people of Rockbridge are boring.”
    “I guess I am. Does that make me a terrible person?”
    “No, of course not,” he said. “I don’t think Rockbridge is boring. I happen to believe that boring is what you make it.”
    She shook her head. “I don’t follow.”
    He reclined, stretching out to his full length, crossing his arms behind his head. “For one thing, I’ll take life in Rockbridge any day over the places I’ve lived in the last few years. They were beautiful countries, but I’m talking more in terms of basic liberties we often take for granted.”
    Sarah’s cheeks warmed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound insensitive.” She cared what Sam thought of her and hated to think