Free The Heart's Journey: Stitches in Time Series #2 by Barbara Cameron Page A

dinner. Nick had opened the windows on the van and the sweet, smoky flavor hung on the warm air.
    Nick was being so careful of pedestrians that he must have turned down the wrong street, because the GPS spoke up, saying, “Reconfiguring” in its flat, almost metallic voice.
    He drove a little bit longer—the community wasn’t that big, more a neighborhood or village in Sarasota than an actual town—and as he pulled into the drive of a little cottage painted a sunny yellow, the GPS announced that they were at their destination.
    Turning to Naomi, he saw her staring at the house. Curious, he glanced back and saw nothing unusual.
    “Someone left a light burning.”
    “Yeah. Nice of them, since we weren’t sure if it’d be dark when we arrived.”
    “Does this mean the place is wired for it?”
    Nick spied a window air conditioning unit. “Yes. And that’s an air conditioner—probably for when the place is rented during the summer.”
    Naomi gave the house a doubtful glance. “I doubt we’ll use the electricity.”
    “It’s easy as pie,” he told her. “You just flick a switch.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “You’re not making fun of me, are you?”
    “Teasing,” he said. “Sorry. Do you need me to go in with you both and see if you need anything?”
    “I think I can manage,” she said dryly.
    They got out of the car. Naomi thought she could smell the scent of the ocean on the cool evening air. But maybe that was her imagination.
    Leah just stared at the cottage. “I can’t believe we’re really here.”
    Nick nodded as he opened the rear of the vehicle and began taking out their luggage. “We are indeed, ladies.”
    He carried the suitcases into the house and set them down by the front door. Then, looking around, he leaned in and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, “Before we left I heard one of the Lancaster County men who’s visited here say that what happens in Florida stays in Florida.”

    There was a steady stream of visitors the next day, starting with Ida, Daniel’s mother.
    Naomi watched the two women embrace and knew she’d done the right thing helping her grandmother travel here to visit her longtime friend.
    Ida held out a basket of oranges. “I picked these for you from my own tree.”
    She placed them on the kitchen counter along with a coffee cake and some farm-fresh eggs.
    “The cottage is perfect,” Leah told her, gesturing for her friend to take a seat at the kitchen table. “But there was no need for you to stock the refrigerator and cupboards with food.”
    “Of course there was,” Ida said, accepting a cup of tea from Naomi. “How’s the ankle?”
    “She always says ‘fine,’” Naomi told her. “I’m hoping she’ll stay off it for a few days before we start exploring.”
    “Maybe a day or two,” Leah said, pulling the coffee cake over and cutting pieces for them.
    “So what’s on the agenda?” Ida wanted to know.
    Leah held up her hand and began ticking off on her fingers, “Naomi and I read the copy of the Pinecraft Pauper newspaper you left on the table. We’re looking forward to all sorts of activities, starting with Nick driving us to Pinecraft Park tonight for shuffleboard—”
    “Shuffleboard?” Naomi nearly shrieked. “What? What’s he thinking? You can’t be playing shuffleboard right now!”
    “I won’t be playing, I’ll be watching,” Leah said mildly. “Really, liebschen , do you think I’ve lost my senses as well as my ability to get around?”
    Naomi bit her lip. “No.”
    Leah tilted her head to one side. “Did you think Nick would let me do something like that?”
    “Well, I think Nick’s smarter than that,” Naomi said slowly, thinking about it. “But I know you, and you do what you want to do.”
    Ida laughed and set down her cup of tea. “She knows you well, Leah.”
    “ Ya , indeed she does.” She put a slice of coffee cake on a plate and set it before Naomi. “But if you’re worried, thenmaybe you’d like to go