Free In Firefly Valley by Amanda Cabot

my friend Lauren’s shop,” Marisa said as she paused in front of Hill Country Pieces. The storefront boasted a new blue awning and a polished oak door, but what drew the passersby’s attention was the red, white, and blue quilt with the Texas flag as its central design hanging in the front window.
    Blake gave a low whistle. “I don’t know much about quilts, but that’s impressive.”
    In less talented hands, it might have been gaudy, but Lauren had chosen lighter shades of blue to contrast with the vivid blue of the flag, and the only red she’d used besides the flag itself was for the outer border and the backing.
    â€œShe’s very good. So is Samantha.” Marisa led the way across the street to Sam’s Bootery, the family-owned enterprise that was gaining nationwide recognition, thanks to Kate and her suggestions for Samantha’s website.
    Blake studied the assortment of footwear. The boots ranged from child size to adult and from relatively simple to intricate designs, but what they shared was meticulous tooling.
    â€œLooking at those is almost enough to convince me to buy a pair.”
    â€œI can assure you that they’re the most comfortable footwear in town.” Which was more than she could say for what she was currently wearing. Though she wouldn’t admit it to Blake, Marisa’s feet were beginning to ache. The shoes that had seemed comfortable for brief walks in Atlanta hadn’t been the best choice for a stroll through Dupree.
    â€œBecause this is the only store?”
    â€œExactly. But Sam’s boots are remarkably comfortable. My college friends couldn’t believe it when they tried mine.”
    Gesturing to the other side of the street, Marisa pointed out the Sit ‘n’ Sip. “This is the best—and only—place to eat in Dupree. The coffee’s not the world’s finest, but Russ Walker makes a mean omelet, and the muffins are almost as good as my mom’s.”
    When Blake nodded, Marisa continued to the intersection. “And here we are, back on Lone Star. There’s a sporting goods store two blocks north on Cherry, and the school’s at the end. You’ve already seen the park, so that concludes our grand tour.”
    Blake looked up and down Lone Star, as if imprinting the locations on his brain. “You’ve got almost everything people need, with one exception. I didn’t see a bookstore.”
    Marisa nodded. “You’re right. We don’t have one, although we have a pretty good library.” That had been one of Marisa’s childhood haunts, because although she loved to read, her family could not afford to buy many books. “The supermarket carries a few paperback bestsellers. For anything else, folks go to San Antonio or shop online. Were you looking for something specific?”
    While Blake had displayed a knowledge of Macbeth , Marisa doubted he read Shakespeare on a daily basis, and she wondered what books would appeal to him. Had he read classics as a child? It was unlikely he’d ever opened the covers of her favorite, the Anne of Green Gables series, but he must have read something.
    â€œNothing specific,” he said, disappointing her. “I’m just curious.”
    â€œAre you one of those who agrees with Thomas Jefferson when he said, ‘I cannot live without books’?”
    An ironic smile lit Blake’s face. “You could say that.”

6
    A re you sure this is all I can do to help?” Blake asked as he took the pan of lasagna from Carmen. Though he’d insisted that she did not need to provide supper for him, Carmen had dismissed his protests, pointing out that she was already cooking for herself and Marisa and that it was no trouble to set another place at the table.
    It hadn’t taken much to persuade him. The truth was, Blake welcomed the opportunity to learn more about Marisa. For all that she appeared open and friendly,