Free Harvest Moon (Brook Haven Romance Book 1) by Charlene Bright

customers, she just sat with him and talked. She had a lot of questions
about the community and the people and what it was going to be like in a few
weeks when tourist season exploded, and he answered them all to the best of his
ability.
    The whole time he was
shaking inside. He hadn’t been able to get her off his mind since he met her,
but after the bike ride yesterday, it was even worse. It was the first time
she’d really let her guard down around him and he got to see the real Sophie.
He’d liked what he’d seen … a lot. Today was a lot of the same. She laughed at
his stupid jokes and even made a few of her own. By the time Brenda found her
to tell her she was ready to go, Sophie was even waiting on his customers.
    “I see you put her to
work,” Brenda told Drake with a smile. “Good for you.”
    Sophie finished
handling her “sale” and turned to look at her mother. “And where have you been,
young lady? You disappeared on me for hours.”
    Brenda laughed. “You
know me, I’m a social butterfly. I think I may have joined a quilting league … or
whatever you call them.”
    “You quilt?” Sophie
asked her.
    “Not at all. I can’t
even sew, but it sounded like fun.”
    Sophie laughed. “Are
you ready to head back? I was going to get some work done in the office today.”
    “Sure, honey, whenever
you are. How is your Sunday going, Drake?”
    “Great,” he told her
honestly. He couldn’t have asked for a better one—minus the part about having
to go home and having that talk with Mac about the kits.
    “What are you doing for
dinner, Drake?” He didn’t miss the way Sophie’s head snapped around to look at
her mother when she asked him that. Sophie was as aware as he was that her
mother was trying to set them up.
    He smiled and said, “I
don’t have any plans, Mrs. Michelson.” Then he looked at Sophie again for her
reaction. She actually seemed more amused than annoyed.
    “Good, you should join
us. I took some pork chops out to thaw this morning. I thought I’d do them up
with an apple bourbon sauce that I haven’t made in a long time.”          
    “That sounds really
good, but I might have to take a rain check.”
    “Oh. I thought you said
you didn’t have plans?”
    “I don’t, but there’s
something I need to talk to my uncle about and—”
    “Oh no, I’m sorry! I
didn’t mean to exclude your uncle. He’s welcome to come too. I’d love to meet
him. Wouldn’t you, Sophie?”
    “Yes,” Sophie said,
still looking amused. “I’d love to meet him.”
    “Well, I’m just not sure
he’ll come …”
    “How often do you two
get a home-cooked meal?”
    “Not often,” he said
regretfully. “I’ll ask him. Can I let you know?”
    “Of course.”
    Drake smiled. “Thank
you. I’ll let you know soon so you don’t make extra food for no reason.”
    “I’ll look forward to
hearing from you,” Brenda told him. “Sophie, I’m going to wait in the car. Take
your time.”
    “Is your ankle hurting
again?”
    “No, it’s fine. I hope
we see you later, Drake.” They watched as she walked away, and it was obvious
that she was trying hard not to limp.
    “She never saw a doctor
about that?” Drake asked Sophie.
    “No, she’s so stubborn.
She keeps telling me it’s fine, but she’s still limping and she thinks she’s
hiding it from me.”
    “Will you mind the
table for just a second?” Drake interrupted her.
    Sophie looked at him
strangely but said, “Sure.”
    He followed Brenda, and
when he caught up to her, he said, “Mrs. Michelson, I was wondering if you’d do
me a favor?”
    “Sure, of course, Drake.
What do you need?”
    “My friend Brooke is
the new doctor here in town. She just came back from being gone to medical
school and doing her residency and all of that in Boston. She opened a little
clinic, but they haven’t gotten a lot of business yet. The doctor who was here
before was here for years, and people are just having a hard time trusting