Willow Valley Series by S.L. Sterling

Thomas was the love of my life, or he was supposed to be. Instead, he became the guy who broke my heart, crushed my spirit, the last guy I ever dated, and the reason I never wanted to date again.All this, I decided at seventeen, right after we graduated, which coincided with the day he left. He had his truck packed. We'd talked about running off together, eloping. Instead, Thomas explained he was leaving, joining the rodeo, and I could come if I wanted... moreThomas was the love of my life, or he was supposed to be. Instead, he became the guy who broke my heart, crushed my spirit, the last guy I ever dated, and the reason I never wanted to date again.All this, I decided at seventeen, right after we graduated, which coincided with the day he left. He had his truck packed. We'd talked about running off together, eloping. Instead, Thomas explained he was leaving, joining the rodeo, and I could come if I wanted.If I wanted!I thought we shared a dream, but it didn't include running off to join the western equivalent of a circus. Not with him. Not with anyone. I knew better.So, he left, and I decided to make a life on my own.I spent the next few months learning all I could about the small bookstore my aunt owned. I gradually took over as she aged, until one morning she woke and announced that she was ready to retire. She had picked a retirement community nearby, she wanted to relax, sleep in and hang out with the old people, like herself.I'd begun to clean up the place, sorting through boxes of books she'd packed away and began setting them out. I'd let people make me an offer since I was short on space. That was when Thomas appeared. His father had passed, and the community was buzzing with rumors that he had returned to sell the property.He'd come in looking for a good read or so he claimed. Instead I shoved a book at him and told him to take it. I hoped I'd never see him again, but I was wrong. He returned, with the book, his note told me to read the book and I'd understand. So, I read it, and I understood nothing.It was Aunt Vi's diary. She too had never stopped pining for a cowboy who left her behind.Maybe he thought he was saving me. Perhaps I missed what I was supposed to understand all together. All I knew was that I didn't want to face him. One look at him told me it would be all to easy to fall into those strong arms again and I knew I still loved him, even if he didn't love me in return. less

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. My bakery, The Crispy Biscuit, is all decorated and every year I feature a new holiday recipe. This year, it’s none other than my soft, gooey, and oh so sticky cinnamon buns. As I’m making the first batch, I sit down to read through my favorite baking magazine only to find out that they are going to be filming their Countdown to Christmas Bake Off event right here in Willow Valley... moreChristmas has always been my favorite time of year. My bakery, The Crispy Biscuit, is all decorated and every year I feature a new holiday recipe. This year, it’s none other than my soft, gooey, and oh so sticky cinnamon buns. As I’m making the first batch, I sit down to read through my favorite baking magazine only to find out that they are going to be filming their Countdown to Christmas Bake Off event right here in Willow Valley.I’d entered this contest the last two years, both times coming in second place. Everyone tells me that the third time is a charm and so with the whole town routing for me I enter my cinnamon buns.The day of the try-outs I arrive with my buns and a smile, only to discover Tristan Ryan sitting on the judge’s panel. We went to culinary school together. We didn’t have a good relationship then, especially when he voiced that he didn’t think I deserved to be at one of the top culinary schools if all I was going to do was take over my mother’s bakery back in my small hometown.There was no way I was going to let him get to me. When my name was called, I raised my head high and climbed up the stairs to the stage. That was when it happened, my ankle went rolling, my rolls went flying, and my mouth…well I started cursing. I’m still not convinced the trip was just an accident.Tristan claimed the guilt, I guess that’s why he stayed. He even moved right into my house beside the bakery. He took care of me and my broken ankle, and even volunteered to help with the bakery. To my surprise, the criticism seemed to stop, and something else started. I was beginning to like the big dumb jerk.I don’t know what I was thinking, a week later, he was itching to go, but promised to stay long enough for the contest. I knew it would never last. After all, Tristan always had a way of testing my patience, and I was convinced he’d decide soon enough there was nothing for him in this little town, including me, so what harm would come from a little fling? less

PeggyAfter the death of my husband, I drowned myself in flowers, a bittersweet memory of the good times we’d shared. I’d had the good fortune to fall in love with a man who wasn’t great with words but understood the language of flowers. There had been flowers for every occasion, which culminated into the biggest flower delivery of all, my own shop in the small town of Willow Valley, Peggy’s Petals. So I spent all my time and energy building my small flower shop... morePeggyAfter the death of my husband, I drowned myself in flowers, a bittersweet memory of the good times we’d shared. I’d had the good fortune to fall in love with a man who wasn’t great with words but understood the language of flowers. There had been flowers for every occasion, which culminated into the biggest flower delivery of all, my own shop in the small town of Willow Valley, Peggy’s Petals. So I spent all my time and energy building my small flower shop.Eight years later, my friends are trying to encourage me to move on, but how does a person so that and leave behind the guilt they hold? Instead, I tried something safer. My best friend, Trinity, suggested I join the Army pen pal program. It seemed the safest ways to test out the waters with someone new, and the best part, we’d never meet, or so I thought.EthanI’d now been divorced longer than I’d been married and thanks to countless deployments, I knew the men under my command better than I knew my own daughter. As I neared retirement, I wanted to change that. I started writing to my daughter. She was my first pen pal and in one of her letters she explained that she had been doing some volunteer work for a non – profit and she wanted me to get involved.Apparently, all I needed to do was write a pen pal provided by the non-profit. So, I signed up, and began exchanging letters. This went on religiously for more than a year. The more I knew about her, the more I wanted to know. Then kismet played its hand. Melinda, my daughter, and Peggy, my pen pal lived in the same small town.As I prepared for retirement, I finally knew where I wanted to settle down. The military had given me an amazing life, now I wanted the job of being a family man, which meant being with my family. I planned to move to Willow Valley, build a relationship with my daughter, and if I had my way, build one with Peggy too. less

I always wondered where I went wrong in my life when it came to love.I was serious with my high school sweetheart, Noah, or so I thought. I went to college, and he enlisted in the service. We stayed in contact regularly and then…nothing. I always felt that something happened, perhaps he met someone overseas and didn’t know how to tell me.Regardless, I took my broken heart, finished school, and took over the family business running the only Christmas Tree Lot in Willow Valley... moreI always wondered where I went wrong in my life when it came to love.I was serious with my high school sweetheart, Noah, or so I thought. I went to college, and he enlisted in the service. We stayed in contact regularly and then…nothing. I always felt that something happened, perhaps he met someone overseas and didn’t know how to tell me.Regardless, I took my broken heart, finished school, and took over the family business running the only Christmas Tree Lot in Willow Valley. In keeping with tradition Potts Family Tree Farm always picks a charity to work with for the holiday season. This year, I’ve partnered with a local charity to help the children of military families who lost a parent in the line of duty, celebrate Christmas.After our first meeting I came home and immediately noticed a dirty, partially ripped bag sticking out of my mailbox by the road. I grabbed it and tried to make out what was written on it, but it was so dirty and worn, all I could see was a portrait of Santa Clause staring back at me.It was a Christmas Card.One I’d never gotten – from eleven years ago.As I read it tears streamed down my face. Noah asked me to marry him, and he’d been waiting for me to respond to the card because he’d been on a mission. I never got the card, so I’d never responded.All these years I thought he’d never tried to contact me, and his parents had never said a word. So, I did what any woman would do today, I sent him a Facebook message, telling him how I only just received his card today, almost eleven years after it had been sent.Now I wait… less