The Second Chance Café (Hope Springs, #1) by Alison Kent Read Free Book Online

more time to spend on the personal reasons behind her return to Hope Springs.
    He was a professional. She knew nothing about tearing apart a house and putting it back together. She should be happy for the help. But leaning too heavily seemed a weakling’s way out, and she prided herself on her strength. She had to be here, up-to-her-neck involved, digging in the emotional muck waiting to take her down, because how else would she find her answers? That was what mattered, right?
    Learning why her degree, her independence, the success of the Sweet Spot had never given her what this house had. Finding out what had happened to bring her to the Wises in the first place. Discovering the truth of what she’d done to cause her mother to want to leave her. And most of all—what about her four-year-old self had driven her father away.

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    O n Tuesday, Kaylie was up at first light to let Magoo outside. The dog had a schedule, and her job was to stick to it, but that didn’t mean she had to go with him while he did his thing. Her closest neighbor in the unzoned and most bucolic section of Hope Springs was a half mile down Second Street. The adjoining lot on Chances Avenue was undeveloped and overgrown. Magoo had quickly learned the boundaries of his yard. That left Kaylie free to brew her morning coffee and bolster herself to see Ten.
    Strange that she felt the need to do that. She shouldn’t feel the need to do that. She’d hired him to do a job, but their synergy on Saturday as they’d discussed her plans had left her rather weak in the knees. It wasn’t an uncomfortable feeling; not in the least. But her schedule didn’t have time for it; her life didn’t have room for it. Once the renovations were complete, he’d no longer be part of her day-to-day life. As long as they stuck strictly to business, she wouldn’t be left to deal with the complications that came with even temporary emotional bonds.
    Coffee poured, creamed, and sweetened, she crossed to the kitchen window to check on Magoo, bringing her mug to her mouth and seeing as she did that she had company.The woman standing at the end of Kaylie’s driveway could only be described as exotic. Her hair was waist length, as straight as a needle, as black as onyx. A headband pulled it away from her face, and Kaylie couldn’t even imagine the weight of it against the woman’s back.
    Along with skinny jeans and a coral linen tee, she wore a colorful scarf looped like a necklace of fringe. Rather than continuing the T-shirt’s color scheme, however, it served as an accent, the colors of indigo and ocean green and deep violet woven like an undersea current. And she wore the most gorgeous pair of suede boots in the same purple shade.
    Magoo, the friendliest guard dog on the planet, having introduced himself and received a nose rub in return, now led her toward the back door. Kaylie pushed it open to meet them.
    “Hi,” the woman said, her voice no more accented than Kaylie’s, which came as a surprise. “I’m Luna. I’m looking for Kaylie Flynn.”
    “You’ve found her. What can I do—” Kaylie took in the colors in the scarf, the pattern, the story they told. She’d fondled a similar one in an Austin boutique that carried the Patchwork Moon collection, the label’s design including the artist’s signature, but decided she couldn’t justify such an extravagant purchase when she wore chef whites all day and pajamas all night. “You’re not Luna Meadows, are you?”
    Luna nodded, her smile momentarily stiff before softening. “I am, though most people don’t know me from Eve.”
    And Kaylie, drawn to the other woman’s honesty the way she’d been drawn to Ten’s, could tell she liked it that way. “Then mum’s the word, and I’ll make sure Magoo there keeps quiet, too.”
    “He’s a beautiful dog.”
    “Thanks, I think so.” She gestured toward the kitchen, curious as to why Luna Meadows would be looking for her. “Would you like to