Hope Falls: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free Page A

at the bar later.”
    Shelby headed out the back door as Katie called out, “See ya.” She was thankful that Shelby didn’t press her about her sudden need for air. She and Casey had only shared a few words last night. She didn’t need people playing matchmaker. It wasn’t going to happen.
    Katie spent the rest of the morning in her room writing. She headed down to the kitchen for a change of scenery around lunchtime. She continued tapping away while she chowed down on a grilled cheese sandwich. When her bum hurt from the hard wooden chairs, she made her way upstairs again to her bedroom. She stood at the window wondering if she should lower the blinds, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The view of the mountains was extraordinary. There was forest for days, with lone patches of snow that were lingering behind. It was the end of winter and most of the snow had already melted. She would have loved to be there when the snow actually fell. She had dreamed of standing outdoors with her mouth wide open during a snowfall and allowing snowflakes to hit her tongue. She was a grownup now, not the little girl who imagined a moment like that, but she’d be lying if she didn’t admit the idea still fascinated her.
    When her shoulders and back started to get sore from sitting at her desk, she carried her laptop, notebook, and headphones downstairs to the living room. She got cozy in an oversized recliner, kicking up her feet and resting into the plush material. She felt like the queen of the world. All she needed was a few shirtless book boyfriends to rub her feet and feed her Bon Bons and she’d be set.
    As the sun went down, Katie’s stomach came to life with a roar. She wasn’t nearly as satisfied with her word count as she was the day before, but a woman had to eat. She wasn’t one to shy away from a good meal. Since her first time at the cafe, Katie had come to crave Sue Ann’s cooking. And today wasn’t any different. “Hey there, Katie.” Sue Ann always welcomed her with a bright smile and a big hello. “What’s it going to be today besides a fresh batch of French fries?”
    “Am I that predictable?” She tried to hide her face with her menu. Sue Ann took it from her hands and bonked her on the head with it.
    “You sure are. French fries and a sandwich for dinner at the same table every time.” Sue Ann handed her the menu back, and then seemed to get lost in thought, pinching her chin between her thumb and index finger. “Come to think of it,” she said, “this is exactly where a certain firefighter sits every time he comes in. He, too, is pretty darn predictable. Has been eating the same chicken fried steak for years.”
    With a roll of her eyes, Katie tried to remain polite, but she couldn’t believe her ears as she listened. Sue Ann was good. News had obviously traveled about her confrontation last night. But Katie wasn’t going to bite. She was not going to ask about this certain firefighter. She was going to eat her sandwich and get the hell out of there.
    “I think you know him,” Sue Ann continued. No such luck. Katie wasn’t going to escape unscathed. “Casey.” Katie shook her head at the older woman. “Oh, come on. You know Casey Palmer. You met him at JT’s, remember?”
    “I did? Must not have been that memorable,” she mumbled and, again, found herself trying to hide behind her menu.
    “Playing hard to get, huh? I like it.” Sue Ann gave her a nod of approval. “Don’t hold out too long, though. It’s like walking a tightrope. You gotta have the perfect strategy for that kind of thing.”
    “Sue Ann, I’m starved. I’ll have the beef dip.” She handed the menu back hoping she’d get the hint. Thankfully, the owner of the café wrote down her order and headed back to the kitchen, stopping to talk to other customers along the way. Katie was curious what she knew about the rest of the patrons. She wouldn’t mind getting in on that gossip. She just wasn’t interested in