Finding Love Again

Manuscript

Chapter 1

Cassy leaned against the last package on the moving truck and rested. The box was heavier than she expected and her arms felt like Jell-O after half a day of moving into her new bakery. A light breeze whipped by and she turned her head toward the wind to enjoy the cool November air, tendrils of strawberry-blonde hair slipped out of her ponytail and softly blew around her face.

"Excuse me. Do you need help with that?" The deep voice came from behind and Cassy imagined a flush of warm breath skittered across the back of her neck.

Startled by the unexpected goose bumps that rose down her arms Cassy straightened and glanced over her shoulder. Instantly her knees went weak at the sight of the man...he wasn't what she'd expected. Tall with brown hair, hazel eyes, and the most amazing face...

And Cassy hated that she noticed.

Tucking a stray hair behind an ear, Cassy ignored her initial unwanted reaction to the man. Her eyes darted over to the shop door across the sidewalk as if she expected Andy or Emma to suddenly appear, but neither did. What would it hurt to get the stranger's assistance? It wasn't like it was a date or anything.

"If you have a minute, sure, I'd love the help. This was heavier than I expected," Cassy backed away so he could get to the stove sized box filled with odds and ends and presented it with one hand, "It's all yours."

The man rewarded her with a debonair smile and it made him that much more attractive. White even teeth flashed and a rather appealing dimple peaked out of one cheek. As he stepped closer, he towered over her and she had to tilt her head back to peer up at him.

Easily, the man picked up the box, as if it were light as a newspaper, his bigger frame handling its size with no problem. The old Cassy would have admired his thick arms and broad shoulders under the yellow polo shirt, but she was no longer that woman, so her eyes moved up to his dark head. Recently divorced, and in the process of healing from the hurt, she'd sworn off men - even tall, dark and handsome ones.

Cassy directed him toward the shop. "Where were you three hours ago?" she joked, "We've already unloaded a truck full, we could have used your help." She moved ahead of him and skipped over a cracked section of the sidewalk that was raised and broken. "Watch your step."

The man carefully stepped over the uneven sidewalk.

Cassy added, "I need to see about getting that fixed before somebody breaks their neck." As she swung the door wide open the hinges screeched like nails on a chalkboard.

The man cringed but walked on inside, his long legs stepping across the threshold. "Some WD-40 should take care of that door for you," he said over his shoulder.

Cassy shrugged. "Yeah, another thing on my to-do list," adding under her breath, "and that list has been growing all morning. I knew this place needed work when I bought it, but I didn't know it needed this much work."

The Good Samaritan carried the load in as he glanced around the room full of brown moving boxes stacked along the hospital scrubs green walls and covering most the floor. "You've been busy this morning. Did you have any help?"

As she eased the door shut behind them it screeched another irritating time. "Oh yeah, I had help, I couldn't have done this by myself. My sister and her boyfriend are here somewhere, but they've gone MIA on me."

As he held the bulky box, the man nodded his dark head and those hazel eyes studied her. They were nice eyes, a greenish-blue color with flecks of gold. "Free help is better than no help at all," he offered, giving it a positive spin.