Three months later, the Shaw Group was thriving more than ever, and its new sales branch opened right here in Maplewood.
The sudden expansion brought a wave of new faces into town.
The owner of the sandwich shop next door was busier than ever. She was on her feet from morning until night, and she no longer had any extra sandwiches to spare.
My little flower shop was getting more customers too.
Then, one rainy evening, I closed up later than usual. The rain had started without warning, and I'd forgotten to bring an umbrella.
The umbrella that usually appeared by my door whenever it rained was nowhere to be seen.
Someone approached from the corner of the street and held a black umbrella over my head.
I looked up.
Ethan stood there in the rain, wearing a dark gray trench coat. His sho
