Holly's eyes flickered open and she had to actively remind herself of where she was. Waking up in her new home felt more surreal than moving in as she let her eyes travel along the wooden beams on the ceiling above her.

Moving to Woodstock hadn't been a dream. Meeting Lizzie hadn't been a dream. Jude hadn't been a dream.

A dream boat. Holly laughed at her girlish inner monologue and then stretched her arms out to the sides. Shevglanced at a small clock on the night stand and sat up almost in alarm when she saw the time on the clock read 9:07.

I haven't slept until 9:00 since college, she thought. A part of her wondered if the time was wrong though another clock on the wall provided confirmation that it was, indeed, the time the digital numbers indicated.

For a moment she just laid there, recognizing that she didn't have to be anywhere in particular. Work didn't start for a week, her hike from the city upstate had left her exhausted after the big move in and the glasses of wine to top it all off the night before had provided her with perhaps the soundest sleep she'd had in awhile.

The sounds of the country were vastly different than those of the city. Beeping horns were replaced with the gentle hum of a lawnmower. The stifling city air was long gone and the scent of fresh cut grass filled her nostrils.

Holly let out a sigh and finally sat up in bed. She redid the messy bun she had thrown her hair into the night before and swung her legs off the side of the bed before heading toward the window where a beam of sun shined through.

The sound of the lawnmower had stemmed from Jude's yard as her window overlooked his home. For a moment Holly watched as he made gentle passes up and down the lawn, leaving nearly perfect stripes behind him as he rode on.

She smiled when she saw him gently batting the steering wheel with his hands and assumed he was drumming along to whatever song was playing on his headphones.

Holly loved seeing people in their element, when they were carefree and completely themselves. She subconsciously let out a sigh but whipped around when she heard a light knock on the door.

"Come in," she said immediately, leaning her hands on the window sill behind her when the door opened.

"I'm sorry," Lizzie said as she entered. There was a tray of food in her hands. "I didn't want to wake you."

"You didn't," Holly insisted. "Gosh I can't remember the last time I slept past seven."

"Well you had a long day." She smiled. "I just figured I would treat you to a home made breakfast on your first morning. I hope you enjoy eggs, toast and grapefruit."

"Wow, yes. Thank you." She shook her head. "You didn't have to do that."

"What are friends for?" Lizzie smiled and set the tray down on the night stand. "The orange juice is freshly squeezed."

"Thank you," Holly repeated with a smile.

"You are very welcome." She smiled and took a glance out the window. "Enjoying the landscape?"

Holly raised her eyebrows when she recognized Lizzie meant Jude - or so that was what she assumed she meant. "Oh, um..." She glanced over her shoulder but didn't complete her response.

Lizzie chuckled. "He's single, ya know."

"Oh I wasn't..." Holly felt the same glow of red filter into her face as she began to deny her mild bout of spying on Jude as he mowed the lawn.

Lizzie chuckled. "I'm sorry. I'm not here to embarrass you." She motioned to the food. "I'm off to my little corner of the town green to try to make a little money selling some things. Come by later if you've got nothing else going on."

"I definitely will." Holly nodded.

"Oh, and if you're feeling up to it there's some live music down at this cute little pub tonight. It should be a good time and I can introduce you to some of Woodstock's finest."

She grinned. "That sounds like fun."

Lizzie glanced out the window momentarily again and then back to Holly. "Some good local musicians will be there."

"Great." Holly nodded. "What time should I be ready?"

Lizzie waved a hand. "We'll figure it out. Maybe six o'clock. The music never starts until seven or so."

She nodded again. "Okay."

Lizzie winked as if she knew something Holly didn't. "Enjoy breakfast with a view." She nodded her head toward the window again and turned to go before Holly could protest.

She gave a final wave as Lizzie shut the door behind her leaving Holly to her thoughts and her breakfast.

...

Six o'clock had come sooner than Holly has anticipated.

She had taken the day to explore the town, drive the back roads and stop in to visit Lizzie at the the flea market style shop where she had spent the day. The more Holly saw of the town the more she liked. She took it upon herself to stop for lunch at a homey little restaurant by a creek. The town was quaint and even as an outsider the locals made her feel welcome.

Now she stood evaluating her pin straight brown hair and wondered if she should have tried for bouncy curls like Lizzie's. It was a look she attempted from time to time though soon after styling her hair Holly often found the waves she had spent so much time preparing fell back into her naturally straight style.

"Is the bar casual?" Holly called out from the bathroom as she applied mascara.

Lizzie whipped in from somewhere else in the house with a smile and did a twirl in her multicolored maxi dress. "Very," she replied with a smile. "I have some more summer dresses if you want to borrow one. You're about my size it looks like."

Holly shrugged. "I'll take a look if you don't mind."

"Come on."

The two of them raided Lizzie's closet until Holly found one that she felt she looked nice in.

"Perfect!" Her new friend gushed. She gave a tug on the fabric. "Now... let's go!"

When Lizzie had said pub Holly had automatically thought of a dark, Irish bar with a string of old men sipping pint after pint as they sat at the bar. The aura was much different as the two of them whisked through a colorful interior toward a back patio where tables were scattered about under protective tree branches of tall oaks and maples that surrounded the outdoor seating area.

Lizzie took her turn hugging and kissing eight or nine other patrons, introducing each one of them to Holly with a collection of kind words.

It was almost overwhelming, but in a good way as they each took a turn greeting her in their own way - handshakes, hugs, a kiss on the cheek.

"Jude!" Lizzie waved as he set down a guitar against a small fence that separated the patio from the wooded area behind them.

Holly felt her heart stop as he smiled and made his way over to their table.

"Jude, you know Holly..."

"That I do." He leaned in and exchanged a hug. "How were the brownies? I already know the wine was good."

Holly chuckled. "The brownies were great."

"Jude, are you trying to drug our new townie?" A woman joked as she overheard their exchange.

"Don't listen to them," he insisted.

Lizzie put her hand on his shoulder and then her other on Holly's. "Jude is one of the local musicians I was telling you about."

Holly smiled wide, now knowing why Lizzie insisted on taking her out that night. "I heard you're pretty good," she said to Jude, "A man of many talents. Carpentry... playing guitar..."

"He sings too," Lizzie added, making Jude glance down with s light laugh this time.

"You know Lizzie you're putting a lot of pressure on me to perform," he told her.

"I'm sure you'll be great." Holly smiled and felt herself blush from the outspoken compliment.

"He is," Lizzie confirmed.

Jude snickered and looked back to Holly. "Save me a seat for when I'm done and I'll buy you a beer."

She smiled wider now, unable to hide it. "That's a fair deal."

"Alright." He looked at her for an extra second and then quickly to Lizzie before heading back up toward a small makeshift stage to get ready to play.