Sweetheart of Hope Valley

Chapter One: Welcome to Hope Valley

•All characters in this chapter belong to Hallmark aside from the character of Winnie Hill, my own character.•
I made this chapter short to make sure there is interest in more chapters before I write them!

My name is Winnifred Jane Hill. This story begins as I am riding on a stagecoach to a town called Hope Valley.
I guess that I should tell you why I'm going there. I will be opening a candy store. It's been my dream since I was a little girl. The happiness that I felt as a girl going into the local candy store- I want to spread that happiness to other children.

There's a reason why I chose Hope Valley as the town to set up my store. Well, two reasons actually- Nathan and Allie Grant.

There's not one childhood memory of mine that doesn't involve Nathan in one way or another. Nathan's younger sister, Colleen, was my best friend since we were three years old. We were always more like sisters than friends! We were always following Nathan around everywhere. I hope that he didn't mind that too much.

It still seems like yesterday that we lost Colleen. She left behind a little girl named Allie. I won't say what I think of Allie's father. When Colleen passed, Nathan took Allie in to raise as his own. He has done an incredible job with her. But now that she's getting older, I want to be closely if she needs me. That's really why I'm moving to Hope Valley, where Nathan is a mountie.

The stage just pulled into town. It's so beautiful here! There's the doctor's office. And a dress shop! Why is there a strange man who's holding a teacup lurking on that balcony?

I can't wait to see Nathan and Allie. Oh, did I mention that neither of them have any idea that I'm moving here?

Now I see him- a handsome man in a red serge. Suddenly, that childhood crush is back. I see Allie running out of the mercantile. She looks just like her mom did at that age.

I better get off here and go see my niece!