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“What’s with the ice cream?” Daisy asks her.

“I’m eating my feelings,” Trisha says. “I found Josh kissing another woman last night.” She scoops out another big bite of ice cream.

“Really? What happened?” Daisy asks. I still have hold of her hand, keeping her close.

“We went to this restaurant. It was new, pretty fancy. Had a great meal, and then he excused himself to use the restroom. When he didn’t come back for a while, I went looking for him and found him sucking face with some girl behind the wine racks.”

I feel bad for her. Clearly, he isn’t the kind of guy you want around.

“Oh no!” Daisy says, her expression pinched.

“Can you believe I thought he was marriage material!”

“I’m sorry, Trisha. Not all men are like that. How long were you together?” I ask. She’s Daisy’s friend, so I want to make an effort and get to know her. She’s heartbroken and almost married this guy, so they must have been together for a long time.

“Two weeks. Two weeks, and he just got up and sucked face with someone else.” She huffs, and I look at Daisy like she’s crazy. She gives me a close-lipped smile and a small nod, and I know she’ll fill me in on the smaller details later.

“When are you coming home?” Trisha asks her, and my body stills.Never.

“Well, I still have another week or two in Whispers, but then I’ll be back and can help you find your next Mr. Right.” She smiles at Trisha, and my stomach twists. I want her to stay in Whispers, and while we haven’t talked about it, I didn’t realize she was so committed to coming back to the city.

“I’ve missed you,” Trisha says, and I frown, because “missed you” is too light a saying for the feelings I’ll have if Daisy moves back here. I start thinking about how I can work from my New York office more so I can still see her, the pain in my gut intensifying, because I know I’m also needed in Whispers a lot, at the distillery, the home of my business. My entire life.

“I’ve missed you too. Here, I’ve put next month's rent in here, plus extra for bills,” Daisy says, handing Trisha a yellow envelope that I’m now assuming contains cash, and I try to swallow, this whole thing leaving a very bitter taste in my mouth.

“But you aren’t even here!” Trisha says, even though she takes Daisy’s money.

“I know, but a bit extra to help.”

I take in some air to try to tame my feelings. I’m not sure what their annual rental fees are, but I would happily pay them. I look at Trisha, and she looks at me.

“You’re my waitress in my suite, aren’t you?” I ask her.

“Yes. I’m working this weekend. Will you be there?” she asks innocently.

“No, I’ve given it to my friend, Huxley, but he’s great and won't give you any trouble,” I tell her, knowing that some suites and corporate spaces can contain some real arrogant assholes.

“Good. Is he single?” she asks quickly, her face full of hope, and I realize that she’s one of those girls who’s in love with the thought of being in love. I give her a grin.

“No, very happily married,” I confirm.

“All the good ones are,” she mumbles, and Daisy looks at me in a way that makes me think she feels the same about me as I do her. I squeeze her hand in mine, and she does it back.

All the while, my stomach rolls, and my head is busy, trying to think of how to keep her in Whispers.

How to keep her with me.

36

CONNOR

I’m glad to be home. It’s been a week since New York, and things are moving quickly. With the spa, and with Daisy and me.

I love the city, but the older I get, the more I just want to be in Whispers. With her. Seeing Daisy do her morning yoga on the lawn brings me peace. I like falling asleep with her in my arms. We work all day, and sometimes see each other around the office, sometimes not, but my days are starting and ending with her now, and I can’t remember them being any different.

Now I survey my new building plans that are stretched out across my desk, looking over them with a critical eye with my builder, Griffin.

“So is this what you’re thinking?” Griffin asks me, the two of us working on these plans on and off for months now. Dad and I purchased separate plots of land farther out of town years ago. He built on his, a large ranch-style home, and now he and Victoria and their myriad of animals all live there happily. My land is next to his, the borders thick with pines for privacy, but we have a gate between us, so he and I can walk over to each other’s place anytime we want. It isn’t far from Hudson and Huxley’s family ranch, and there are a few other large allotments still vacant around us. One I know Griffin has already purchased, the others still waiting for the right buyer. Prices are so high for the land, it’s out of reach for most locals.