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But even though I own the land, I don’t have a house yet. It was always something I thought I would build when I was older, ready to settle down. But now, as I stare at the plans we’ve designed over the last few weeks, it’s feeling like it’s the right time to make it happen.

“Yeah, I think we’re nearly there. Can we extend this a little?” I ask, looking at the landscaping. There’s a space to the east that I was going to make into a pool, but I have since changed it to be a large, expansive lawn.

“Sure. The other option is to have the pool over here on the north side, which is probably better,” Griffin suggests, watching me. “Why do you want so much lawn over there?” he asks, and I look up from the plans at him. He’s grinning at me, like he knows exactly why I want such a big lawn, and I roll my eyes.

“Just say it,” I tell him, throwing my pen on the desk and pocketing my hands, waiting for his teasing to start.

“Your dad told me that you’re into yoga now…” He’s not able to help the laughter that spills from his mouth. I grin then, because I don’t care.

“You’ve been talking to Dad?” I ask him, scratching the back of my head, and it makes sense. They’ve probably been having a good old gossip about me, especially since Daisy and I haven’t really been hiding anything since we got back.

“What’s happening?” my dad asks, walking into my office.

“Speak of the devil,” I murmur as he shakes hands with Griffin.

“We’re just tweaking a few things. Your son here wants more grass for his morning yoga,” Griffin says, his smile wide.

Dad looks at me, his grin one that makes me grin right back, and now all three of us grown men stand around my office, smiling like fools.

“Yeah, well, love will make you do crazy things, Griffin. You’ll learn that soon enough,” Dad says, and I scoff.

“I’m not in love.” Only, the words taste bitter on my tongue. I can’t be, though, right…? I mean, we work together every day and spend every night together too. I’ve met her parents, and she’s met mine. We’ve traveled to the city and have practically been inseparable this entire time. The thought of being separated gives me hives.

“Oh, well, I’m no expert, but…” Griffin trails off, looking back at the house plans and then back to me accusingly, and I sigh before running my hand down my beard. “Keep these. Look over them, and then just email me any changes. I need to go chat with Victoria about a new project that’s coming up.”

“I’ll catch up with you later,” Dad tells him, and I give him a wave as he walks out of my office.

“You alright?” Dad asks seriously.

“Yeah, it’s just Daisy.”

“Daisy? I thought it was going well with her?” His brow creases with concern.

“That’s the problem,” I tell him, looking at him firmly.

He shakes his head. “I don’t understand?”

“She’s brilliant. Also, fucking smart, funny, quirky, she makes me tea every morning, and she’s so fucking flexible…” I groan, and my dad grins.

“I just… How do I get her to stay? How do I get her to stay in Whispers? Here, with me?” I ask him, feeling my chest open up, vulnerability sneaking out.

“Well, shit.” His grin widens as he chuckles.

“How did you get Victoria to stay?” I ask him, thinking he’ll have the answer for me.

“I simply didn’t let her go. There was no way she was leaving Whispers, and I told her as much,” Dad says, and I shake my head. I’m not going to go about it that way with Daisy, that’s for sure.

“Have you told Daisy how you feel, since you’re clearly in love with her?”

My heart stutters at his call-out. “I’m not in love…” I can’t even finish my denial, not believing the words for a second. The way I feel when I’m with her and the way I feel when I’m without her, it’s too intense to be anything other than burning, deep love. My dad looks at me the same way he looked at me the time I hid bullfrogs in his whiskey cask when I was ten. He doesn’t believe me.

“So you’re okay that she packs up and leaves in another week or so? Because that’s what she’s going to do unless you get your head out of your ass and ask her to stay.”

Exhaling a whoosh of breath, I run my hand down my beard again.

“I can’t ask her to stay. She has a life, family, friends, work in New York.” I don’t want to take her away from everything she loves. That feels like a selfish move on my part.

“But how do you know she doesn’t want to? She sure fits in well around here, seems to love the lifestyle Whispers offers. She can go back to the city with you every month, see her friends and family,” Dad says, and it all makes sense to me, but I’m not sure Daisy will feel the same.