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Mom said, “Caleb took so much of your past. Don’t let him take your future too.”

“I’ll think about it,” I finally said so we could change subjects. Mia, Joanne, and Mom started talking about a speaker Mia had organized to come to her parents’ senior center over the weekend, and my focus drifted to dating.

Or rather, the act that accompanied dating. And the man I’d like to do it with.

Hey, a girl could dream.

* * *

For the next few weeks,I was so focused on work and kids that there wasn’t time for much else. I had to finish lining up details for the rooms to be ready, and in the meantime, I had to fully furnish two suites and part of the lobby for the photo shoot.

Since everything was coming in on different timelines, it meant I had to search for some of the items individually. I spent lots of my workdays scouring estates sales, auctions, and thrift or antique stores for decorative items.

It would be a big part of marketing for the hotel as well, telling people that many of the items were sourced secondhand to reduce waste.

I missed seeing Gage sit across from me as often when I was out shopping, missed watching the expressions he made when a vendor call went over ten minutes. But being away from him made me enjoy the time I did get with him that much more.

I swore, his jawline got more chiseled every day. His cologne smelled better each time I set foot in the room. And that smile he reserved just for me? It turned me to putty every time.

The space from him was good too, because I needed to remember all the reasons I couldn’t be with my boss. He was a billionaire bachelor with all the resources and women in the world available to him. A plus-sized single mom of three wasn’t exactly the best offer out there. Best not to get my hopes up for something he wouldn’t be interested in.

Besides, he would never fit into my world. He worked a lot. And he didn’t speak with his parents. I couldn’t imagine being with another man who didn’t value family the same way I did.

So, I worked myself to the bone and had the bedrooms ready just in time for the photo shoot.

With the bed beautifully made with white sheets and the room lit with found lamps, I sent Gage a text.

Farrah: Come to room 1212.

I bit my lip, glancing around the room and imagining what Gage would think when he first saw it. My favorite part had to be the bathroom. The French company had already sent three bathtubs, and this one was the first to be installed. The tub looked like it had been carved from Calcutta marble and rested on sleek gray tile. Matched with the modern vanity’s gold fixtures, and green tiles for the backsplash and shower, it was pure perfection.

I could picture myself in here, soaking in the tub, drinking a glass of wine and reading a book while letting all the stress of the day just roll away.

The opening door sounded, and I turned away from the bathroom to see Gage coming into the room. He had his blazer off, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled to reveal a smattering of light brown hair on his strong forearms. I had an urge to put my finger above his tie knot and pull down, unbutton the top few buttons of his shirt to show his tanned chest.

Maybe I should start an online dating profile, just to get this man off my mind. Remind myself what dating at my age would realistically look like, because this man? He was a fantasy.

Gage’s eyebrows lifted as he examined the room, taking in every detail from the four-person table set with place mats, silverware, and ceramic plates to the lounge area with a stylish fold-out couch and a coffee table stacked with large, hardcover photo books about Texas.

I bit my lip, my breath stalling until I heard his thoughts.

“Farrah, it’s...” He scrubbed his hand over the light stubble on his cheek. “It’s everything I hoped it would be.” He crossed the room, taking in the bathroom with an incredulous smile.

My heart skipped happily, my lips tugging into a smile I’d never be able to wipe off my face.

“This is incredible,” he said. “And you had these rooms ready in just a few months? How?”

I grinned back at him. “My boss is a hard-ass... but he also believed in me.”

His smile lit the entire room. “You deserve to celebrate.” He glanced at his watch. “If you have a sitter tonight, you should go out.”

“I do have a sitter, luckily. I’m going to stay and put some finishing touches on the other suite, and then we’ll be ready for our photo shoot.”

“It’s still a month away,” he said.

I nodded, running my hand over the warm wood of the television stand. “I wanted to have it ready early in case you requested changes.”

His finger brushed the underside of my chin, tipping my gaze up to meet his. “Don’t change a thing.”