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And despite not being able to stop my gaze from seeking out Isla for the rest of the night, I make sure I’m front and center when Will drops to one knee and asks Birdie to be his wife.

And I’m one of the first to pop the champagne as everyone near and dear to us from Timber Falls celebrate the happy couple.

But the whole time, my mind is on Isla. As luck would have it, it seems like what I thought was impossible is, in fact, very probable.

‘Till we meet again.’ That’s what she said in her letter. It looks like that time is now.

With the impromptu engagement party moving back to the bar downstairs, I grab a lime and soda and go back to the rooftop area to get some fresh air, taking some space and time to wrap my head around the fact that Isla is here in Timber Falls.

The woman who left such a lasting impression on me that I couldn't forget her even if I tried and who I never thought I’d see again is here .

This might be the second chance I never thought I’d get. An opportunity to see if the night we shared was a one-off or a connection to explore.

A little part of me wonders if this could be the mountain’s doing. The only thing giving me pause is the fact that you’re supposed to know the moment you meet your One. If Isla was sent by the mountain spirit, surely there would’ve been some kind of ‘big bang’ or something when we met.

That’s just one of the things I’m trying to work out. The other is where to go from here.

The metal door at the top of the stairs creaks open behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I freeze when I see Isla walking toward me.

"Hey," I breathe, still a mix of shock, surprise, and awe over the fact that she’s here, in the same town as me. And with a connection to our family no less.

“Sorry. I didn’t think anyone else would be up here,” she says, her voice as soft and calming as I remember it.

I shake my head, a wry smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. “You’re welcome to join me, Isla .”

Her shoulders drop with relief as she stops beside me. “Guess you know my name now,” she muses.

“Guess you know mine now too.”

Tilting her head, she meets my eyes and I’m immediately lost in the quiet intensity of her big, brown-eyed gaze.

When we both seem to realize that we’re just standing there staring at each other, we break off. I laugh quietly to cover up my awkwardness just as she does the same, a comfortable silence stretching out between us before she speaks again.

“Did you get my note? That mornin’, I mean?” she asks.

“Yeah.” I still have it tucked away in my wallet, I don’t say. Not for the first time tonight, I find myself lost for words. Not because I don’t want to speak to her but because I want it so much I don’t know where to start.

“I didn’t want to leave,” she explains. “I wasn’t in a hurry to escape or anythin’.”

“The thought never crossed my mind. I figured you had somewhere to be.”

“I did. I mean, I had to go back to my apartment, pack as much as I could, then get to the hospital to pick up Mom. The note was the only way I could think of to tell you at least a little of what that night meant to me.”

“And I appreciate you leaving it. It was unexpected…” I trail off trying to find the right words. “But it meant a lot to me.”

Isla turns her body toward mine and I mimic her pose. “The note or the night?”

“Both.”

“Me too.” Isla smiles then, a soft, genuine smile that lights up her gorgeous face.

“I know we didn’t know much about one another.

” I arch a brow and relish in the touch of pink that blooms on her cheeks.

“No identifyin’ details, anyway. I just never imagined I’d see you again.

Not because I didn’t want to, but because I thought we’d be thousands of miles apart.

I didn’t think a nurse from Anchorage who was movin’ to Timber Falls would ever see a tech guy from North California again. ”

I chuckle in agreement. She’s not wrong. Which makes the fact we’re now living in the same town all that more wild… “Probably didn’t help that I didn’t want to misread anythin’ by askin’ for your number and gettin’ shot down.”

Her smile turns lopsided. “You wouldn’t have been out of line.

I thought about leavin’ my number or an email address.

But then I wondered if it might ruin the memory of our time together if you didn't call. You gave me everythin’ I needed that night without knowin’ anythin’ about me.

You were kind and attentive, you listened, and you shared.

You were there ,” she says. “We may have been strangers but even still, it felt like we were tethered together somehow. Hell, you didn’t even pressure me for a kiss or nothin’. ”

“My Mom raised us to be gentlemen, and I wasn’t lookin’ for a hookup. I didn’t even know what I was needin’ until you sat down beside me.”

“What was that?”

“A listenin’ ear and a kind face. Someone who was goin’ through somethin’ of her own and needed someone to talk to as much as I did,” I reply.

Her lips part as she looks at me in disbelief. “There have been so many times when I’ve wondered if I conjured you up in my mind. You seemed too good to be true. Or real.”

“Believe me, I’ve had those thoughts too.” I match her expression, feeling that connection just as strongly now as the first time. “How’s your mom doin’ now?”

Isla’s eyes widen with surprise. “You remember?”

“I remember everythin’ about that night.” About you , I don’t say.

Her expression softens. “She's good. Has her bad days and good days, of course. But since her diagnosis, we’ve been able to get her into physical therapy and on a new meds regime.”

“That’s good. Real good,” I say, my fingers itching to touch her, to experience that same warm comfort I felt whenever we held hands. Something to keep me from floating away on this high I feel—have always felt—when I’m around her. We fall silent again but I don’t feel awkward anymore. “So…”

The bell from the bar below rings, signaling last call, and I’m instantly disappointed that our time on the roof is coming to an end.

“Can I see you again?” I ask at the same time she says, “We should have coffee,” making us both laugh.

“I’d like that,” she replies, leaning in closer as if she feels the same invisible magnetic pull between us that I do.

“Good,” is all I have in me to say. I tilt my head toward the door. “I guess we should get back down there.”

“I don’t have a lot of free time at the moment, because of work and Mom. But I’d really like to see you again, Case.” She blushes again. “It’s so strange to know your name now.”

“Tell me about it, Isla. ”

She seems as reluctant to leave as I am. But we have time now , I tell myself.

“We do,” she replies, and I realize I must’ve said that out loud.

Feeling emboldened, I decide to follow my gut. I step back and hold out my hand for hers, sucking in a silent breath when she slides her fingers with mine without hesitation.

Without saying another word, I lead her downstairs so we can rejoin the party, but this time I make sure we don’t part without swapping numbers.

That’s not a mistake I was willing to make again. And definitely not with her.