Page 36 of Finding Happily Ever After

Either way, she didn’t have the time to waste, so Steph found her cabin, Bankside, which, happily, was almost done. She’d seen pictures and was impressed with the progress he’d made on it, but seeing it in person was completely different.

The porch had been rebuilt and was now not only solid and safe, but also double the size it once was. They hadn’t discussed that, but it was a nice touch. With a big rocker over in the corner, Steph knew the porch was sure to be one of her favorite places to sit and watch the river. So much so that she didn’t even want to go inside right away. But the time pressure was in the back of her mind. She had to get to the party.

Soon,she told herself. Very soon she’d be able to spend as much time as she wanted on the porch.

Inside, the cabin had been completely refinished. The logs were sanded and revarnished so they looked almost new. The kitchenette in the corner had been updated with new appliances and a concrete countertop that blended in nicely. Travis had a good eye for making natural materials work well together. She was impressed.

Sadly, she didn’t have too long to look around the space and really appreciate all the details. Not that there were a ton of finishing touches—almost none at all. Stephanie would be putting in some time shopping and working with a designer when it came to the finishing, but there was a pile of bedding on the bed and a few dishes in the kitchen—not that she’d be staying long enough to do any cooking. Still, it was nice that Travis had thought of it. Because she hadn’t.

It helped lessen her annoyance with the man for not being there to show her around.

Stephanie dropped her overnight bag, and quickly changed into a clean pair of dark jeans and jade-green blouse that she knew made her eyes pop. She paired the outfit with her tall, black boots, perfect for dancing in the barn, and headed out almost reluctantly. The cabin, although small, was so inviting and cozy. It was far from finished and lacked most furniture still, but nevertheless it felt like home in a way that nowhere since her childhood home had ever felt.

By the time she arrived at Ever After Ranch, the party was starting to heat up. The parking area was full, and she could hear the music even before she got out of her car. It seemed as if half the town was there, which she didn’t doubt. But even through the crowd, the moment she walked into the party space that was mostly used to host gorgeous weddings, her eyes locked on one person.

Travis Bishop.

What was he doing there?He was supposed to be working on her cabins. Or at the very least, waiting to show her the work hehadbeen doing. He was definitelynotsupposed to be spinning some cute brunette around on the dance floor.

A rush of heat flooded her body and her jaw set in a hard line as she watched the couple move easily to the music. The woman she recognized vaguely—she worked behind the counter at Sweetie Pies, but she couldn’t recall her name—smiled and giggled as Travis dipped her low before pulling her up and skipping around the floor in a two-step.

“They look pretty good out there, don’t they?”

Stephanie spun to see her sister Faith standing next to her, with baby Cole in her arms. The baby, completely oblivious to the party going on around him, was sound asleep. His impossibly long, dark eyelashes fanned out over his chubby cheeks. At once, Stephanie’s heart melted, and the tension in her body released a little. But not entirely.

“He’s supposed to be working.” She turned back to look at the dancing couple.

“Is he?” There was a teasing lilt in her sister’s voice that Steph did not miss. “Because there’s a party going on.”

“Yes,” she insisted. “He—”

“And that’s why you look like you’re about to go all redheaded fiery temper tantrum right now? Because Travis is supposed to beworking? It wouldn’t have anything at all to do with the fact that he’s dancing with Jolene.”

“No!” She spun to face Faith again, but her sister’s smiling face told her she was just trying to wind her up, so Steph swallowed hard and tried to temper her protests. “I amnotgoing to go all redheaded fiery temper tantrum, as you put it.” She took a deep breath and pulled her shoulders back. “I was just expecting him to be at Lynx Creek when I got there and when he wasn’t, well…”

“No need to explain, sis. I get it.” Faith winked dramatically and laughed, causing Steph to roll her eyes.

“I am not attracted to Travis.”

“I didn’t say you were.”

“Didn’t you?” She could feel herself getting worked up again. She also knew she was lying through her teeth, and her sister knew it.

Faith shook her head in response.

“Because I’m not,” Steph continued. “I mean, just because he’s got those dark, smoky eyes, and arms that look like they could wrap me up and throw me—”

“Steph. I don’t—”

“And sure…” She was on a roll that she couldn’t stop, even if she wanted to. Maybe it was because her thoughts and feelings about Travis had just been building, with no opportunity to get them out. Maybe it was that she was lacking sleep, or she was simply caught up in the moment. She didn’t know, but once she’d started talking about him, she couldn’t seem to stop. Besides, Faith was a safe place. As much as she liked to tease her, she wasn’t going to say anything. “He’s got that cocky arrogance that’s both super annoying and super hot all at the same time and makes you wonder how confident he’d be in—”

“Steph, maybe you—”

“Clearly the man has moves.” She waved her hand in his direction. She’d seen the way he moved on the dance floor.If he moved like that fully clothed, what could he do between the sheets?Her breath fluttered in her chest, and she turned to point him out to Faith so she could see for herself exactly what she was talking about. “I mean—”

Her hand slammed mid-point into something hard. Before Steph even lifted her eyes to see what she’d hit, she knew. Her face flooded with color, and she was straight up going to die right there in the middle of the Ever After barn.

“I’ve got moves, huh?”

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