Page 48 of Finding Happily Ever After

Don’t say mistake. Don’t say mistake. Don’t say mistake.

He willed her not to say it. Yes, he was upset. His feelings were twisted and he didn’t know where to go from here. Hell, he didn’t knowwhathe was feeling at that moment. It was so much. So many things. But a mistake? God, no. What they’d done, how it had felt to be with her…

Don’t. Say. Mistake.

“This was such a mistake.” She sighed and opened the door to leave. “Good-bye, Aiden.”

And then she was gone. Her parting words were so much worse than he could have imagined because there had been a finality in the good-bye that hurt more than anything else could have.

ChapterFourteen

Stephanie only hadone day left before she needed to return to Los Angeles and her shooting schedule. Thankfully, she wasn’t the lead inBombshell, or she would have already been back to work. Bella had flown back the morning after Jeremy’s ceremony and party, and Steph knew that only three hours after she landed, she was already in hair and makeup to get back on set.

She also knew Bella was having the time of her life. Her new friend was born to be a star and this movie, when it came out, was absolutely going to launch her into superstardom territory. She was so excited for her, that Steph could hardly wait.

She was almost as excited for the movie as she was for Lynx Creek. Okay, she waswaymore excited for her cabin project. Especially after spending the last few days on-site and watching the way it was coming together with her own two eyes. It wassomuch better than looking at it through pictures or video chatting. So much more real to see it all in person and to talk to him face-to-face.

Him.

Thoughts of Travis always pushed their way into her reality. Even when she was purposely trying not to think about him. Which was a lot of the time lately. Because if she didn’t actively push him from her mind, he would take over. The way he just had. Again.

His thick, muscular arms. The way he smelled of wood and coffee and peppermint all mixed together in one heady cologne when he’d held her tight on the dance floor. Steph had danced with dozens of men at a variety of functions over the years, but there had been no man who’d made her feel like Travis did when he spun her around the wooden barn floor.

Like she was both floating out of her body and also extremely present in living color at the same time. Like she never wanted him to let go. Like she wanted him to—

“This place is sure coming along, Steph.” Nick, with baby Amelia strapped to his chest, sat in the empty rocker on the porch next to her. “I’m impressed with how much you’ve done in such a short time.”

She shook her head and laughed. “I appreciate it, Nick. But I didn’t do a thing. This is all the work of Travis Bishop.” Just saying his name aloud gave her a thrill. This man was getting to her. Bad.

“Right.” He shook his head. “You know, I’ve never actually met him.”

“I’ll introduce you.” Steph glanced around, but she hadn’t seen her contractor all day. She thought maybe he was working on some of the cabins farther up away from where she stayed. She couldn’t help but feel that he purposely stayed out of sight when she was around. To give her privacy, probably. At least she hoped that was the reason. Not that he was avoiding her. But why would he be avoiding her?

After all, did a man who was avoiding you keep you on the dance floor all night until your feet finally throbbed so much you begged to sit down? Steph thought back to the party a few days earlier. They’d danced for hours. And laughed and flirted with their eyes…at least, she thought they had. But they hadn’t talked. Not really. And despite her wishing he would, he hadn’t made a move at all. She was so sure she’d felt a connection with him. But then again, maybe he was just the type of guy who made all women feel as if they were the only woman in the room.

Come to think of it, Travis Bishop was definitely that type of man. TheGod’s Gift to Womentype of guy.

“Hello?” Nick waved his hand in front of her face. “Earth to Steph. Where did you go there?”

She shook her head and smiled. “Sorry, I don’t… It’s nothing.”

“Right. It would have nothing to do with a certain oversized hulking cowboy dude who’s fixing up your cabins, would it?”

She looked at him in pretend shock. “So you do know him?”

Nick laughed and baby Amelia giggled along with him. “I didn’t say I didn’tknowhim. I said I’d nevermethim. And it seems maybe I touched on a little something there.”

She shot him a look.

“Am I wrong?”

Steph valued her friendship with Nick. A lot. And she couldn’t be happier that he’d decided to move his little family to Glacier Falls. But his proximity did come with a few other issues. Like the fact that he was ridiculously observant and, worse, wouldn’t hesitate to call her out on her bullshit.

“Why don’t we talk aboutyourlove life?” Without much grace, she changed the subject.

But Nick just laughed. “Nothing to talk about there.” He lifted Amelia in the snuggly. “This little one right here is the love of my life.”

“I don’t doubt that for a minute.” Steph tickled under the baby’s chin, making her smile. “But there is other kinds of love.”

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