Page 54 of Falling For You

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

His eyes stayed on mine. “I like you, Violet.”

I blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his tone.

For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. But before I could respond, the server came back with more drinks. We both reached for our glasses, the brief pause letting the weight of the moment settle.

“I like you too.” I frowned playfully. “More than I expected.”

It felt like there was something unspoken between us, just under the surface. A quiet spark, charged with something more, something we were both starting to feel but weren’t quite ready to name.

The server brought my fish and set down Owen’s filet mignon.

“I wasn’t expecting to have this much fun tonight.”

“I don’t know whether to be insulted or joyous,” I teased as my cheeks warmed.

He reached across the table, and his fingers brushed mine in a way that sent a jolt of electricity through me. “It just goes to show you’re so full of surprises.”

“You too,” I said softly, melting into this moment, trying to memorize everything. “Hey, are you busy tomorrow?”

“Not really. I just have a meeting in the morning.” He took a bite of his steak.

“Okay, well, at one o’clock, I’ll meet you here. Deal?”

“Deal.” But then I saw something flicker through his gaze again—that same something that’s worried me repeatedly. I thought he might say something that was weighing on him.

Instead, he just smiled, his thumb tracing small circles over my knuckles, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

I took the last bite of walleye and stared at my plate, wondering what all these feelings meant. It was all happening so fast.

Stealing another glance at Owen, my pulse quickened. I couldn’t deny that there was something about him drawing me in. Of course, I wanted to know what he was hiding. But for now, I was content with the easy banter, the shared smiles, and how his hand felt in mine.

Whatever came next, I wasn’t ready to let go of this moment. Not yet.

Chapter Fourteen

Violet

I stood outside the Buttercup Hotel, tapping my foot against the cement sidewalk, and hummed as I waited for Owen.

The afternoon air had a crisp, cool bite, making it a perfect fall day. The leaves shimmered and danced in reds, oranges, and yellows, but I noticed a lot fewer hanging on the limbs.

The blue skies, without a cloud in sight, made today awesome for the outing I had planned.

I couldn’t wait to share this adventure with Owen. I’d spent all night wondering if I really should be letting myself fall for a guy who didn’t even live here. But then I reminded myself that I was all about personal growth. This didn’t have to end in something serious.

I chuckled, realizing just how many conversations I’d had in a twenty-four-hour period with nobody but me.

Pulling my jacket tighter, a smile tugged at my lips as I thought about what awaited us.

A hayride. Nothing screamed “small town” more than that.

Maybe I was subconsciously trying to scare him off.

I glanced at my phone. It was one o’clock sharp, and Owen emerged from the hotel as if on cue.

He looked as dashing as ever, which only made me wonder, why me?

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