Page 7 of Falling For You

“No, but he told me desperate times call for desperate measures.” I chuckled. “Hey, do you know if everything is okay with Vern? Some guy was wandering his field today.”

My mom shook her head as she removed the large roasting pan from the oven. “Haven’t heard a word. Hope everything’s okay.”

Fifi frowned. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“It’s just odd to see people roaming someone’s property,” my mom explained, making me feel like I wasn’t overreacting. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything. I’m sure everything is just fine.”

Leave it to my sister to see the positive and ignore any worries. I wished I had even an ounce of my sister’s carefree attitude.

I smiled at my mom and nodded. “Are you sure you don’t need anything else?”

“All set.” My mom smiled, reaching for the dishes to take to the main eating area.

Fifi let out a sigh and glanced at me. “You sure you can handle tonight?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. Good. Because I need to return to my apartment, change, and prepare for my date.” She gave me a quick hug and dashed out the back door.

It seemed like the entire world was going on dates, and it had gotten so bad that I had to tag along on other people’s dates.

I chuckled and pulled on my jacket as my mind wandered to the man earlier today. If I’d been back in Chicago, I would have gravitated toward him immediately. I was a glutton for punishment—if the man sneered at me, even better.

Groaning softly, I opened the door and felt the chill skate over my cheeks.

Why was I drawn to grumpy and dismissive men? I had to overcome this flaw, which was one of the many reasons I'd decided to move back home to Buttercup Lake. This was my time for self-reflection and growth.

The sun had set, but I knew my walk by heart. We’d cleared a few trails for guests to wander, and the pine trees were lanky at best, letting in plenty of moonlight.

My little cabin came into view, and I smiled. There were actually four cabins in a row that we rented out to lodge guests. However, since I’d only recently moved back, my parents lent me one while I figured out whether I was coming or going.

I still wasn’t sure, which was kind of mortifying since I wasn’t in my twenties any longer, but the one thing I was really trying to do in life was give myself a little grace.

My feet met the crunch of fallen leaves as I walked up my steps and opened the door to my tiny cabin. The place was absolutely perfect for me and had everything I needed.

There was a small kitchen, an eating area, and a family room.

If you stood in the middle, you could probably hop to each area in less than one jump. On the far side toward the front door, a ladder leaned against the loft where a queen bed, two nightstands, and an armoire had been placed.

My parents had recently remodeled all the cabins, and I was secretly in heaven. The bedding was inviting—plaid flannel sheets with plump pillows and matching red- and white-checked cases. The rustic theme continued with the log bed and fluffy down comforter.

My heart sank, thinking that I wouldn’t be crawling under the covers there soon. I chuckled, shut the door behind me, and draped my jacket on the leather couch in front of the woodstove. I glanced at the time right when the horn honked out front, which was technically my out back.

It hadn’t even been an hour, so I walked over to my kitchen window and saw my brother sitting in his truck, grinning. I waved through the window until he saw me and motioned for him to come inside.He gave me a quick nod and turned off the truck, followed by the thud of the truck door.

I watched him circle around my house through several windows until he reached the front. He didn’t bother knocking and just stepped right in.

My brows arched. “You’re early.”

“She said she was in the area and was going to stop by the Hungry Buck in a half hour.” He tapped his phone in his pocket. “Time’s a wasting.”

I smiled and shook my head. “You’ve got it bad.”

“Do not.” He shook his head and smiled. “I’m totally in control.”

Chuckling, I let out a sigh. “The Hungry Buck is like ten minutes away.”

He scowled and sat down on the couch. “I can’t be late for this. She’s incredible at time management. Do you realize she’s never been late to one of her appointments with us?”

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