Page 28 of Connor

“Sounds like she’s very talented,” I confirm.

“It takes around ten minutes to get to town. Most of this land here is farmland, and the mineral springs are on Victoria’s land, just over that hill.” He points out a few landmarks and things as he continues to give me a little info on the town. I remain quiet, taking it all in.

“So this is Main Street,” he says as we make a turn, and I see the town come to life. It’s magical. A quaint street, well maintained, colorful flowers, beautiful big trees. I fall in love with it immediately. It’s everything that I imagined and the small amount of research I did hasn’t done it justice, because it’s absolutely stunning. I spot a small church on the corner that we pass, and I look over at Connor to see him watching me.

“Have you always lived here in Whispers?” I ask him, and his face softens.

“Except for college, and I spend a fair bit of time in New York at our office there, but I love being here.”

I can see the love he has for this town written all over his face. It’s refreshing. I’m sure he’s ruthless when he wants to be, and to me, he’s somewhat infuriating. He has this edge to him that makes me think that people don’t cross him too much, but he seems almost soft and genuine too.

“We have a hardware store over there that's managed by Bob. Homewares over here, I’m pretty sure Victoria has a loyalty card to that place,” he mumbles, and I laugh a little.

“What about that? What was that?” I ask, seeing a nice shop all closed up, with newspapers lining the windows.

“Ahh, that was the old florist. They moved on, and we haven’t found a new tenant for that space yet.” His tone changes slightly, face falling, and I turn to look at the shop again. It’s cute, double fronted, with large windows, and it’s surrounded by gardens. From what I can see, a small lawn and garden out back. It looks almost picturesque.

“Whispers didn’t need a florist? Did she go out of business?” I’m intrigued, because even though the town looks like it’s thriving, I guess it would be hard as a small business to make money in a place like this unless you had something pretty special.

“She… ahhh. Well, truth time,” he mumbles, and I look over to him with curiosity. “Jasmine was from the next town over. She was here for about a year, did a good trade, but unfortunately, had some mental health issues, one being that she was infatuated with my dad and didn’t take too kindly to Victoria moving here. Burned down her shed at Marie’s Place in a jealous rage.”

I suck in a breath at that. While the small town is beautiful and quaint, I wonder if safety is an issue here. Should I triple lock my door at night?

“Does that kind of thing happen often?”

“Nope.” He shakes his head before moving on, leaving me with a myriad of questions that he’s obviously not prepared to answer. “We have the diner over there. Rochelle has been cooking for this town for years and will cook you anything you want. Farther down, we have the Toy Store, great for if you have any nieces or nephews,” he adds, and I shake my head.

“Nope, I’m an only child,” I tell him. Even though I do love kids, I’m not around them much.

“Me too.”

“Wow, will you look at that? We actually have something in common,” I say, my tone only half-sarcastic as I match his grin, which is fast becoming one of my favorite things about him.

“Hmmm, probably the only thing,” he quips, and he’s right. We’re complete opposites, not just in the way we look, but everything about us. “We’re here.”

I whip my head around to the front, looking through the windshield, and take in the large building in front of me. The now familiar gold Whiteman’s Whiskey badge is displayed front and center on the building, people wandering in, and the parking lot is full of trucks.

“Looks popular.”

Connor jumps out of the truck and runs around to my side. My heart thuds a little. This is all so unusual. For the most part, I jump in and out of Ubers or taxis, the drivers rushing me out so they can get to their next job, but as he opens my door with a sweet chivalry that I’m now certain is only found in small towns, I take off my seat belt and swivel toward the door, looking down at the large drop that’s before me. I could jump, but I would probably break an ankle.

“Come on, we haven’t got all night,” he grumbles and again grabs me around my waist, lowering me to the ground in front of him with complete ease. I grip on to the doorframe, scared I’m going to fall, but I shouldn’t have been concerned. He lowers me right in front of him, and I pull in a breath as my body stills in shock. His scent wraps around me, a fresh, earthy aroma that smells almost natural, like a walk in the woods. I pick up scents of sandalwood and cedar, and I nearly hum at how delicious the combination is on him.

“Thank you,” I say, feeling my blush creep from my chest up my neck.God, how long has it been since a man had his hands on my body?

“I can be nice sometimes.” His voice is a rough rumble near my ear, reminding me exactly how close our bodies are. Like we notice it at the same time, he takes a quick step backward, holding the door open, and I move forward, needing the cool air against my heated skin.

This stupid crush I seem to have developed cannot be happening. He’s just showing manners and would do it for any female with short legs, I’m sure of it. I have this job that could literally set me up for life; I can’t forget that.

And while we’re not technically boss and employee, with me on a consulting contract to his business, he might as well be, as much as that thought is something I’ve been pushing against this whole time. All this helping me into his truck and panty-melting grins are just part of small-town hospitality. Something an educated city girl like me should be more aware of.

I follow him up the stairs and into the bar, Connor holding the heavy timber door open for me to enter, and as I walk inside, I look around, smiling. It’s exactly like you would see in the movies. Almost postcard perfect. Timber is showcased everywhere, and the ceiling has big antler chandeliers that I love. There’s a large, roaring stone fireplace and tables and chairs spread around, with booths lining both sides.

The place is busy, full of people sitting at tables, standing up at the sparkling bright bar. and walking around chatting with each other like they’re one happy family. There’s a rustic timber dance floor off to the side, and when I see some people line dancing, my smile is immediate. Dancing is one of the things I love to do but rarely get the chance. My mom would love this place too. Having grown up in a commune, this kind of living would be second nature to her. Maybe that’s why I’ve taken to the small town so quickly. It’s in my blood. As I look at all the faces, my grin falters as I realize that they’re all looking in one direction. At me.

“Don’t worry about all the eyes. They always look at who the new people are. Small town, everyone likes to know everyone’s business.” I hear his voice in my ear again before I feel his hand at the small of my back. I know it’s just manners, but it feels nice. It’s simple yet appreciative gestures, not overstepping, but certainly taking control, assisting me yet keeping me close.

“Let’s go, our table is at the back,” he says, guiding me through. Everyone seems to know him, and they’re all looking at the two of us with interest. A few men shake his hand and say hello, but he doesn’t leave my side once, and his hand remains on my back the entire way, until I see Victoria and Tanner waiting for us at a booth. Victoria has a large smile that immediately puts me at ease, and Tanner looks between Connor and me, at where his hand is, like he’s seeing something for the first time.

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