Page 33 of Connor

“I’ve been thinking about that. What if I developed something where we can blend both? In Scotland, they have hot tea toddys, which is essentially tea with a splash of whiskey. I can use the lemon and honey from the distillery gardens and add in some other herbs, like Whisper’s chamomile, which I know grows here well. That would make it very regional specific, could even be an exclusive tea of the region. We can sell that tea with a bottle of whiskey as a pair. It will be ideal for soothing a cough or cold and also great as a holiday gift idea,” I suggest. Although I don’t want any alcohol in my teas, it doesn’t mean I can’t use some of the more natural ingredients to make their whiskey a little more wellness friendly.

“I can see why Connor offered you a job. You think a lot like him, and that tea duo would be amazing. I know Lacy would love that idea,” Victoria says, and I smile brightly, relieved we’re on the same page.

“Here we are, two soups,” a younger woman, who looks to be around my age, says as she places the two bowls on the table.

“Thanks, Nikki. Nikki, this is Daisy. She’ll be working at the spa for a month or so. Daisy, this is Nikki, newish to town as well,” Victoria says, introducing us.

“Oh great, I’m not the only newbie, then. Where are you from?” I ask, and when Nikki’s smile falters a little, I feel like I’ve asked the wrong question.

“Uh, West Coast,” she says vaguely, giving off a weird type of nervous energy. I can already tell she has secrets. I don’t pry and just give her my kindest smile.

“Well, Whispers seems like a lovely place to settle,” I tell her, and as her eyes meet mine, I give her a small nod. She swallows, smiling back.

“Enjoy your soup,” she says to both of us before scurrying away, back behind the bar to top off the coffees.

“She’s so hard to get to know. I wish she would open up more, but we only ever see her here at the diner. She never comes to the bar. She’s a single mom, but boy, she must have had her child young, because she barely looks old enough to have a driver's license herself. I think she actually cycles to work most days.”

I look over at Nikki, seeing her keeping busy, her head down. She’s polite but not drawing attention to herself.

“So, you obviously love Whispers since you haven’t moved back to the city, right?” I ask the question that’s been on my mind since I arrived. The small-town vibe is great, one that I instantly took to, but it’s a change of pace from New York, that’s for sure.

“I think it all happened at the right time for me. I wasn’t really succeeding in my career. I was let go from my job, actually. My fiancé at the time wasn’t who I thought he was, so we broke up. Then I got a letter explaining my long-lost aunt left me a property here in Whispers, so I made the move. I met Tanner, and that was it. My life is now here, and I don’t want to be anywhere else.” She pauses for a moment, then adds, “Although I do miss the shopping, the bars, and the food selection sometimes…”

I giggle at that last bit, totally understanding.

“Did you go to Benny’s? That’s one of my favorite places,” I ask, and she lights up.

“Oh my God, I love Benny’s. It’s my go-to place,” she whines, and I laugh. The two of us have more in common than I first thought.

“So you’re friends with Fiona?” That’s how this connection came about. Fiona being one of our clients at Sunshine.

“Yes, she’s one of my best friends and told me all about Sunshine. I knew I had to try it, but unfortunately, I had to send Connor to the city to do it instead. I can’t believe he fell asleep on you!” She grins as she starts to spoon her soup.

My mind goes right back to the man’s half-naked body, but also his smug smirk, his kind eyes, the way I catch him watching me sometimes, the way his hands felt on my body. I clear my throat, shaking away the thoughts.

“Yeah. It isn’t uncommon…” I say, thinking about it. “But he was certainly a different type of client. He had no idea what he was in for, really.”

She laughs, then her expression softens. “Yeah, well, we didn’t tell him on purpose. Connor’s probably the most typical male, bossy billionaire I know. Still a little more laid-back than the city types, but he’s a go-getter, thinks about things from all angles, and has a good eye for the numbers. Between him and Tanner, they’ve built the distillery into this amazing business and put so much into this town that they love so much.”

“I’ve found him to be a little arrogant and certainly frustrating…” I murmur, thinking about how the two of us interact. We seem to always be slightly pushing each other. It’s new, and I don’t totally hate it. Victoria grins like she knows what I’m thinking.

“He usually isn't. You must just push his buttons,” she adds with a wink, and I remain quiet, spooning the soup into my mouth to stop me from dissecting my new boss too much to his soon-to-be stepmom. That thought is still hard to grasp because of their ages.

“So, what about you? Any boyfriend back in the city waiting for you?”

My cheeks heat. It’s almost like I’m with Trisha and talking to a close friend. It’s nice. I don’t have lots of friends; in fact, making friends as an adult is harder than I ever thought it would be. But Victoria is lovely, and this lunch catch-up is almost like we have been friends for years.

“No. No one,” I tell her, shaking my head. “Just the clinic, my parents, friends… the usual. The city is so busy, full of… I don’t know… people.” I can’t find the word I’m looking for.

Now that I've been out of the city for a few days, I feel like I can breathe. It wasn’t that I was stressed in the city, but nothing really felt like mine. I share a home with Trisha; Sunshine is my mom’s business; I don’t have dates unless Trisha sets them up, and really, I kinda felt like I’ve just been floating along, not pushing myself into any direction in life. Now, even after a few days, my initial nerves have dissipated, and I feel a new fire starting to build inside of me, and the excitement of opportunity swirls.

“Assholes?” she offers, and I laugh.

“Yeah… I seem to meet a lot of those.”

“Urghhh, I hated dating in the city. The apps, the meet-ups. It was all just… horrible.” Scrunching her face, her shoulders shake like she gets a cold chill from thinking about it.

“Exactly. And they all end up being total boys. Not men. But boys.” Now I understand the difference. It’s not just their physical appearance, but maturity and decency.

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