Page 23 of Every Beat of My Heart

“Are you going to rent a place?” Cole asked.

I thought about the amount in my savings account. “I could probably buy something.”

Fiona’s eyes widened. “That’s a big step.”

I shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone say that renting is a waste of money? Buying would be the responsible choice, and I have the money.”

Daphne shrugged. “I’m just surprised; that’s all.”

“I stayed because I love the farm and spending time with you and Izzy. But everyone’s moving on. You moved in with Cole, and you’re starting your life together. It’s time for me to do the same.” Even though I wanted to be respected, it didn’t feel good to think about leaving the farm. Maybe I wasn’t as mature as I thought I was.

“I can send you my realtor’s information if you want,” Cole offered.

“That would be great.”

“Any idea what you want to buy?” Fiona asked as she stood to clear the plates.

I hadn’t given much thought to where I wanted to live. It was hard to imagine living anywhere else but on the farm. “Is it too much to ask for property? After living here, it would be tough to be in town.”

“You sure you don’t want to build on the property like the Monroes did? That way you can still live on the farm if that’s what you want,” Cole said as he stood to help Daphne.

“If I did that, wouldn’t I just move into the cottage?” I rolled the idea over in my head. There was enough property that I could find a space that was separate from the main house and the cottage.

“That place is too small if you want to grow into it, marry, and have kids one day,” Daphne said.

I’ve always loved kids, but I hadn’t thought too much about having my own. But if I wanted Claire to take me seriously, she had to see me as a viable option. I needed to be a man she could admire. “That’s a good point.”

Daphne exchanged a glance with Fiona before we headed into the kitchen to rinse the dishes and load the dishwasher.

No one in my family took me seriously, but I didn’t want Claire to look at me that way. I wasn’t an overgrown kid as Teddy liked to say. I was so much more than that. I just needed to start living my life the way I wanted and not living in an apartment above my dad’s garage.

CHAPTER 6

CLAIRE

Jameson picked Owen up and drove him to the gym. They’d be gone about an hour. Then he’d bring him home. Owen was enthusiastic about working out and seemed to enjoy spending time with Jameson.

They worked around Jameson’s schedule, so he couldn’t take Owen on days he worked at the firehouse. There’d been no mention of Owen taking his bike instead.

We’d barely had a chance to talk, and I wondered if Jameson sensed I was crushing on him and was trying to avoid me. Tonight, I invited him over for dinner again to thank him.

I had hated dating since before I was married, so maybe I wasn’t used to reading the signs.

Jameson was younger than me and probably preferred someone who wasn’t complicated. Even knowing we couldn’t work didn’t stop me from daydreaming about the what-ifs.

The possibilities had my heart beating wildly when Jameson knocked on my door later that night.

“I’ll get it,” Owen said as he ran down the stairs.

I let out a shaky breath when I heard their voices in the hallway, coming closer.

“It smells great in here,” Jameson said with his signature smile, the one that had me thinking of him doing it in bed, promising to do wicked things to me.

My face flushed.

Jameson sobered. “Is everything okay?”

I smiled to cover my thoughts. “Of course. I hope you like shrimp scampi.”

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