Page 48 of Choosing You

“What about your move?”

She sighed happily. “I couldn’t leave. I fell in love with the town. And Devin,” she added with a wink. “It didn’t truly hit me until I was packed up and ready to leave. Now, I couldn’t imagine my life anywhere else but here.”

Sloane studied her for a moment and figured she might be the perfect person to have this conversation with.

“Syracuse is a big city, isn’t it?”

“I mean, it’s a decent size, but it’s not like where you’re from in Florida,” MacKenzie explained. “How come?”

“Didn’t you find it hard to adjust to this? Sweetbriar Ridge is tiny in comparison. You have to drive at least thirty minutes or more to get to the nearest big city, and it feels a little isolated, right?”

“A little, but there’s almost everything I need right here. The farthest we typically have to go is when we want to see a movie—which isn’t often because we’re perfectly content waiting for almost anything to be streamed—or if we’re looking for something different for dinner instead of the usual offerings. Once a month we go to Richmond for the weekend and hit up Costco or pick up supplies for the shop and really, it makes me happy.”

Then it was MacKenzie’s turn to study her hard.

“You’re thinking that moving here would be too major of a change, huh?”

Laughing nervously, she shook her head. “Am I that transparent?”

“The questions you asked pretty much told me. Personally, I think it’s different for everyone. Your sister moved here and she seems very content. We all love the yoga studio, and it’s great how she’s just become a part of the community. I don’t think it’s a one-size-fits-all kind of scenario.”

“I know.”

MacKenzie quietly glanced around before leaning in and speaking softer. “Will’s a hometown boy. He was born and raised here, and I’ve never known him to want to go anywhere else. Obviously, I could be wrong, but…he and Devin are the heart of this business, and I know it would be devastating if he left.”

“I’m not asking him to…”

“I know, I know. I’m probably just projecting here, but…” She sighed. “Will’s been searching for you for three years and he’s been positively gaga since the two of you finally met properly. I think he’d do whatever it is you asked him to because he’s crazy about you.”

Sloane felt herself blush. “I…I’m crazy about him too. I just don’t know…”

MacKenzie held up a hand to stop her. “I’m sorry. This is really none of my business. You and I just met, and you seem like a very cool person, but…I’m a little protective of Will and all the guys here. We’re like a family.”

That last statement hit her hard.

This was a recurring theme whenever anyone in this town talked about where they worked, and she’d never once felt that way about any job she’d ever had. Still…spending so much time with her family annoyed the crap out of her at times, so wouldn’t that eventually be the case at a job too?

The office phone rang and MacKenzie excused herself to answer it. Sloane stood and walked out to the waiting room area and caught a glimpse of the garage bay. Will was bent over the engine of some car, and he happened to look up and catch her eye. He grinned that boyish grin she was coming to love so much and even if his job made her cringe a bit, she knew he was so much more than that.

She was about to motion for him to come out of the garage so she could kiss him, but MacKenzie came out and held out Sloane’s phone and purse. “Hey, come with me to the café. I need to pick up lunch for everyone.”

“Oh, um…”

“And you can pick out something for yourself. Devin just said they were definitely staying until two and bringing in lunch is a great incentive. You ready?”

Waving to Will with a smile, she turned back to MacKenzie and said, “Sure. Why not?”

****

“Will! Come here! Check this out!” Devin called out, waving his phone at him. He jogged over and followed him into his office. “Mac sent me this reel that Sloane did while they were just hanging out in the office. It’s kind of amazing, right?”

It was a video of him and the guys working with some music playing and a banner of words on the screen about how they were working hard so they could hang out with everyone at Meet in the Streets. It was simple and yet totally eye-catching.

“Is it wrong that I’m so damn happy about this?” Devin asked.

“Not at all. My girl’s got a great eye for things.”

Devin chuckled and then shook his head. “I’d say something, but that was too easy.”

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