Page 70 of How to Fall for the Secret Billionaire
He pauses, then nods. “Okay. Just don’t stay out too long. It gets chilly.”
“Goodnight, Cal.”
“Goodnight, Margot.”
I watch him walk back toward the inn, hands in his pockets, his silhouette soft under the garden lights.
And I wonder—for the first time in a real, aching way—what Key & Kettle will feel like when he’s no longer in it.
CAL
I’m leaving Everfield in about forty-eight hours, and it feels like the end of the world.
My heart won’t stop pounding.
I haven’t booked my flight.
I haven’t made plans to return the rental car.
I haven’t even packed my luggage.
Instead, it’s ten a.m., and I’m lying on my bed, phone in hand, scrolling through Zillow like a man with no sense.
I’m looking up houses in Everfield.
I don’t know what I’m doing—or why I’m doing it—but everything I see feels… right. These houses are old, dated, probably have no ultra-modern amenities, but they look cozy. They look like peace. Like possibility.
Like maybe I belong here more than I ever did back there.
I pause on one listing—white porch, green shutters, a garden that looks like it’s begging to be tended. I stare at it longer than Ishould. Zoom in. Zoom out. Scroll through all the photos. Then scroll through them again.
I’m halfway through imagining a Saturday morning in that kitchen when a message from Marley buzzes in.
“Confirming you’ll be back in the city by the day after tomorrow. I’ve kept your calendar clear for now, but we need to lock things in. Let me know.”
I swipe her message without replying and go back to viewing the house. Until…knock knock. A soft knock at the door.
I open the door and instinctively smile when I see Sam standing there, arms crossed, a familiar half-grin on his face.
“Hi, Sam.”
“Hey, man. You didn’t come down for breakfast,” he says, eyeing me. “I’ve been around fixing things and realized I haven’t seen you in hours. That’s why I’m here.”
Something about that—him just showing up to check in—makes my chest tighten in the best way. Like I belong here. Like I’m not just some guest. I swallow the emotion and lean on the doorframe.
“I’ve just been lying in bed,” I say. “Nothing serious.”
“Well, can I interest you in hanging out?” His eyes twinkle. “Margot wants a new bench out back, and you don’t have to help, but I really do need good company.”
I laugh. “Say less.” I grab my phone. “And I thought we already agreed I’m better with a hammer than you are.”
Sam lets out a loud, satisfied laugh as we head for the stairs. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, city boy.”
We walk down together, and I realize this feels like something I’ll miss for the rest of my life if I leave.
So what do I do?
As we walk past the reception, Ana looks up from her desk and greets me with a smile.
