“Thank you,” she said, but her smile was different. I blamed it on the shards of cold wind slamming into our faces as we turned right to make the walk down Main Street to the saloon.

  Main Street was still alive with people and music streaming from the speakers, blending with the different songs spilling out of the stores.

  It was such a surprisingly happy, idyllic scene. One that stabbed a man right in the heart. There was nothing like this in Pittsburgh or any of the other many places I had visited.

  Isabella had her hands stuffed in her coat pockets. I almost slipped my hand in the crook of her arm, but something in her expression stopped me.

  She stared straight ahead, an expression of consternation on her face.

  “Everything okay?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said, with a small glance and a tight smile in my direction. Then she adjusted my scarf around her chin and seemed to huddle deeper inside her coat if that was possible.

  I chose to believe that it was the cold. We had been getting along so well all day. Last night, too. I couldn’t imagine that anything had changed.

  Nothing had changed.

  She hadn’t gotten any text messages…

  But she had sent Jenna a text. Maybe while she had her phone open she had seen another message from someone else.

  It was possible.

  I opened the door to the saloon and we stepped inside into the welcome warmth. By tacit agreement, we walked straight over to the bench in front of the fireplace. The best seat in the house.

  She held her hands out to the flames, warming them. At least I knew why she didn’t have a proper coat or gloves or a scarf. She hadn’t been planning on doing anything more than just dropping off the plane and flying out the next morning.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked, reaching over to sweep a strand of hair aside so I could see her face.

  She looked up at me and our eyes held. Her deep green eyes locked onto mine and seemed to see into my very soul.

  “Isabella,” I said softly.

  Her lips parted and for just a split second, I could lean forward just a little and kiss her.

  But an instant before I could—between the split second I realized the possibility and could have carried it out, she turned away, staring straight into the flames.

  She sat for a moment, fidgeting, her legs bouncing up and down.

  I ran a hand over my chin and struggled to figure out what had happened.

  I replayed our recent conversations.

  And came up empty-handed.

  I couldn’t think of anything that would have caused this quick change. She would hardly look at me.

  “I have to go,” she said, standing up suddenly.

  “Why? Where?”

  Not looking at me, she just shook her head. After a quick stop by the bar to grab her overnight bag, she practically ran to the door.

  I watched as she turned right. I didn’t know if I should follow her or just let her go.

  I couldn’t make sense of it. I was at a complete loss.

  Sitting here, alone, in front of the fire, I realized I didn’t even have her phone number.

  27

  ISABELLA

  As I looked into Wesley’s sparkling blue eyes, I felt off balance and couldn’t focus my thoughts.

  With the warm flames of the crackling fire in front of us, reflecting in his eyes, he almost kissed me. Almost.

  Half a second more and he would have done just that.

  And I would have let him.

  Then I’d heard the bartender clinking glasses against each other and somehow it had jarred a memory from the back of my mind.

  Daniel. Makenna. Jack. Greyson.

  All four of my older siblings had traveled here to Whiskey Springs for one reason or another and every one of them had married someone they met here. Someone who had a tie to here.

  Daniel and Jenna were building a house here.

  Makenna and Charlie lived in Houston.

  Jack (Dr. Fleming) and Bella lived here.

  Greyson and Noelle, newlyweds, hadn’t figured out what they were going to do yet. Noelle was genuinely a princess, giving them more options than they knew what to do with.

  So the five of us siblings had talked. Actually they had talked. I had listened. And they had all decided that Whiskey Springs held some kind of magic that brought soul mates together.

  Their conversation was quite frankly terrifying. To think that just coming here to this quaint little town in the mountains would somehow unite me with my soulmate struck fear in my heart.

  It wasn’t that didn’t want to meet my soulmate and get married. I did.

  I just somehow thought that I would meet him by accident. And sparks would fly.

  Thinking that I would meet him here in Whiskey Springs seemed predestined and that was scary. I felt like it took away my choices.

  And I liked to make my own decisions.

  And I wanted to stay in Houston. I was debating between buying a condo in our family high rise or buying a two-story condo on the ground.

  I could admit I was stalling about that. And maybe I was waiting until I found someone I could make those decisions with.

  It was something of a contradiction to being independent, but some things were just more fun to do with someone else. For instance, that someone who would be sharing the condo with me.

  And, damn it, I kept thinking about Wesley being that someone sharing a home… a life… with me.

  We had had such a good day together today. Just an easy day. He was easy to be around. Comfortable. And at the same time… when I looked into his eyes, my thoughts scattered and drunken butterflies erupted in my stomach.

  My hands shook, even now as I headed toward Jenna’s parents’ house. I didn’t look over my shoulder. If Wesley followed me, I didn’t want to know it.

  I didn’t want to be tempted to stop and turn around.

  If he wasn’t following me, I didn’t want to know that either. I didn’t want to know that he would just let me walk away without a fight.

  Reaching Jenna’s door, I barely knocked before Daniel opened it.

  Stepping inside, I didn’t even ask where Jenna was. My eyes stung. From the cold. It was definitely from the cold. Definitely not from my utter confusion over Wesley.

  “Where’s Wesley?” he asked.

  “He has a room at the saloon,” I said, moving to take off my scarf.

  But it wasn’t my scarf. It was Wesley’s scarf.

  And it smelled like him. It smelled masculine. Leather and deeply earthly.

  With a sigh, I stopped, my hands still on the scarf, and looked at my brother.

  “I hate Whiskey Springs,” I said.

  When Daniel laughed, I scowled at him.

  He thought I was kidding.

  I wasn’t even supposed to be in Whiskey Springs, much less fall in love.

  28

  WESLEY

  The saloon was crowded, much as it had been last night. But tonight, I wasn’t interested in people watching. No interest whatsoever. I didn’t even want to know if there was a damsel in distress. If there was, she would not be my damsel. Not this time.

  Piano music blended with the weather channel on the television. No football game tonight. Just weather. Everyone was watching to see if there was even the slightest chance of a white Christmas.

  I had what I considered the best seat in the house—right in front of the fireplace. But now that Isabella had left, she had taken the warmth and light with her, leaving my world a dull gray.

  It didn’t take much effort to figure out where Isabella was going. I knew she was going to Jenna’s parents’ house to stay with her brother and sister-in-law.

  And since he was my pilot, I had Daniel’s phone number.

  ME: I think Isabella is on her way there.

  DANIEL: You’re welcome to come, too.

  ME: I know.

  Thought bubbles.

  DANIEL: Something happened?

  I knew what he was asking. Isabella and I had been inseparable all day. It didn’t make sense that she would suddenly take off by herself.

  ME: Not sure. Just make sure she gets there.

  DANIEL: Walking up the sidewalk now.

  ME: Thanks.

  I dropped my phone in my lap. Even Daniel found it odd that Isabella would go off without me.

  I didn’t know what she and I had, but we had something.

  Even if I couldn’t figure it out, I would have to figure out what to do about it.

  But for now, I needed to focus on getting ready for my defense tomorrow.

  So I did what I usually did when I traveled. I ordered a glass of wine and took it with me to my room. I settled into the bed, turned on the television, and picked up the novel I was reading.

  At least I knew how to get in touch with Isabella’s brother. It was a relief knowing that I could at least find her.

  The only problem was she didn’t appear to want to see me.

  And, for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out why.

  I set the novel aside. I wasn’t reading a single word anyway.

  She had first started acting different in the gym. When we were talking about closing it down before we decided to leave.

  It seemed innocuous enough. Playful even.

  Then I’d taken her hand and we had walked across the gym toward the door, hand in hand. It had just felt natural. And, maybe subconsciously it had been my way of claiming her as mine. She’d had one run in with a fellow from here. Was that just last night? And I didn’t care to have anyone else think they could be laying a claim to her.

  It was very Neanderthal.

  And very unlike me.

  I was just a regular guy who happened to be very persistent, which allowed me to be successful in my business.

  Maybe I needed to apply some of that persistence to my personal life. To Isabella.

  I just had to come up with a logical and purposeful strategy.

  Maybe I didn’t need to know what had led to her sudden change in demeanor.

  Maybe I just needed to know how to fix it.

  29

  ISABELLA

  At six o’clock the next morning, I stood in front of Jenna’s open closet. Clothes neatly organized and sorted.

  “You can borrow whatever you like,” she said. “My business clothes are on the right. I hardly ever wear anything but the shirts on days I have to record an online lecture.”

  Jenna was a former college professor turned online professor. I didn’t want to tell her, but what she considered business clothes were actually rather casual in my world.

  It was okay. It was just court in Whiskey Springs. I could even wear my blue jeans and sweatshirt and no one would think anything about it. I just happened to have a personal thing about not wearing clothes more than one day without laundering them.

  Fortunately Jenna and I happened to be close enough to the same size that I could wear her clothes.

  “What do you suggest wearing to a court hearing?” I asked, one hand on my hip while I tried not to think about the real reason I wanted to look nice. That I would be seeing Wesley.

  “I think you wear whatever you want to wear,” Jenna said.

  Something in her voice caught my attention.

  “Are you okay?” I asked. Her eyes were closed and she looked a little green around the gills.

  She held up a hand. “I’ll be right back,” she said.

  Turning around swiftly, she left her room and dashed down the hall.

  I slid hangers along the bar, looking for something black. Finding a plain black sheath dress with long sleeves, I pulled it out and held it up against me. The length wasn’t bad. Just above my knees.

  Moving to her shirts and blazers, I found a short red blazer that suited me. Since it was Christmas, I decided, it was perfect.

  Jenna came back.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” she said. “I think I just ate something that didn’t agree with me.”

  “Oh.” I laid the clothes on the bed and studied Jenna. She was from a small family. I, on the other hand, had more cousins than I could count. And those cousins were getting married and having babies.

  “Jenna?” I wasn’t sure it was my place to point out the obvious.

  She was studying the clothes I had laid on the bed. “This should look good on you.”

  When her gaze darted back to mine, I put a hand on her elbow.

  “Do you think you might be pregnant?” I asked.

  Jenna’s eyes widened and a flurry of emotions washed over her face.

  “Maybe,” she said, on a whisper.

  I nodded matter-of-factly. “I’ll grab a pregnancy test at the drug store on the way back.”

  Jenna nodded too, her eyes moist with unshed tears.

  I was happy for her. And my brother. She made him happy.

  This would be my first niece or nephew. I drew her into a hug. “This is wonderful news.”

  “We need the test,” Jenna said, inhaling sharply.

  She was such a scientist.

  “We’ll have it soon. And then you can go see Jack. He can make it official.” My brother, Dr. Jack Fleming, had an office just off of Main Street a few blocks away. He was currently in Houston, but I didn’t see the need to point out that particular detail.

  “Right,” she said, taking a ragged breath. “Our house isn’t ready yet.” Obviously overwhelmed, Jenna sat down on the armchair and looked at me. “We’re not ready.”

  “It’s okay,” I said. “Trust me. Everything will come together. No one is ever ready when it happens, but life shifts and accommodates. You’ll see.”

  “Thank you,” Jenna said. “You’re the best sister-in-law.”

  I grinned. “I’m going to get dressed. See how this looks on me.”

  Leaving her alone for a few minutes would give her time to absorb this life changing news. She looked a little stunned. Stunned but happy.

  And I was going to be an aunt.

  What they called a maiden aunt. Well, I decided, as I pulled on the skirt and zipped it in the back, I would be the best maiden aunt possible. Gifts. Trips. They would love me.

  Even if I never married, my siblings could name children after me.

  I pulled on my blazer and looked at myself in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly and molded just right to my figure.

  Was that how I really wanted to live my life? Did I want to be a genealogical orphan?

  Of course not. No one wanted that. Just because I didn’t want to get married right now, didn’t mean I never wanted to get married.

  And once again, Wesley’s face flashed through my mind.

  Whiskey Springs.

  There was something going on with this place.

  Something that let butterflies loose in my stomach and distorted my normal way of thinking.

  30

  WESLEY

  My court appointment was a bit anticlimactic. The courtroom, about the size of any typical waiting room, with six rows of plastic chairs, was scattered with people waiting to pay their fines.

  I had no reason to think it was anything more. Everything else was just for show. Like me having to show up here today. I should have been allowed to just pay the fine and go about my way. I couldn’t be upset about it though. If not for this court date, I would have flown out yesterday and missed my time with Isabella.

  When it was my turn to approach the bench, I was asked a few questions which I contritely answered. I’d been wrong to hit him and I knew it.

  The judge was a middle-aged woman with flat affect, but she worked with efficiency. She assigned my fine and advised me to keep my hands to myself in the future.

  I took my paperwork and turned to leave.

  The judge, unceremoniously moved on to the next person.

  At first I thought I must be imagining things. But when Isabella didn’t vanish after I blinked rapidly, I knew she was really here.

  She looked serene. Her lightweight wool coat folded neatly in her lap. She was wearing a skirt and a candy apple red jacket. Her hair was pulled back, leaving a few strands framing her face.

  My heart skipped a beat.

  I grinned and she smiled back.

  Taking my paperwork with me, I walked over and sat next to her. I still had to stop by the front desk and hand over my credit card, but seeing Isabella washed this whole experience away like a breath of fresh wind coming in from the mountains.

  “You’re here,” I said.

  “I told you I would be here,” she said.

  “There was nothing you could have done,” I said. “It was just like I thought. Show up. Pay a fine.”

  “I know. But it’s good to have a friend here anyway.”

  I placed a hand over hers and smiled to myself. She thought of herself as my friend. It wasn’t exactly what I was aiming for, but it was in the right direction.

  “I need to go pay this, then do you want to get some lunch?”

  “It’s a little early for lunch,” she said.

  I glanced at my watch. “A little.” I shrugged. “We can take our time getting there. Check out some of the shops.”

  “Okay. I need to pick something up anyway,” she said.

  “Alright then.” I stood up. Glanced over my shoulder at the officials sitting behind the bench. “It’s time to get out of here.”

  She stood up and followed me out the door. The guard standing at the door nodded as we passed through.

  “How did you get past the guard?” I asked, remembering how I’d had to show my identification and be screened with a metal detecting wand. And that was after showing my court order.

  She lifted a brow. “I have skills.”

  “I’m sure you do,” I said as she stood to the side while I went up to the checkout desk to pay my fine. I had a feeling they did this every day all day long. I was just one of many.

  A few minutes later, as we stepped outside, I saw that Isabella was wearing my scarf beneath her coat.

 

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