“Oh no,” I whispered. “Oh,no.”
I dashed back to my room, flinging open the closet, yanking off my sweatshirt as I went.
I had twenty minutes to be at the lodge.Twenty.Which might’ve been enough if I didn’t currently look like I’d just escaped from a sleep-deprivation experiment.
Shower. Fast.
I jumped in, letting the water shock me awake. Shampooed, conditioned, rinsed, and danced through my usual routine like I was being scored on speed.
And then, of course, a wave of exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks because that was just how it worked.
I threw on jeans and a soft sage green oversized sweatshirt that made me feel somewhat pulled together, though it was maybe a little tighter than I remembered. Whatever. Close enough.
I stood in front of the mirror and stared at the under-eye circles that had bloomed like bruises overnight.
“Okay,” I told my reflection. “We’re going full concealer mode. You’ve trained for this.”
I dabbed, blended, powdered, and slapped on a touch of blush, followed by a swipe of lip gloss. I smiled, frowned, and smiled again.
Passable.
Exhausted, but passable.
Outside, the birds were in the middle of their morning chorus.
The town stirred as a delivery truck rumbled past and someone down the street walked a golden retriever with a spring in its step that feltpersonally offensive.
Oh, no! I sounded like room number four.
I gathered my tote bag, double-checked for my phone, keys, and emergency chocolate, and headed out the door.
The air was cooler than expected, a whisper of mist hovering low over the road as I pulled out of the driveway. The homes were still sleepy, but I could feel the town waking up.
The Honey Leaf Lodge came into view like a painting; its rustic log porch glowing in the soft light, windows catching the rising sun, with the smell of cinnamon and pine already drifting on the breeze. Well, maybe not that particular part, but I could imagine I sniffed it.
Despite everything, the overthinking, the lack of sleep, the frustration buzzing just under my skin, I smiled.
This place was my heart, even when I didn’t have it all together.
I parked beneath the big birch tree, grabbed my bag, and took a deep breath before stepping inside.
And immediately began mentally bracing myself.
Because there was always a chance, however small, that I’d turn the corner and seehim.
Ben.
And I wasn’t ready for that.
Not today.
Not when I couldn’t stop hoping he’d stayed to get some chow.
Or worse…hoping he hadn’t left because ofme.
Chapter Ten
Ben
