The words hit like a freight train.
— I understand, I say, forcing my tone to stay even. It was just a suggestion.
— No, you don’t understand, Alistair, she says, shaking her head. It would be a mistake because we can’t keep pretending this is just a professional arrangement. Not after what happened in that barn.
I stare at her, not entirely sure where she’s going.
— So what? We end it now?
— Or we stop pretending, she says. We admit that maybe… it’s not entirely a façade anymore.
Her gaze is steady—full of vulnerability and courage—and something inside me finally gives way. The weight of the act, the doubt, the uncertainty… it all starts to lift.
— It hasn’t been a game for me in a while, I admit.
A real smile—bright and unguarded—lights up her face.
— Me neither.
We look at each other, everything hanging in the space between us. In that moment, our relationship feels wide open—full of possibility.
I step toward her, ready to pick up where we left off in that barn?—
The door flies open.
Martha appears, even more flustered than before.
— Mr. Alistair, I’m so sorry to interrupt, but there’s an urgent situation with?—
She stops short when she notices how close we are and immediately takes a step back.
— I can come back later…
— No, Martha, it’s fine, I say, clearing my throat. What is it?
— It’s Rosita, sir. She’s escaped again. And this time, she’s taken three other ewes with her.
Keira and I exchange a look—then burst out laughing at the exact same time. The timing is so absurd, so perfectly ridiculous.
— Looks like Rosita’s started her own resistance movement, Keira says between laughs.
— A full-scale ovine uprising, I add. Hamish must be proud.
— I’m sure he trained her.
Martha looks at us like we’ve completely lost our minds—which, honestly, might not be far from the truth.
— Should I… assemble a search team, sir?
— No, Martha, that won’t be necessary, I say, pulling myself together. I think Miss McGregor and I can handle this diplomatic crisis.
— Together, Keira adds, her smile sending my heart into overdrive.
— Together, I confirm.
And as we head out to track down our rebellious sheep, I realize that whatever the board decides about the boutique, something far more important was decided today. Something that has nothing to do with renovation plans or competing proposals.
Something that has everything to do with the fragile balance between past and future, between caution and courage, between pretending—and being real.
