Page 68 of Just One Chance

"I do want kids, but I'm not sure I should build a house with four or five bedrooms when that's not in my immediate future. I could always add on more later."

"Don't make your house small because your life hasn't lined up perfectly yet. You never know what's going to happen."

Working in my shop all day, I didn't meet many people. And I wasn't sure I wanted to. Not anymore. Not since Kennedy came into my life and upended everything.

I was content spending time with Kennedy, and I was at peace with whatever her decision was surrounding the inn. But I couldn't ignore the niggling fear that letting her go was a mistake. That if she got on that plane, she wasn't coming back. Her life was only going to expand. She'd have new, bigger clients, and she would be traveling more often. She wouldn't have time to visit the inn, see the snow room, or anything else. She'd be too big for Hart Inn. It was only a matter of time before that happened.

"You should get everything you want. The fireplace in the living room and the master. What about an outdoor kitchen?" Kennedy asked.

"That would be nice. I love to grill."

"It's going to look amazing. I can't wait for them to start building it. Did you get a date for that?" Kennedy asked, excitement filling her voice.

I'd decided on a contractor, and now I had to decide on the plans. "This spring. As soon as it's warm enough to break ground."

"That's so exciting. I'm so happy for you." She threw her arms around my neck and pressed her tits against my chest.

"I just wish you could be here to see it." Shit. Why had I said that? "You know, since you've been so helpful with the design. It seems only fitting you get to see the final project."

She pulled back and said, "I can visit to see the snow room and your cabin."

"If you have time. I'm sure you'll be busy."

"I can always stop by between jobs. It's not a big deal."

She talked about coming and going as if it wouldn't affect her, and maybe it wouldn't. Maybe what we'd shared didn't mean anything to her. I'd stopped trying to fight it. It was no use, especially because I was fairly sure I was in love with her.

I loved spending all my free time with her. I stopped work as soon as she came by so that I got as much time with her as possible. I didn't mind that she was here giving my parents advice anymore. I loved having her in my space, and I never wanted her to leave.

But I didn't have a choice in the matter. She was an independent woman and had a life somewhere else. How fair would it be for me to ask her to stay?

I couldn't hold her back or make her choose between her dream home and here. I tried to imagine myself in Miami, and I couldn't. I had a feeling that handcrafted furniture was more in demand here than there. I wouldn't fit in, and it was no use trying to.

So I wouldn't consider Beck's recommendation about moving. It didn't make sense for me. But I appreciated that Beck was able to make things work with Clara. It just wasn't possible for me and Kennedy. I couldn't tell her how I felt because there was no way it would work out.

I couldn't hold her back or ask her to give up everything she'd worked for either. There was no solution to our situation. No way out.

Instead, I'd enjoy every moment I got with her now. "You want to see the log bench I designed?"

When she first came over, we almost always had sex before scrounging for food. Then we'd talk about work on the inn and plans for the cabin.

"I'd love to." She got out of bed and pulled on sweats and a hoodie.

I did the same, and we went downstairs, turning on the lights.

I led her to the area where I was constructing several log benches. I wasn't sure what she wanted, so I'd built a few different log-type benches, and a few stumps. I didn't show her the other thing I was working on. It was a surprise for the day we opened the room. As much as I wanted her feedback on it, I also wanted to keep it a surprise.

She said she wanted me to be creative with my work, so I'd gone all out, thinking of something that would make the room different from the others we'd seen.

"These are exactly what I wanted. Benches for couples or families to sit on and a few stumps situated throughout the room to give it that rustic feel."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I think this is exactly what we need."

"I need to construct the trees next." I'd never built anything like that before, but it had given me the idea for the surprise I was making.

"It's going to look great when we're done with everything." She wandered over to my second staging area. "What's this?"