Page 40 of Manhattan Kiss

What’s been dominating my thoughts is a who. Deacon. That’s what I want to talk about.

“Finally,” Darcy says as she answers the call. “I’m in bed, Daphne and William are asleep, and I get to talk to my best friend. I miss you so much.”

She sounds exhausted. I wish I was there to give her a hug. “I miss you too.”

“But do you? Or are you loving New York too much? This is what happened to Ryder. He got sucked in by that city and left me here. Tell me that’s not going to happen to you.” Darcy always jokes about how New York City stole away her brother. She’s a tad dramatic, but she owns it.

When I arrived, I definitely didn’t think I’d stay longer than three months. Part of the reason I said yes to Avril and Poppy was because it was only a temporary position. They knew I’d be leaving. It didn’t feel like much of a risk. Three months away would go by in a flash.

But now?

I’m already nearly a month in, and I feel like I’m just finding my feet in the job. I also think that Avril and Poppy could really be friends. I met Poppy for a drink after work this week. It was really good fun, and it felt like I could actually start to put down some roots here.

“You know it’s only a three-month thing.”

“But they’re going to love you. You’re amazing at your job and they’re not going to want to let you leave.”

Darcy might have a point. The conversation with Avril and Poppy at Tavern on the Green about a hotel in Boston that they want to open was interesting. They’ll definitely need a manager for Hotel on Ninth Street if they have more than one hotel. Of course, I’d have to prove myself. I’ve only been doing the director of rooms and deputy manager role for a few days. They might not think I’m the right person for the job.

And even if they did, I only accepted this job for the summer.

“How are things at home?” I ask. “How’s William’s arm?” Just before I left, Darcy and Logan’s son broke his arm when he fell from a tree.

“It’s fine. He’s loving the attention. Although, he doesn’t like that he can’t climb trees anymore. Honestly, I’m thinking about stopping Daphne’s riding lessons. There’s just so much that can go wrong.”

“Really?” I ask, surprised. “But you love riding.”

She pulls in a breath. “I know. But my most important job is to keep Daphne safe. And William. And I haven’t done such a great job, given his broken arm. Getting thrown from a horse could end a lot worse.”

“Isn’t that the risk you take?”

“I see things differently since having kids.”

My insides twist. She’s not trying to make a point, but the point is made anyway: I’m not a parent, so I can’t understand.

“You can’t wrap them up in cotton wool,” I say.

“I know, but I want to. Anyway, enough about boring old Chilternshire. What’s going on in the Big Apple? Met any handsome New Yorkers?”

“No,” I say.

“Bad for you. Good for me. I don’t want anyone who’ll keep you from coming home.”

“Really?” I ask. “I thought you’d want me to find someone.” I’m not under any illusion that Deacon is my someone. He’s just a hot guy with a hard-on the size of the Empire State Building.

Darcy sighs. “I do. I just want you to find him in Chilternshire. Ignore me, I’m just being selfish.”

“I want to find someone at home too,” I say.

“So you haven’t found anyone?”

“No one I think is my soulmate,” I say, although as I say the words, something inside me doesn’t feel right. It’s not because I think Deacon might be my soulmate. Of course not. But saying he’s not…writing him off like that? Somehow, it doesn’t seem right.

“That sounds like there is someone.”

“I don’t know about someone, but I kissed a guy.”

Darcy squeals, and it transports me back twenty years when we’d do nothing but talk about boys and ride horses. Life was so simple back then.