She sat up, stretching as she glanced around to make sure she still had her satchel. Shewouldbe pissed at herself if someone robbed her while she slept, but everything was still here. Her skin felt cool and damp from the London weather, but at least she hadn’t gotten rained on. Her stomach was clamoring for lunch, and she had to pee, so she packed up her things. She crammed the blanket into her satchel and headed for the exit, deciding to walk until she came across someplace that looked good for lunch.
As she walked, she scrolled through the notifications on her phone, pausing as she found a text from Flynn.Nice view! How’s your day going?
He’d obviously found the photo she’d shared earlier while she was sitting up on Parliament Hill. A warm tingle spread through her belly.
Moving at a slower pace today, she texted with a winking emoji.But no less fun.
That was a lie. Yesterday had been one of the most amazingly fun days of her life, but Flynn didn’t need to know she was struggling to find her balance today, that she was fighting an underlying sense of panic about not knowing where she was headed next. Yesterday, he’d kept her moving, so busy and enamored with his company, she hadn’t even realized she’d been flying without a net. Today, it was all she noticed.
Glad to hear it, he replied.
She shoved her phone into her bag as she walked through the gates leading out of Hampstead Heath. After looking both ways, she headed left, which looked like the direction with more restaurants. Twenty minutes later, she was comfortably nestled at a table in the back of a little sushi restaurant with a plate of tuna maki in front of her.
This was a start, but she still couldn’t shake the nagging sense of unease, the urge to bullet point the rest of her day. She had a lot of work to do to truly achieve her goals for this trip.
It had takenFlynn most of the morning to drive to Aidan’s new home site in Wales. After stopping for lunch, they’d spent several hours surveying the property together. Flynn was completely taken with the location, nestled into a wooded hillside that overlooked the Wye River Valley. Peaceful. Invigorating. He could already picture a house here, built with local wood, rustic but with a sleek, modern look, big windows and a deck overlooking the valley.
“I love that,” Aidan said, nodding excitedly as Flynn explained his vision. “Can we put a hot tub on that deck too, mate?”
“Of course.” Flynn laid out the surveyor’s map on a rock between them and spent the next hour determining which would be the best location for the house and how to orient it. Energy flooded his system as things began to fall into place. His vision combined with Aidan’s to create an idea that truly excited him. This house would be something unique that reflected his friend’s needs and allowed Flynn to challenge himself in ways he hadn’t been able to at Exeter.
He walked the property, snapping photos on his phone as he noted the specific angle and coordinates to capture the best views. Before putting his phone back into his bag, he thumbed quickly through his notifications, somewhat disappointed not to have a new text from Ruby. She was enjoying her vacation the way she’d meant to now…on her own.
“You have a new girlfriend you haven’t told me about?” Aidan asked, sitting sideways in the front seat of his car, feet in the dirt, watching as Flynn worked.
“No.” Flynn pushed his phone into his pocket and returned to his measurements.
“Someone you’re keen on, then?”
Flynn ignored him and continued with his work.
“You’ve been checking your phone all afternoon like a man who’s waiting to hear from a woman he fancies,” Aidan continued. “So, who is she?”
Flynn sighed, walking over to lean against the side of Aidan’s car. “Her name is Ruby Keller. I met her at Theo’s wedding. We spent the day together yesterday in London. But that’s all. She’s on with the rest of her vacation now.”
“And you’re wishing you were still with her.”
“Maybe a little,” he admitted. “We had a really nice time together. It’s a shame the circumstances are what they are.”
“And what are they, exactly?” Aidan asked.
“She’s American. She actually works at Rosemont Castle, helps manage the property for Theo.”
“Interesting,” Aidan said, scuffing his heels idly through the dirt.
“And I’ll be heading to Dubai at the end of the month to oversee the new Exeter hotel being built there.”
“That does pose quite a logistical problem,” Aidan agreed. “What do you say we continue this conversation down at the pub? Have you gotten everything you need?”
“For today,” Flynn said. “I’ll need to come back out here over the next few days while I’m drafting up your plans.”
“So, the pub, then?”
“Yes, all right.” Flynn packed up his materials and walked around to the passenger side of the car. “Truly exceptional spot you’ve got here, Aidan. It’s going to be a hell of a property.”
“I’m sure it will be now that you’ve signed on to design it for me. You’ve got real talent, mate. You’re wasting it building hotels that all look exactly like the next.”
“Well, it’s my job to build hotels.” He slung his briefcase into the back and sat in the passenger seat beside Aidan.
