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“Aye. Take a seat.”

She sits near me, turning her swivel chair to face me. That watery smile again.

“Well . . .” she starts, but apparently she’s not sure what to say because nothing else comes. “So . . .” she tries again but then again lapses into silence.

My heart is beating so fast. I don’t want to hear what’s coming next, but at the same time, I just want to get it over with. I watch her anxiously, waiting for her to speak.

Eventually, she says, “Harry and I had a little chat, and—”

“A little chat? You were gone for hours!”

She’s taken aback by my interruption. “Well, we were together for three years. There was a lot to discuss.”

I sniff. “Did you take him back?” It’s all I care about.

“What?” Her brow furrows, and she reaches out to me.

I withdraw from her hand, sitting back. “Do you still love Harry? Did you take him back?”

Hurt flickers in her eyes. She lowers her outstretched arm. “No, and no.”

This is what I wanted to hear, and yet for some reason her words don’t make me feel any better. The things Harry said are still going around and around in my head. He spoke truths I’ve been ignoring, but now they’ve been voiced out loud, they have to be addressed.

“Are you just having fun with me? Am I the rebound guy?”

Her eyes widen. “No! Absolutely not, and I’d have hoped you knew that. I’m disappointed you had to ask.”

I stare at her grimly, unconvinced.

“Ally, what’s going on? Why are you behaving like this? I wasn’t expecting Harry to show up either. It took me by surprise just as much as you. But like I told you, it’s over between me and him.”

I groan and tug at my hair. “I can’t give you the luxuries you’re used to, Emily! This is a small town, and we live simple lives here. I think Harry was right: you’re a London lass. Aye, you’ve been happy the last few weeks, but what happens when the novelty wears off? When you start to miss London’s restaurants, bars, nightlife? What happens, Emily, when you get bored?”

Words are spilling out of my mouth, and even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stop them. “I should have had this conversation with you earlier. I knew this could never work between us, but I opened my heart to you, and now—”

“Ally! Where is this all coming from?” Emily’s skin has drained of colour. Her posture is tense.

I take a few breaths, trying to compose myself. “Well, tell me honestly, are you planning to stay on in Bannock after your month here is up? Because I’ve tried hard not to pressure you—I’ve given you time to think it over—but I can’t cope with the uncertainty anymore. I need an answer! Could you . . . could you see yourself living here for the rest of your life?”

Emily’s mouth drops open. “That’s not a fair question! I’ve only been here for a few weeks. Not that long ago, I was due to marry another man, and I thought my life was going to look very different. I like Bannock—I do—but I’m not ready to commit to moving here permanently!”

I throw my hands up. “Well, that’s it then, isn’t it? Because I’ve visited London, and there’s no way I could live there. It’s too busy for me, and besides, my work and my family are here.”

“That’s it?” Emily repeats, laughing without mirth. “I’m not yet sure if I want to spend the rest of my life in Bannock, and your response is ‘that’s it’?”

“Aye.” I get to my feet.

Emily stands too. “Ally, I feel like we’re having two different conversations. I’m not saying there’s no future for me in Bannock. I’m just saying it’s too early for me to be making that decision.”

“Well, maybe I need you to make up your mind!” I snap.

She frowns and takes a step back from me. “What?”

I tug at my hair again and close my eyes, taking deep breaths. “Shit, no. I just . . . fuck, Emily. These last few weeks, everything in my life has changed, and that’s all down to you. Lewis’s plans for the hotel, the business with Aidan . . . there’s so much uncertainty right now! Will these things pay off, or will they be massive failures? I hate not knowing what’s going to happen—it stresses me out. But maybe if I had one thing I could be certain of, that you’ll always be by my side . . . well, maybe then I could do it.”

Emily glances down at her feet as if trying to find the right words. When she meets my gaze again, her expression is guarded. “You want me to tell you I’ll always be by your side? Ally, you met Harry earlier—less than a month ago, I thought I was going to be marrying him! I’m not ready to tell another man I’ll be with him forever. Surely you understand that?”

“Fuck!” I groan. “So you’re telling me you might leave me? Leave me with all this mess you’ve put in place? The hotel renovations, the business with Aidan . . . it was you who pushed me into these things! Hell, I might not have been happy before you came here, but at least my life was under control and I knew what was what. Now there are so many spinning plates, and . . . fuck, Emily, I love you!”