He sounded completely sincere, his voice carrying the soft, convincing rhythm that had drawn me to him during our first autumn together in Crestview.

“So do I, Daniel,” I murmured, feeling a sudden, heavy ache behind my ribs.

“Evelyn thinks I should take the whole weekend off after Friday,” he added, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

“Is Evelyn still managing the valley property accounts?” I asked.

“She’s handling the closing paperwork,” he said, nodding toward the exit doors.

“Shall we look at the rose garden before the breeze turns cold?”

We stepped out of the glass building into the crisp autumn air, the brick path lined with fading orange and red petals.