37. Daisy
37
DAISY
W ith quick steps, I strut back to my office and go straight to my laptop, my heart pounding. I put on a brave face with Connor, but all my old insecurities came flooding back in an instant when I saw that article.
I find the article online and look it over properly, immediately feeling sick. The photos they captured are a total invasion of our privacy. There are some of us in the car, others of us walking into the dry cleaners at the bottom of my apartment. A few taken from a long-range lens, no doubt, of us stepping onto the jet together. There’s a whole montage of our entire trip to the city. To make matters worse, the images of me are not flattering whatsoever. The article headline reads “Connor Whiteman is Trying on Someone Different for Size,” clearly a jab at my weight while also pointing out that I’m not like his usual girlfriends.
I think back to the trip, to him telling me that he hasn’t ever really had a girlfriend. Dates, yes. Casual hookups, yes, but nothing like this. I really look at the pictures then, of the two of us, and I still. Not from the angles or what we are doing, but the way Connor is looking at me when I hadn’t realized. His eyes look at me with pure adoration. There’s another photo of me gleaming up at him, and it’s one of the happiest photos of me I’ve ever seen. But what’s consistent in all of them is the clear, open body language we have that speaks volumes of how we feel about each other. We’re always touching, smiling, laughing and you can’t fake that.
I swallow and continue reading. The article goes into details about Connor, like his wealth and status, before the journalist questions what he’s doing with someone like me. I’m not sure how, but they have found old photos of me and published those too. They mention Sunshine and call me a hippie.
“Got a minute?” Tanner's voice is rough as he startles me, and my gaze whips up to his.
“Sure,” I rush to say as I click off the screen and clear my throat, trying to get my head into gear.
“I wanted to say congratulations on the spa. You’ve done a great job,” he says as he walks toward my desk, leaning on the back of the armchair opposite me.
“Well, it isn’t over yet, but thank you. I appreciate that,” I tell him, grateful.
“Victoria has arranged one hell of a party tonight.” He looks at me seriously for a moment, so I wait for him to continue. “Are you looking at the article?” he asks.
I can’t hide anything from him. My emotions are clearly written all over my face, not just about the article, but also about my work, Whispers, and Connor. So, I just go with the truth. “Yeah…”
“It won't be the first hurdle that you and Connor face together,” he says, and I remain silent. “I know my son. He’s never brought a girl home to introduce me to.”
My breathing stalls at that information.
“Sure, he dates, has been a bit of a ladies’ man over the years, but he has never committed before now. I blamed myself for that. I was always a loner. I was thinking he might be more like me than I realized.” He continues with a sigh. “But, hell, he hired you after meeting you the first day and brought you straight here, so clearly, he’s had feelings for you from the start.”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, knowing he still has more to say.
“And I can see in the way you two interact that those feelings are reciprocated.” He watches me carefully, and I take a deep breath.
“They are. But… how can it work? I'm from the city.” My voice cracks, my head a whirl, my heart a mess.
“Anything can work if you want it badly enough. So I guess the question is, do you?” he asks.
I don’t even hesitate. “I do. I one hundred percent do.” I’m not sure if I’m talking to my boss, my boyfriend's father, a mentor, or all three right now.
“You fit in well here, the distillery, the town, our family. I’d be proud to have you as part of my son's life.”
It hits me right in the chest as I realize that this is true acceptance. I’ve never felt this before. I have my parents’ love, of course, and the great friendship with Trisha, but with Connor, his family, this town, all of it makes me feel so welcomed, so accepted, just for being my true self. It’s refreshing and energizing.
“Wow…” I say on an exhale, almost speechless.
“But I need to know… Are you any good with goats?” he asks with a grin, breaking the heaviness of the conversation. I laugh heartily, and he tells me more about Victoria’s goat Gertie, and then he leaves me to it.
There’s no more time for me to overthink. The glam squad is waiting, and I need to get ready for the party.