Chapter 13

Daniel has heard nothing from Alexis for eight days and limits himself to two unanswered texts. He keeps busy helping neighbors and working but remains disappointed and preoccupied with her silence.

In the morning, Amber—Daniel’s biological mother and legal owner of the family B&B—calls to say she is listing the house immediately. Daniel pleads for time, arguing the home’s legacy and current earnings. After tense back-and-forth, Amber grants him six months to buy it, motivated by her plan to fund a bike shop. A bank visit confirms Daniel can qualify for a mortgage but needs a $50,000 down payment.

Determined, Daniel inventories his workshop, deciding to finish and sell a backlog of his and his grandfather’s furniture at a Rochester swap meet. To increase cash flow, he opens the B&B during the off-season, updates the website, and offers added perks, despite the labor-intensive schedule and lower occupancy.

While working, Daniel finally receives a text from Alexis and immediately calls. Their playful, candid conversation covers her ER work, his carpentry and mayoral duties, small-town challenges, and shared interests like nonfiction and audiobooks. Daniel invites Alexis to visit; she cannot due to a girls’ weekend but keeps talking.

The call stretches to five hours, restoring their chemistry and connection. Daniel ends the day with renewed purpose: raise the down payment to save his ancestral home while nurturing his growing relationship with Alexis from afar.