Like You Love Me (Honey Creek 1)

Will I feel like Montgomery Farms is the right fit for me?

I force a swallow and try to clear my brain.

“This is really good,” Sophie says. “I’m definitely impressed.”

“It’s an Arizona specialty.”

“I approve.” She blows on another bite before putting it in her mouth.

Footsteps down the hall redirect our attention. In a few seconds, Dr. Montgomery appears in the doorway. “Well, good morning, Mrs. McKenzie,” he says.

“Good morning, Timothy.”

“Thank you again for letting me stay. I left my card on your desk for you to please invoice my secretary.”

Sophie nods. “We were happy to host you. You can stay again this evening, if you’d like.”

Dr. Montgomery looks at me for a split second and then back to Sophie. “I’ll be heading to Kentucky today for my final interview. But I might just bring my wife back here for a visit this fall. She’d love it.”

Sophie gets to her feet and walks across the kitchen. She busies herself at the island. Out comes a container and a big apple pie that she got from Birdie for dessert last night. Only no one ate any of it.

“Here you go,” Sophie says, handing the container to Dr. Montgomery. “You can’t leave Honey Creek without Birdie’s apple pie.”

He looks quite pleased as he takes the container from my wife. “I do love me some apple pie.”

“I hope you have a safe trip.” She stands next to me. “And I hope we get to see you again soon, Timothy.”

There’s a ribbon of trepidation in her voice that I’m afraid to linger on too long. Whatever it is has a straight shot to that knot in my stomach and pinches it until I almost bend in half to relieve the discomfort.

“As do I,” Dr. Montgomery says. “I’ll see you outside, Holden.”

As he leaves, I look down at Sophie. There are a hundred questions dancing through her eyes. I wonder if she can see them in mine.

I reach out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Her skin is so soft. The way her head shifts in the subtlest way and leans into my hand almost has me grabbing her and hugging her.

But I don’t. Because this has already gotten more complicated than it should’ve.

“See you tonight,” I say softly.

“See you tonight.”

I press a kiss against the top of her head, and it hits me . . . This really could be my life. This could be my every day. With Sophie.

Someone to say goodbye to each morning. Someone to let me hold them through the night. Someone who wants to cheer me on.

Someone to come home to.

Our bodies stay separated, our hands to our sides. My lips linger a few seconds longer than necessary as I say a silent prayer for whatever is the best answer to this quandary to happen.

I back away, giving her a final smile, and watch her move backward toward the table. With a final wave, I turn down the hallway and walk out the front door.

Dr. Montgomery is waiting for me on the porch.

“I’ll see you at the clinic?” I say, running a hand over my hair.

He sets his bag on the floor and looks at me. “No.”

“No?” My head spins. “I . . . Okay. Um . . .”

He sticks out a hand. I take it, my brows furrowed, and give it a shake.

“Holden,” he says, blowing out a breath. “I’ve seen enough to know that you would make an excellent asset to Montgomery Farms. My gut tells me that you and Sophie are good people—the kind of people I seek out for my team.”

My mouth goes dry as his words permeate the confusion in my brain.

“This is not public information,” he says, “but I have been looking for someone for a very specific position. I need someone to mold, to shape, to take over the CEO position in five, maybe ten years. I can’t work forever.”

I join his merriment, chuckling along with him. But in reality, my heart is trying to climb out of my body and find Sophie.

Why? I don’t know. I just need her. Now.

My temperature rises, something inside my head starts screaming, and I can’t make sense of it.

“My children have carved out their own ways in life. I’m so proud of them. Both of my daughters and one of my sons work at Montgomery, but none want my job. None want to be CEO. John, my oldest, is expanding into aquatics. My daughters are working in social outreach. That leaves no one to keep everything together, and I’m not just going to hire someone off the street to take over my life’s work. That leaves me in a predicament.”

“Dr. Montgomery . . . ,” I begin, but he waves me off.

“If you would prefer to take the role that you applied for, it’s yours.”

My head spins. I try to make sense of all the information, and opportunities, that were just dropped in my lap. But the longer I try to come up with something coherent to say, the harder it becomes to speak intelligently.