Page 39 of Save a Wish

Including Beckett. Because if my father and Cian knew about him . . . well, our palace had dungeons and father so loved to use them.

I pushed those dark thoughts aside as Beckett took me through Hartley’s Nest. He showed me the rest of the animals they had as patients, the chickens, horses, sheep, and llamas they actually owned, a vegetable and herb garden, the extensive butterfly garden Vanessa tended in the summers, a beautiful, wooden arbor over a gathering space, the farmhouse he and his siblings grew up in, and the narrow dirt roads that led to his siblings’ homes.

“It’s our own little kingdom,” Beckett said as we headed back toward my car.

I bristled at the word kingdom, my thoughts going back to Beckett in a dungeon. Then I immediately thought of the name of my new business, Kalm Kingdom, and the connotation changed for the better.

“It’s amazing here, Beckett. You must have loved growing up in such a lovely place.”

“So much that I never left.” He arrowed an arm toward the road that led to his house.

It had been so easy to leave the palace and my country, my home since I was born. That place hadn’t had any of the magic and love that existed in every speck of dirt at Hartley’s Nest.

“But I’d better leave right now,” I said. “So I can get ready for a date I have in a mere few hours with an exceptional man.”

“Exceptional, you say?” Beckett pressed our still-joined hands against his chest, making me have to take a few steps closer. “That’s a high bar you’re setting there, Sadie.”

“You’ve already reached it.” I looked over his shoulder at the now empty space at the start of the nature trail where I’d held today’s event. “No one has ever helped me like you have, Beckett.”

“You’ve been hanging around with the wrong people then.” He dropped a light kiss to my knuckles then released my hand. “Here, in Greenridge, we help whenever we can, and now you’ll be a part of that helping network with Kalm Kingdom.”

I let out a little squeal. “I still can’t believe how many sessions were booked today. I have so much to prepare. I probably shouldn’t be going on a date.”

Beckett shushed me. “There’s always time for going on a date. Besides, you were technically the one who asked me out on a date so you can’t bail.”

“I wouldn’t dream of bailing.” Reluctantly, I slipped free of Beckett’s grip and backed toward my car. “I’ll see you soon.”

Beckett saluted me and somehow I managed to drive away from him. When I arrived back at Hank’s cabin, a pot of bright orange mums sat on my doorstep. The card said, I hope your event was a success! ~ Hank and Sarah. Beside the flowers was a box of pumpkin muffins baked by Sarah.

I definitely was hanging around the right people now.

Leaving the flowers as decoration for my front step, I took the muffins into the cabin. After a few more trips, all my session materials were back inside as well. Grabbing a muffin to nibble on, I went over to the laptop Beckett had loaned me because a business owner needed a computer to see that all the bookings had populated into a calendar Beckett had set up. The times of the appointments, the services booked, and the clients’ names, addresses, and contact information were all right there with each booking.

Flora hadn’t accepted any booking requests until Wednesday to give me a few days to plan. I was thankful for that because I had a lot to prepare. I really would have to be careful with how much time I spent on leisure activities with Beckett if I wanted Kalm Kingdom to be a real success.

And I wanted that.

But I also wanted Beckett.

I could balance both. My time as a princess had been carefully scheduled after all. I was always expected at some royal function and managed to never miss an appointment. I’d apply those skills here to give both my business and Beckett the time they deserved.

I spent an hour studying the bookings and making notes and plans for how I would conduct the sessions with these clients. I had general descriptions for my offerings on the Kalm Kingdom website, but I outlined the specifics, growing more excited by the minute. I had so many ideas flowing out of me and one good thought led to another good thought.

By the time I decided I should probably get ready for my date, I was confident that each of those booked appointments would go splendidly. If they were a fraction as fun and successful as today’s launch event had been, I’d be regularly flying high on this new career of mine.

I only wished I could gush about Kalm Kingdom—and about Beckett—to Orla and Fionn. They’d be so happy to know everything was turning out better than I’d hoped.

And Orla would most likely have some good words of wisdom for my date. I didn’t have any experience with dating, but something told me it wasn’t going to be hard to enjoy dating Beckett Hartley.

Chapter Fourteen

Beckett

I’d gone to this corn maze pretty much every year since I could walk. Most of the time, it had been with the entire Hartley clan, but other times I’d weaved through the maze with friends.

Today, I was happy to visit it with a date. A beautiful, talented date who looked incredible in black leggings and a flowy jacket in fall colors. She’d braided that long red hair too, with soft curls framing her face, and I immediately imagined unwinding her hair and spreading it out all around her.

And, yeah, we were naked in that scenario. I’d thought about getting my hands on Sadie in the hours that had passed between her leaving Hartley’s Nest after our tour and me arriving on her doorstep at Hank’s cabin. Those thoughts only exploded when she’d answered my knock looking like a Celtic goddess.