Falling For You (Honey Leaf Lodge #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Violet

I took a deep breath as I stood in front of Owen’s hotel room. The hallway had the usual rustic, expensive charm.

But it wasinside the room where I needed to be, and I just couldn’t bring myself to knock yet.

I took another breath and exhaled slowly.

Everything would be okay.

I needed to get this off my chest despite my heart pounding wildly behind my ribcage.

Between his going radio silent, then betraying me in a way I still couldn’t fully comprehend, followed by today’s news, I needed this.

I just needed closure.

This conversation would be one of the hardest I’d ever had. But it had to happen. I had to face him, say what needed to be said, and finally put everything between us to rest.

We needed an ending for both of our sakes.

I shook my head and knocked.

Almost immediately, I heard movement inside.

Before I had time to second-guess myself, the door swung open. Standing in front of me, with that same ruggedly handsome face that had haunted my thoughts since the day we met, was Owen.

“Violet.” His voice was soft. His eyes searched mine as if trying to read what brought me here. There was a tension in the air that hadn’t been there before.

I knew we both felt it.

The ease between us had faded into a frenzied dance of apprehension.

“Hey,” Owen said softly, leaning on the door. “What brings you here?”

“We need to talk.”

He stepped aside, gesturing for me to come inside.

My mind immediately flipped back to the kiss we shared here, and I shoved away the thought immediately.

The room was tidy, as if he’d been expecting this moment. I stood awkwardly near the door momentarily before sitting on one of the chairs by the small desk.

Owen watched me with an unreadable expression as he closed the door, walked over, and sat across from me.

I stared at my hands. My fingers twisted together as I tried to gain the courage to start.

After everything, where did I even begin?

“You did the right thing, you know,” I said, finally breaking the silence, my voice barely more than a whisper. “Telling me the truth. I know that wasn’t easy for you, especially with everything on the line.”

Owen leaned back in his chair, letting out a small sigh. “It wasn’t easy, no. But it was the only thing that felt right.”

I nodded, taking another deep breath. “I know. And I appreciate what you did for my family and the town. Without you, I don’t know if we would’ve had the chance to save the land. You could’ve kept quietandlet the deal go through, but you didn’t. That means a lot.”

His eyes softened, and he gave a slight nod. “I didn’t want to see this place ruined. I didn’t want to see you hurt, Violet.”

That’s what made this all so difficult. Despite everything, I knew Owen’s intentions were good. He had risked his career, reputation, and more just to ensure my family and our town didn’t lose everything.

It might have been in the final hour, but he still did it.

However, even with that knowledge, the trust between us had been shaken.

“I know you didn’t,” I said, my voice catching a little. “But I can’t help feeling like there’s always more to the story with you. You didn’t tell me the truth from the start. You kept so much hidden, and now… even though you did what was right in the end, I just don’t know if I can trust your motives. I feel like there’s more that I don’t know.”

He frowned slightly, leaning forward. “Violet, I—”

I shook my head, holding up a hand to stop him. “Let me finish, Owen. Please.”

He closed his mouth and nodded, allowing me to continue. I knew he didn’t come from a life where he was used to being told what to do. I kept in a smile and exhaled slowly.

“I fell for you. Hard and fast. And maybe that’s part of the problem. I let myself believe that what we had was real. It was something I could count on. But when I learned you were part of the deal that almost ruined my family, it broke something in me. It wasn’t just about the land. It was about trust. And no matter how much I care about you, I don’t know if I can ever fully get that back.”

The silence between us was thick with regret and unspoken feelings. I could see the pain in his eyes, but there was no turning back now. I had to be honest with him, even if it hurt.

“I can’t do this,” I said quietly. “I can’t be with someone when I don’t trust them completely. My heart can’t handle it. I’ve already been through so much with this, and I need time to heal. Even though things worked out for us the way we wanted, I just can’t go there with you. I hope you understand.”

Owen’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he processed my words. “I do understand, Violet—more than you probably think. I never wanted to hurt you. That’s the last thing I wanted. But I get why you need space. I just… I wish things had been different.”

“Me too,” I said softly. “But we both know it’s for the best.”

There was another stretch of silence, and for a moment, I almost regretted coming here.

Almost.

But this conversation was necessary, as painful as it was.

“I do want to thank you, though,” I said, trying to shift the conversation to something a little lighter. “For the business advice you gave me. You really helped me see the potential in the blog and what I can do with it. I don’t know if I would ever have the confidence to grow it without your input.”

Owen smiled faintly. “I’m glad I could help with that, at least. I’ve noticed you’re already getting comments and views.”

“You’ve checked up on it?”

“Of course. I care about it. I care about you.”

I sighed and nodded. “Are you… are you going to be okay? I mean, you broke the NDA. Will there be consequences?”

He chuckled softly, though there was no real humor in it. “Oh, there will be consequences. My partners are already gearing up to sue me for every dime I’ve got. They’re furious.”

My stomach dropped. “Owen… I didn’t realize it was that serious. They’re going to sue you?”

“Yeah,” he said, his smile fading. “But don’t worry. I was smarter than that. They can try all they want, but they’re not getting a penny from me. I’ve made sure of that.”

I blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”

Owen leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “Let’s just say I’ve made a few moves over the years to protect myself. I’ve got more than enough to support my family, even if the lawsuit drags on. And honestly, who cares if they did win? Money isn’t what matters to me anymore. I’ve got what I need, and the rest of it… well, it’s just noise.”

I studied him, surprised by how he brushed off the idea of losing everything. He had always struck me as the type who was fiercely protective of his career, his wealth, andhis status. But now, it was like all of that had become secondary.

“So, you’re really not worried?” I asked, still trying to wrap my head around his nonchalance.

Owen shook his head. “No. I used to be. Hell, a few months ago, I would’ve been in full panic mode over something like this. But now? I’ve realized there’s more to life than winning every deal. I’ve got my family, and that’s all I need.” He smiled and nodded. “In fact, my brother is going to pop the question this Christmas back in Wyoming. I’m looking forward to taking time off and going back there.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It will remind me that I’ll be able to find it one day, too.”

“Find what?”

“That kind of love.” He glanced out the window toward the lake before returning his gaze to me.

There was something about the way he said it that made my heart ache. For a split second, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, I was making a mistake.

He had changed.

There was no doubt about that. But the pain of what had happened between us was still too fresh, too raw. I couldn’t just ignore it.

I had to let myself heal for once instead of rushing to the next thing to distract me. That was the whole point of coming to Buttercup Lake.

“I’m glad you’ve found some peace with it,” I said, giving him a small smile. “I really am.”

He nodded, his eyes locked on mine. “And I hope you find that same peace, Violet. I know I messed up, but you deserve to heal, to move on. And if that means I’m not part of your life, then… I’ll respect that.”

The sincerity in his voice broke something in me.

I felt my eyes begin to sting with the threat of tears. I blinked them away quickly, refusing to let them fall. This wasn’t the time for tears. This was closure.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “For everything. I mean that.”

Owen didn’t respond, but the look in his eyes told me he understood. He stood up slowly, and for a moment, I thought he would reach for me, to pull me into his arms the way he had done so many times before.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he walked over to the door and opened it, giving me the space to leave.

I stood, feeling a strange sense of finality settle over me. This was really it, the end of whatever had been between us. I wanted to say something more, to offer him one last piece of comfort, but the words wouldn’t come.

Instead, I gave him one last look, memorizing how he stood there, solid and steady despite everything that had happened. And then, without another word, I stepped through the door and walked into the hotel’s hallway.

And I let the emotions sink in for the first time in a long time.

Relief, sadness, gratitude, and heartbreak.

I had done what I needed to do. I had found my closure.

But somehow, it didn’t feel like a victory.

It felt like the loss of something I hadn’t been ready to let go of.

I rode down the elevator and walked through the lobby with a quick wave to Jessie at the counter before stepping outside.

The wind tugged at my hair as I walked toward my car.

My mind wasa jumble of thoughts.

I knew this was the right decision. I understood that I couldn’t let myself fall back into something that wasn’t built on a foundation of trust. But knowing that didn’t make it hurt any less.

As I turned the car onto Main Street, I stopped at a crosswalk and looked back toward the hotel, wondering if he felt as heavy about this decision as I did.

I would heal.

I would move on.

And maybe someday, I would find the strength to trust again. But for now, I had to focus on myself, my family, and the future that was still waiting for me.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had the strength to do just that.