“This is a gimmel ring she had purchased many years back. When I placed it on your finger, I was so nervous. It felt like I was giving away a part of her, a part of me. And she was the best thing in my life…until you came along.”

He then takes out something from the box. A necklace hangs between us with the pendant spinning round and round until I grab it. There are two wolves forming a heart shape and nestled between them is a triquetra symbol.

“I don’t know if it’s true or not, but my mom told me a triquetra interwoven in a circle is a symbol of eternal love. Happy Valentine’s Day, Autumn.”

My brain is too hazy to process everything as Lukas ties the necklace around my neck, and the pendant drops above my blue pullover.

Before I can ask him what this means, what he means by giving me something…eternal, he slides the box into the nightstand drawer and gets up.

“Come on, let’s go. I’m sure you have lots to do at the inn.”

Lukas and I drive in our different cars, as he wants to bring his Jeep to Cherrywood. And all through the ride, in the silence of my car, I can’t stop thinking about the past few hours.

I saw a side of Lukas that wasn’t familiar to me. The vulnerable Lukas Spencer.

A guy who is surrounded by all these people but is truly a loner. Tears run down my cheeks, and I push them away with shaky fingers.

I know this is probably the worst time to cry while I’m driving down the highway, but I’ve lost all control over my emotions.

All the moments, yesterday in the woods, last night in Lukas’ bedroom, and then this morning, each rip a piece of my heart out. The pendant resting over my chest feels heavy, like it’s bearing the weight of Lukas’ loneliness.

When I finally park outside the inn, Lukas is waiting for me, leaning against his jeep. Dressed in his signature leather jacket, which is chestnut colored today, and a black T-shirt peeking out underneath it, he looks impossibly handsome.

He opens my door. “What took you so long?”

“I’m a slow driver,” I reply with a smile, hoping he doesn’t spot the pain I’m trying to hide.

“Autumn. Lukas. Thank God you’re here.” My mom waves at us from the inn’s main entrance, and Lukas and I rush toward her.

“All okay?” I ask upon seeing her this harried.

“It was, but all of a sudden, things seem to be so out of hand.”

“What happened, Mom?”

“We’re overbooked. We’re soon going to be out of food if guests keep coming in at this speed. Suzie is panicking. Two of our waitstaff called in sick.” My mom is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.