"Snow's dad, sorry, I have something to take care of tomorrow morning, so I won't be able to make it to the park. Are you free the day after tomorrow? Maybe we can let the little ones meet then."

The smile faded instantly from Gordon's face, replaced by a look of cold detachment.

Why the day after tomorrow?

Where is Caitlin going tomorrow?

He quickly typed a reply: "The day after tomorrow works for me. See you then."

"Great," Caitlin answered.

That night, Gordon had a nightmare.

He jolted awake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, heart pounding uncontrollably.

Wiping his forehead, he reached for his phone on the nightstand and opened up a search engine. He typed in:

"What does it mean to dream about a normal female friend being with another man?"

He scrolled through the responses.

"It just means you've been thinking about her a lot, bro. Are you sure you don't have a crush on that girl?"

"Nothing special. Maybe those two really do have chemistry."

"Congrats, man. Your 'ordinary female friend' might be getting a boyfriend soon."

Gordon frowned, his brows knitting together.

With Farrell? Would Caitlin really go for someone like that?

Forget it. Not my business anyway.

He locked his phone and rolled over, determined to go back to sleep.

Sixty seconds later, Gordon sat up again, grabbed his phone, and went back to scrolling through the search results.

After a while, his frown finally eased. He even tipped one of the replies a hundred dollars.

The reply read: “Don't overthink it. Dreams always mean the opposite.”

The next morning, Gordon finished breakfast and got ready for work.

Just as he reached the garage, someone stepped in his way.

"Gordon."

He paused.

It was Raven Cartwright.

Raven had been chasing Gordon for nearly twenty years. She'd followed the Sylvester family from their old hometown to Silverhaven, and when the family moved back, she returned as well.

"What is it?" Gordon asked, his tone flat.

Raven looked up at him, her eyes brimming with undisguised affection. "Gordon, I'm about to turn thirty."

"So?" he replied.

She hesitated, gathering her courage, then finally blurted out what she'd been holding in for so long "Gordon I like you. I really really like you. Is there realy no way you'd ever consider being with me?"

"No. I suggest you find someone else," Gordon answered quietly.

"Why not?" Raven pressed, voice trembling.

He looked her straight in the eye and said, clearly, "Because I'm in love with someone else."

Someone else?

Raven went pale. "No way. That's impossible! Who else could it be but me? Gordon, you're lying, aren't you?"

She'd waited for him for fifteen years, stayed loyal all this time. Surely, even a stone would be warmed by now.

How could Gordon not see her devotion?

No-it must be that he's just not

saying what he really means. That's right. Gordon always says the opposite of what he feels. When they were kids, he claimed he didn't like sweets, but she knew he did.

Before he found Snow he insisted he hated cats and would never own one, but now he not only had a cat, he treated it like a beloved son.

That's why Raven had never given up. Gordon always said he didn't like her, but she believed he was just too shy to be honest.

She was attractive, they'd grown up together, and there was a lifetime of history between them. Gordon was a normal man-how could he possibly not like her?

And, most importantly, Gordon had never dated anyone else. Not a girlfriend, not even a fling.

Raven convinced herself: We're meant for each other. I'm saving myself for him, and he's saving himself for me.

With that thought, she reached out to grab his sleeve.

Gordon sidestepped her easily, his brows knitting in irritation. "You're not even worth the effort of inventing a lie for, Raven. Have some self-respect."

Tears welled up in Raven's eyes, her voice choked with emotion. "Gordon, stop lying to yourself—"

"Are you a chicken or something?"

Beatrice's voice cut through the morning air, interrupting Raven mid-sentence.

Raven turned, confused. "Mrs. Sylvester?"

Beatrice narrowed her eyes, not bothering to spare Raven's pride. "Clucking and fussing all day long-honestly, anyone would think you're a mother hen! Raven, let me

woman shoutt

advice. A young

give know when t

go.

Gordon already has someone he loves. Don't keep pestering him, unless you want his future wife to get the wrong idea."