The wedding was beautiful, but a sadness still stayed with Lenni. Seeing two people so in love get married had made her realize how far from that she and Beckett were. Beside the fact that he didn't want to get married at all, there was something missing between them. Maybe it was the lack of communication.

They hadn't even said they were more than friends. Were they friends? They hadn't even said they were more than employer and employee. That seemed more appropriate. Maybe she had dreamed it all. Maybe they hadn't even made that first step. People didn't go from a professional relationship to a romantic one without an intermediary step. They had never even been friends.

What they had could have just been a vacation romance. He'd come to her and spoken to her like it was more, but that didn't mean they really were. Maybe he was just trying to get into her pants.

Walking into the final breakfast was like walking into a firing squad. Beckett was looking at his phone and she could tell it wasn't good.

"You and Potter made all the sites," he told her when she sat down. "Congratulations."

"You two look pretty as a picture in all of them," Stephanie told her. She patted the seat next to her. "What are you going to have for breakfast, darlin'? They have everything here."

"Jasper's family brought in some of the best chefs in the country," Potter told her.

Many of the wedding guests were using the tent one last time to have breakfast before flying out. This time, there was no trouble getting in. No photographers wanted pictures of the morning after.

She would've skipped it, but she wasn't going to hide her face in shame. She had done nothing wrong. Beckett was the one being an ass.

"Thank you," she told Stephanie, taking her seat. "Nice to see some people in your family are so welcoming."

"Shouldn't the ceremony just be for the people who were actually invited to the wedding?" Beckett asked, looking at her.

It was like a stab to the heart. "Would you like me to leave?"

"You're not going anywhere," Stephanie told her. "This is just breakfast. Even the wedding planner is here. And I don't think she was technically invited either."

Jasper and Leah's families were mingling about and didn't seem to notice the commotion that was taking place.

"I know how he puts up with that paparazzi attention," Beckett said, changing the subject. "I'm so glad I live far away."

"Is it beautiful in that town?" Stephanie asked her. "I've never been and I've always wondered."

"It's a gorgeous town but not much to do. I think you're used to a more exciting pace of life," Lenni told her. "You're welcome to come visit anytime. I live in the town too. You could always stay with me."

"How nice to have someone inviting us," Greg looked at his son. "I paid for a good portion of the mansion and I would love to see it someday."

"I paid for it with my own money. I work too," Beckett bristled. "You gave me my job and I'm grateful for it, but I work hard for everything I have now."

"No one was questioning your work ethic, big brother," Connor said. "But it would be nice to have an invite."

"Fine, you're all invited to my next place," Beckett said magnanimously.

"What next place?" Potter asked.

"Have I not mentioned it?" Beckett kept looking at the paper.

Potter sighed. "We'll don't just tease us. Out with it already."

"Well since you and Patrick enjoyed it in Hope Springs so much, I thought it would be nice if you could change scenery every season," Beckett explained. "I have properties all over the place. I was thinking of maybe changing properties at every four to six months."

"That's not a terrible idea," Potter admitted. "It would be nice to see new faces every now and then."

"I got the idea when Lenni started." Beckett smiled at her like he hadn't been a total jerk not moments before. "You two seem so happy that I thought it might be nice to get some new scenery every now and then. Change things up."

Lenni swallowed painfully. She no longer had an appetite.

"I'm not going to leave Hope Springs," she said, her mouth suddenly dry.

"I know it's hard leaving family, isn't it?" Stephanie patted her hand. "I hadn't been anywhere before I came to work for Greg."

"It worked out so well for her," Greg added. "Don't be afraid to try new things."

Not that Beckett even asked her to come. She wasn't sure if she would even have a job past this week.

Before he talked about extending her contract, but now she could see how that might have just been talk. He knew she would never leave her father behind.

Should she ask? No, now wasn't the right time. She'd already done enough to ruin this wedding for him. He'd made that very clear. She would leave him to his own devices.

When they got back to Hope Springs, she could see if he did want her to come too.

She would deal with this problem if it even happened.

"I'm not sure I want to leave it all," she told Stephanie forcefully. "I know there is a great wide world out there, but Hope Springs is a wonderful place. Everyone is kind to my father there."

"Good for you for having such a strong connection to your hometown," Greg said. "I stay in one place too. But we do vacation often."

"I heard you just got back from a shifter resort," Connor said. "Is it any good?"

"I really did like it," Lenni said. "But it's not as nice as being home. I think I'll save the vacations for something every once in a while."

"It does make vacationing more special that way," Stephanie said with a smile. "As long as you don't go too long between them, it really is the best of both worlds. You get the stability of being in one place and also get to travel."

Beckett said nothing. She looked at him. "I'm not going to be stuck there, but it is not a place where you wither and die. For me, it's a place you put down roots and grow."

She dared him to say something back in her mind. Something about her disastrous love life or her dead-end job, but he didn't even look at her. It was like she didn't exist. It probably wouldn't be a problem for her after all. The more time she spent with him, the more she was sure he didn't like her at all. This whole trip had been a disaster. Instead of being the beginning of something wonderful, it felt like it was the end.