October 11, 2023 – 10:02 AM
Lin stood at the kitchen counter, rinsing her coffee mug.
Behind her, she could hear Jake talking excitedly to Claire outside.
Lucas was somewhere near the barn.
They had plenty to discuss.
The government.
The documents.
The people watching him.
The strange things happening around town.
And, apparently, the mysterious woman who had arrived with him.
Lin looked toward the clock.
9:58 AM.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Evan.
On my way. Ten minutes.
Lin stared at it.
Then smiled.
Perfect.
She picked up her mug.
Lucas appeared in the doorway.
"Lin."
She turned.
"Yes?"
He looked like he was about to continue their conversation from earlier.
Lin glanced at the clock.
Then at her phone.
"I have an appointment."
Lucas frowned slightly.
"Already?"
"Yes."
"We need to talk."
Lin grabbed her notebook from the table.
"I know."
She slipped it beneath her arm.
"We will."
Lucas watched her.
"When?"
Lin opened her mouth.
She almost said later.
Instead, she smiled.
"When I get back."
Lucas nodded.
But something about his expression suggested he wasn't entirely convinced.
Lin walked toward the door.
Then stopped.
She turned back.
"And Lucas?"
"Yeah?"
"Welcome home."
His expression softened.
"Thanks."
Lin stepped outside.
The cool morning air hit her face.
She walked toward the driveway, notebook tucked beneath her arm.
Behind her, the farmhouse continued buzzing with conversation.
She didn't look back.
Not because she didn't want to talk to Lucas.
She did.
Maybe too much.
And that was exactly why she needed to leave before she said something she wasn't ready to explain.
Ten minutes later, a dark sedan turned through the gate.
Evan.
Lin recognized him immediately.
He parked beside the hotel and climbed out.
He looked exactly like she remembered.
Tall.
Neatly dressed.
Sandy-brown hair slightly messy in a way that looked intentional.
A charming smile already waiting.
He looked at the farmhouse.
Then at Lin.
Then back at the farmhouse.
"Well..."
He walked toward her.
"You weren't exaggerating."
Lin smiled.
"I rarely exaggerate."
Evan laughed.
"That's not what your old boss said."
"My old boss also thought twelve-hour workdays were reasonable."
"Fair."
He held out his hand.
Lin shook it.
Evan didn't immediately let go.
He looked down at their hands.
Then at her.
"You look good."
Lin raised an eyebrow.
"You're flirting already?"
"I'm efficient."
She pulled her hand away.
"You're impossible."
"And yet you called me."
"For business."
"Of course."
He smiled.
"Strictly business."
Lin turned toward the hotel.
"Come on."
Evan followed.
"You know..."
"What?"
"This is dangerously close to being a date."
Lin laughed.
"It's a marketing appointment."
"That's what people call dates when they don't want to admit they're dates."
She glanced sideways at him.
"You really haven't changed."
"Neither have you."
They walked toward the hotel together.
Behind them, Lin's farmhouse remained visible through the trees.
Lucas stood near the porch.
Lin didn't see him watching.
She was too busy trying not to laugh at Evan's running commentary about her future website.
For the first time that morning, she didn't think about government surveillance.
Or the apocalypse.
Or the strange timeline.
She had a marketing appointment.
And, whether she admitted it or not.
It felt suspiciously like a date.
Chapter 50October 11, 2023 – 10:24 AMBusiness, Apparently
They walked toward the hotel together.
Evan glanced around as they approached the entrance.
"You really did all this?"
Lin unlocked the front door.
"Most of it."
"Most?"
She pushed the door open.
"My contractors did the actual work."
Evan stepped inside.
Then stopped.
His eyes traveled across the lobby.
Freshly refinished floors.
New lighting.
Repaired walls.
Comfortable seating.
Large windows overlooking the property.
He slowly turned toward her.
"Okay."
Lin smiled.
"Okay what?"
"I owe you an apology."
"For?"
"Thinking you had lost your mind."
Lin laughed.
"You didn't say that."
"I thought it very loudly."
She walked toward the reception desk.
"You aren't the first."
Evan followed.
He pulled out his phone.
The joking expression disappeared.
The professional one took over.
"All right."
He looked around again.
"Now I understand the assignment."
Lin leaned against the desk.
"What do you think?"
"Honestly?"
"Please."
He pointed toward the windows.
"You're sitting on a marketing gold mine."
Lin raised an eyebrow.
"That's dramatic."
"I'm a marketing guy. Drama pays my mortgage."
She laughed.
He continued.
"The hotel isn't the product."
Lin frowned.
"It isn't?"
"Not by itself."
He walked toward the windows.
"The product is the experience."
He pointed outside.
"Farm."
Another direction.
"Animals."
Then the barn.
"That."
He looked back at her.
"And this."
He gestured around the lobby.
"People from the city don't just want a room anymore."
Lin folded her arms.
"What do they want?"
"A story."
She stared at him.
"That's annoyingly good."
"I know."
Evan opened his phone.
"Here's what I'm thinking."
He showed her a rough outline.
MAPLE CREEK FARM STAY
Underneath were three sections.
Stay.
Eat.
Experience.
Lin read through it.
"That's clean."
"Exactly."
He scrolled.
Stay: renovated rooms, cabins, glamping.
Eat: farm breakfast, local produce, seasonal meals.
Experience: animals, trails, farm activities, private events.
Lin nodded slowly.
"And weddings."
Evan smiled.
"Eventually."
"Eventually?"
"You don't want to advertise everything on day one."
He looked at her.
"Build demand first."
Lin smiled.
"You're good."
He placed a hand over his heart.
"Finally, recognition."
They walked through the lobby.
Evan stopped at every doorway.
He took photographs with his phone.
Measured spaces with his eyes.
Asked questions.
"How many rooms?"
"Twelve."
"Cabins?"
"Six eventually."
"Events?"
"Barn holds about eighty."
He looked impressed.
"Restaurant?"
"Small."
"How small?"
"Forty seats."
He nodded.
"Perfect."
Lin watched him work.
He was fast.
Confident.
And annoyingly charming.
"You always work this quickly?"
He looked over his shoulder.
"Only when the client is pretty."
Lin rolled her eyes.
"I should've hired someone else."
"Too late."
They stepped outside.
The morning sun had warmed the grass.
Evan stopped near the pond.
He stared at the view.
Then looked at Lin.
"This is where I'd do the hero shot."
"Hero shot?"
"The photograph people see first."
He pointed toward the water.
"Sunset."
Then toward the barn.
"Barn behind us."
Then the pasture.
"Horses in the distance."
Lin looked around.
She could already see it.
A couple standing near the water.
The barn glowing behind them.
The fields stretching into the distance.
She smiled.
"That's good."
Evan glanced at her.
"You imagined it."
"Maybe."
"You did."
She shook her head.
"You're annoying."
"Still here."
They continued toward the barn.
Evan stopped abruptly.
"Wait."
Lin turned.
"What?"
He pointed.
A chicken wandered across the path.
Then another.
Then a third.
Evan stared at them.
"Those are my competition."
Lin laughed.
"You have chickens."
"Yes."
"And you're afraid of mine?"
"I'm a marketing professional."
He pointed at the nearest chicken.
"That bird has no branding strategy."
Lin laughed so hard she had to stop walking.
Evan grinned.
"Exactly."
They reached the barn.
Evan looked up at the exposed beams.
His expression became serious again.
"Lin..."
"Yeah?"
"This place could actually work."
She nodded.
"That's the plan."
He looked at her.
"No."
He smiled.
"I mean really work."
Lin looked around.
For once, she didn't think about December.
She didn't think about zombies.
She didn't think about government agents.
She simply looked at the old barn.
And imagined people laughing here.
Families eating dinner.
Children running through the grass.
Maybe weddings.
Maybe photographs.
Maybe a future.
Evan tucked his phone away.
"Now..."
He smiled.
"...let's talk numbers."
Lin groaned.
"There it is."
"Romance is over."
She laughed.
"There was no romance."
Evan raised an eyebrow.
"That's not what your face said five minutes ago."
Lin pointed toward the barn.
"Numbers."
"Yes, boss."
They walked inside.
Neither noticed Lucas standing near the farmhouse window, watching the two of them disappear into the barn.