Chapter 189

Maxine’s POV

"But I’ve always seen it as a kind of hidden gem. It's like a home away from home," he said to me.

I chuckled, relieved. The less people that knew what happened here, the better. “Yeah, you could say that.”

"Anna, there’s something special about this place. But I think what makes it special is the people here. People like you.” he bumped shoulders with me lightly.

"Conrad…”

“I mean it,” he said, stepping even closer that our bodies were almost literally pressed together. "Ever since I came here, I’ve felt like I’ve been searching for something without knowing what it was. Then I met you. And I think it might be fate that brought me and you here."

I opened my mouth to reply, but I couldn't find any words. The sincerity in his voice and the way his gaze held mine left me trapped in this moment. But in the best possible way.

He reached up, gently tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Anna, you’ve made me look fo