On my first two days of staying, I was the only guest in the inn. It was pretty quiet. The only time it was busy was when it was dinner time because it was also a restaurant that was open to the public.

After my two-hour nap, I planned on going outside to check out the flowers in the backyard, but it was raining.

So in the meantime, I decided to do some editing from the photoshoot on my first day of my stay and I did that with a cup of coffee since they have a DIY coffee station in the dining area.

I managed to get a little work done until my tummy felt funny.

Not that the coffee was bad because it tasted great. I had a stomach ache probably because of the difference of brand that was making my system adjust with the fine quality of all the instant coffee I kept drinking.

So I spent most of my time in the bathroom that time. Luckily, I brought medicine. I learned it from Topher since he traveled a lot because he always began bringing medicines ever since he had that migraine when he went to Egypt one hot summer and he had no idea where to get Paracetamol.

Afterward, I felt weak, and Ms. Regis was nice enough to make me tea.

What an experience. Right?

Enough about that.

Later in the evening, I was a little better, so I decided to check out the library. It was in the attic.

I went up there and felt like Belle when the Beast surprised her with the massive library he had in his castle. However, it was not as grand as the Beast's, but I felt just as impressed as Belle. It was so cute and cozy that I could stay there all day.

Bookshelves on all sides of the wall except the one that had a bay window if you want to read with a view of the backyard, carpeted floors, two solo couches on the corner, a bean bag, and a small side table beside each seat for snacks.

The best part, we guests were allowed to be there as long as they wanted.

"You can choose some of the books you want to read and bring them to your room," Barry said to me. "Just as long as you don't bring it home."

"Got it," I said back.

"I'll be downstairs. Set the table. I'll be back to let you know when dinner is ready."

"Okay, thanks."

I began wandering around and just checked one book after another. Eventually, I didn't feel like reading romance, so I explored the other genres like mystery and adventure even if there were hints of love stories.

I picked this one mystery book and chose to sit on the bean bag. I made myself comfy and then started reading. It was a good read.

When dinner time was ready, the place was kind of packed, and I understood why. The food was delicious. I had roast beef and mashed potato. I think I was dancing while enjoying my dinner.

Once I was done, I went straight back to my room and went straight to the bathroom to get a nice warm bubble bath. I remember the feeling of stripping down naked and then getting inside the bathtub.

I just lay there and relaxed myself. I intended to just let the troubles float away, but the thought of Topher came to mind that he would have loved to be in a place like this. We could have our honeymoon in that inn.

I knew that I was there to keep my mind off my deceased fiance, I just could not help it. That was when the thought of that stranger who looked a lot like him made me think again.

It was so annoying. I was supposed to relax and forget my grief over Topher. Instead, he had to pop us in my head.

Ugh... Why can't we control our thoughts and feelings?

Life is so cruel.

That was it. Bath time over.

I got up and put on a robe. I had the book from the library in my room. So I started curling myself up in my bed and began reading. Luckily, I was able to forget Topher until I fell asleep.

Then came the second day. I woke up on this marshmallow bed that I did not want to get up from. It took me fifteen minutes to finally force my body up because I had to go to work at that time.

I stretched my body, then looked out the window, and there was no rain, just cloudy blue skies. However, it was still cold.

I had breakfast first. Their waffles were crunchy and delicious. I had my camera with me.

Ms. Regis approached me with a bright smile on her face. "Good morning," She greeted.

"Good morning," I said to her after swallowing my food.

"How was your first night? Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. This place is truly amazing."

"Well, I'm glad you are enjoying your stay," the woman remarked. "Anyway, I'll get back to work. I will check on you later."

"Thank you, Ms. Regis."

Once I was done, I placed the plates on the cleaning station and then rushed outside to the backyard before going to my photo studio.

The flower farms were stunning. It was like in the Secret Garden.

I felt like I was in heaven, and I would be reunited with my lost love up ahead of the field.

However, it was not like that. Here, I am living and existing in this world.

The garden was breathtaking. It was my first time seeing a flower farm. There were peonies, lavenders, poppies, irises, roses, and many more. Plus, they smelled so fresh that it made me twirl around the field with the cream-colored maxi dress I wore.

After my happy-go-lucky dance, I began taking pictures, and I took lots and lots of them.

I took a wide angle and some close of each of the flowers. There was even a butterfly that landed in one of the poppies which made me rush to it carefully so it wouldn't fly away.

"I see the flowers?" The gardener asked while trimming the bushes.

"Yeah, they're so beautiful," I told him. "You did all this?"

"Yes. By the way, we didn't get the chance to introduce ourselves. I'm Roldan."

"Pepsi."

"That's a... very unique name," He remarked.

"Actually, it's a nickname," I clarified to him.

"Ah, I see. So, what brings you here in the Loveday Inn?"

I became quiet and pretended to check my camera. "Just doing some healing."

"Healing? What kind of healing?"

"Grief."

"Oh..." The gardener instantly stopped and sympathetically looked at me. "I'm sorry. Who are you grieving to?"

"My... fiance," I answered. "I lost him from a train accident about a couple of months ago."

"Oh my goodness, that's terrible. God bless his soul."

"Thank you."

"I understand how you feel. I lost my wife a long time ago from cancer. She was a florist."

I was taken aback by that. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you. But life goes on. So here I am, planting flowers because they reminded me of my wife."

"That's sweet."

I felt this sense of relief and comfort when I talked about Topher with him. He had this warmth about him that I could not explain at that time. I guess because he and I could relate to the pain of the loss of our loved ones.

Since then, he and I have become sort of close because of it.

Roldan is a good man, and I may not know his wife. Perhaps she was a wonderful woman who loved men, whose lives were cut short like my fiance. Even though he kept a gentle smile on his face and that little twinkle in his eyes grey eyes, there was still that wound in his heart that he had carried for a long time.

I realized that I was going to carry that same wound in my heart just as long as him. I understood that it would heal through time, though I wished it would heal faster without any magic pill or anything.

Later, I walked to the parking lot and was about to get on my scooter when I noticed a taxi coming. I remember thinking that it could be the travel blogger since he was staying in the Loveday Inn and that I sort of peeked through the driver's window when I saw the passenger's silhouette at the back.

However, I got on my scooter because I decided not to stay long and find out who it was. So, I left quickly before seeing the face of the other guest.

Some time passed, and I got to my photo studio. My next client was still on his way, so I did a little cleaning in the room that we were going to use since it was a little dusty. Mav and Jo helped me out.

"So how was the inn?" Jo asked me while dusting a shelf.

"You're right. It's amazing," I answered. "I wish I could live there forever."

"Really? Is it that great?" Mav interjected.

"Yup, there's this flower farm at the back and a library in the attic."

The girls were impressed as I described the inn to them. "That's so cute. Maybe I should stay there someday," Mav remarked.

"Yeah, my Dad said the same thing," Jo said, then turned to me. "You do seem happier now, Peps."

"I know. For once, nothing reminds me of Topher," I replied. "New surroundings do help."

"At least you get to stay for three months."

"Yup. You guys should come by there one time and check it out. The food there is amazing. My Treat."

"Sure thing," Jo agreed.

"Well, how can I refuse free food?" Mav joked while Jo and I laughed it off.

All of a sudden, Linus came in with the light stands that I needed for the shoot. "Hey, Pepsi, did you happen to meet Roy Arias?" he asked me as he carefully placed them on the floor. "I saw from his stories that he is staying in Loveday Inn."

"Uhm... Linus, we have no idea what he even looked like," Mav reminded.

"Oh, right. Sorry."

I recalled the passenger inside the taxi that morning. "I must have missed him," I told him. "I guess I'll meet him later."

Yup, I did meet him, and I wished that I didn't.

I returned to the inn after a long day of work. At that time, when I was on my way back there, my thoughts were focused on this mysterious travel blogger that I had been hearing about these past few days.

I remember that I was going to expect a fellow guest once I entered. I didn't even follow this person on Instagram, but something inside me was sort of eager to see his face and wonder what he looked like.

It was already nighttime once I got there, I was starving and excited to eat baked salmon. So I quickly took off my helmet and put on the compartment under my seat on the scooter, then ran to the front door.

When I got inside, Ms. Regis was there behind the counter working on the computer, yet she stopped to acknowledge my presence with that welcoming smile on her face. "Oh, good, you're here. Dinner is almost ready," She told me.

"Great. Thanks, Ms. Regis," I replied to her.

Then, a guy came in from the common area of the inn, which was also the living room. At that moment, I received a text message from a client that I had to answer immediately, though I heard them talking. "Hey, Ms. Regis, where can I get coffee again?" he asked.

"Dining area," I heard the woman answer and even pointed to him where it was. "There's also an instruction there to show you how to use it."

"Cool, thanks."

After replying to a text, l turned around, looked up, and thought I was going to faint to see the guy before me. I thought I was seeing a ghost because that person looked so much like... him. The hair, the eyes, the nose, and the mouth. My deceased fiance. My lost love. "Topher?"