But I've been the placeholder before. I've been the girl who thinks she's changed someone, only to discover she was just a chapter in someone else's story. Four years with Ethan taught me that lesson in excruciating detail. I refuse to be naive again, to mistake a beautiful moment for a future.
Sarah and Addie drive away with a final wave, and everyone starts heading back inside to escape the cold.
"I need some air," I announce, my voice sounding strange even to my own ears. "I'm going to take a walk."
Emily frowns. "Now? It's freezing."
"I won't go far." I force a smile. "I just need to clear my head a bit."
Her expression shifts to concern. "Want company?"
"No." The word comes out too sharp, and I wince. "I mean, no thank you. I just… I need a minute alone. I won't be long. Just cover for me."
Without waiting for a response, I turn and head down the driveway toward the walking trail that circles the property. The cold air burns my lungs as I pick up my pace, trying to outrun the jumble of emotions threatening to overwhelm me.
What the hell am I supposed to do? I'm falling for him. I'm falling for Sebastian. A man who agreed to fake-date me to make my ex jealous. A man who kisses me like I'm the air he needs to breathe and touches me like he's memorizing every inch.
I reach the edge of the property where the manicured landscaping gives way to natural woods. The path narrows here, winding through tall pines whose branches hang heavy with snow. It's quiet, the sounds of the house muffled by distance and trees.
The truth is, I'm scared. Terrified. Not of Bash hurting me or me hurting him—though that's certainly possible—but of how badly I want this to bereal. How easily I can picture a future where we're not pretending anymore. Where we spend holidays together, where his sister and niece are part of my life, where we build something lasting.
I slow to a walk, my breath forming little clouds in the frigid air.
But we started this whole thing on a lie. How can anything real grow from that?
I find a fallen log cleared of snow and sit, staring at the mountains in the distance. Their peaks are stark and beautiful against the blue sky, indifferent to my small human problems.
"This is such a mess," I whisper to myself.
Chapter twenty-nine
Bash
I've searched nearly every room in this house looking for Charlie. Bedrooms, the game room, kitchen, den, even poked my head in all the bathrooms. No sign of her. This place is massive—practically a small hotel with rooms I haven't even discovered yet.
I push open a door near the end of the hall, expecting another bedroom, but instead find myself in what appears to be a home office. Dark wood shelves line the walls, filled with books that look more decorative than well-read. There's a large mahogany desk positioned to face the window with its mountain view, though a fine layer of dust on the surface suggests it hasn't been used this trip. Everything is meticulously arranged—pens in a holder, a few framed family photos, a small globe.
I'm about to back out when I hear footsteps in the hallway and nearly collide with Emily as I turn.
"Whoa! Easy there, Sasquatch," she laughs, steadying herself.
"Sorry," I mutter, glancing over her shoulder. "Have you seen Charlie? I can't find her anywhere."
Her smile fades slightly, replaced by something more measured. "She went for a walk Said she needed to think."
That knot in my stomach tightens. "Think about what?"
She gives me a look that suggests I should already know the answer. "Look, I'm not getting in the middle of whatever's going on between you two. All I know is she asked me to cover for her while she went for a walk."
"Which way did she go?"
She points toward the back of the house. "The hiking trails behind the property. But maybe give her a minute? She seemed like she wanted some space."
I'm already heading toward the stairs before she finishes her sentence. "Thanks, Emily."
"Don't say I didn't warn you!" She calls after me.
I grab my coat from the hook by the door and step outside. The cold air hits me immediately. All I can think about is Charlie's face when Sarah was leaving—something was off. That guardedness I thought we'd moved past had crept back in.
