Now it was all on me to tear them down. Holt once told me some things were better left buried, and I believed him for a long time. That might work for him, but I’d started to think some things are worth digging up, even if it’s hard as hell.
A soft rustle behind me had my breath jamming in my throat. I turned to catch Joely stepping out of the trees. The wind caught the hem of my flannel shirt she’d shrugged on over a tank top, and her hair fell in a long braid over her shoulder. She had on hiking boots and jeans with a look on her face that told me she didn’t know what she was walking into and wasn’t sure she wanted to find out.
“Hey. Thanks for coming.”
“Nellie said you had something to show me.” She held up an envelope with my name scrawled across the front. “I’ve got something to show you too.”
Whatever was in that envelope could wait. First, I needed her to know I was ready to let her in.
“Will you come with me?” I wanted to reach for her hand but wasn’t sure I could handle rejection, so I nudged my chin toward the path ahead.
Her chin tipped up, she took a step toward me. “Lead the way.”
I’d worn this trail into the dirt over the years, every bend and root etched into my memory. But today, everything felt unfamiliar and awkward. My boots dragged. My breath caught. The only sound between us was the breeze blowing through the pines and the sound of water flowing over the rocks. I slowed as we approached the clearing.
“We’re almost there,” I said, keeping my voice low. “The first time I found this spot, I didn’t tell anyone. Not even my brothers.”
Joely didn’t answer, but I sensed the anticipation. Felt it like a nudge against my ribs. I pushed the last branches aside and held them back for her to step through.
The waterfall crashed over smooth rock, foaming into a deep blue pool. Late morning light filtered through the canopy, catching the spray and painting rainbows across the clearing. The air was cooler here, damp with mist. I turned, waiting for her reaction.
She stepped past me, her lips parting, eyes wide. “It’s amazing.”
“I know,” I said, my voice tight. “I’m glad you got to see it. I wasn’t sure you’d come.”
“Nellie made me,” she said, stopping just shy of the pool. “She said you’d make it worth my while.”
Her eyes darted to mine, guarded and cautious with the slightest hint of a challenge.
I cleared my throat. “This place has always been mine. It’s where I come when I need to remember who the hell I am.”
“And who’s that, exactly?” she whispered.
I was done hiding. Done trying to tell myself it wouldn’t be worth it to put myself out there. I’d found something worth fighting for in Joely and it was time to let down my guard. “I’m just a guy who’s learning how to open up a little at a time.”
She didn’t say anything, but something in her expression softened, like maybe she was starting to believe me.
“I’ve never wanted to share this place with anyone,” I said. “Now that you’re here, I can say it’s definitely better with company.”
“I figured you’d be out clearing trails or avoiding people.”
“Usually, yeah. But I asked Nellie to send you here. Told her I needed a chance to fix what I broke.”
Joely crossed her arms. “Is that what this is? A peace offering from the town ghost?”
Ouch.
“I deserve that,” I said, taking a step closer. “And worse.”
She didn’t argue.
“I didn’t mean to shut you out, Joely. I was scared. Hell, I still am. You walked into my life and shook the ground under my feet. I didn’t know what to do with that.”
She raised an eyebrow. “So, you thought blowing me off would make it easier?”
Her words stung. That’s not what I’d intended. “I thought if I backed off before you got too close, maybe it wouldn’t hurt so much when you left.”
Joely’s face softened, but only a little. “What changed?”
