Chase frowned.“What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is I haven’t seen him in years, and the last time he saw me waslast night… during the shit show that was my lowest moment.”
Chase just smirked.“Pretty sure he’s not holding it against you.”
Brody spotted us and lifted a hand in greeting, easy and unbothered.“Hey, you two ready?”
The trail wound through dense pines, the air sharp and clean.For a while, it was just the sound of boots on dirt and the occasional bird call.
It felt like a moment of reprieve, levity, with the sun kissing my nose and cheeks, the kind of peace only nature can provide.
Chase kept pace beside me, glancing over now and then.“You don’t have to talk about him if you don’t want to,” he said finally.
I shrugged.“Might as well.If I keep it all locked in my head, it’ll just rot there.”
So we talked.
About how I found out.
About the ways I’d justified staying.
About the parts of myself I’d lost without even noticing.
He listened without interrupting, his brow furrowed.“Cass… none of this makes you weak.You know that, right?”
“Some days I do,” I said.“Other days I feel like I let him turn me into someone I don’t even recognize.”
We hiked in silence for a while after that.Brody moved a few paces ahead, not eavesdropping but never too far away.
By the time we reached the overlook, the sun was higher, scattering light across the valley below.I stood there, breathing in the cold air, and for the first time in weeks, my chest didn’t feel quite so tight.
The ache eased if only a little.
Brody stopped a few feet away, leaning on the wooden railing.His gaze was on the view, but his voice was low when he spoke.
“Just so you know, you’re not the only one who’s had… a mess.”
I glanced at him.“What do you mean?”
He let out a dry, humourless laugh.“My ex?The one I moved to Victoria for?Found out the big promotion she got was because she slept with her boss.Guess she figured that was easier than working for it.”
I blinked, caught between surprise and disgust.“Wow.People are awful.”
“Yeah,” he said, his mouth twisting wryly.“But maybe some of us aren't, maybe some of us are worth it.”
Something in the way he said it made my cheeks warm, so I turned back to the view before he could see.The valley stretched endlessly in front of us, and for a moment, it didn’t feel so heavy to stand there.
Chapter 15
Steam curled around me in the shower, washing away the dust from the trail but not the thoughts circling in my head.
Chase’s quiet concern.Brody’s offhand confession about his ex.
It left me raw in a way I didn’t want to examine too closely.
By the time I stepped out, my skin pink from the heat, I felt wrung out.I padded to my childhood room, towel-dried my hair, and pulled on leggings and an old sweatshirt.Through my window, I caught sight of Mason’s car pulling into the driveway.
A moment later, Mom appeared on the front porch with a warm smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.Jackson bounded toward her, backpack bouncing.I cracked my window enough to hear Mom say, “Hey buddy, let’s run out and grab a few things for dinner, okay?”
