"So," she says casually, though her eyes are sharp. "How long has this been going on?"
I nearly drop my own mug. "What?"
"You and Ryder." She leans against the counter, eyebrows raised. "Don't insult my intelligence by pretending you don't know what I'm talking about."
My face burns. "Emma—"
"Relax. I'm not judging." She sips her coffee. "I'm just saying, you two are about as subtle as a neon sign. The way you look at each other? Please."
"Does Connor know?"
"Connor couldn't find a clue if it hit him in the face." She smiles. "Your secret's safe. But Lucy, be careful. Not because I think it's wrong. Because Connor's going to lose his mind when he finds out."
"If he finds out."
"When." Emma's voice is gentle but firm. "These things always come out. And when they do, you better have a plan."
She leaves me standing there, coffee cooling in my hands, her warning ringing in my ears.
When, not if.
The clock is ticking. The question is whether we'll end this on our terms or let it explode in our faces.
I pull out my phone.
Me: "We need to be more careful."
Ryder: "Agreed. What changed?"
Me: "Emma knows."
Ryder: "Shit."
Me: "She won't tell. But she's right. We're being obvious."
Ryder: "So what do we do?"
I stare at the message, considering. We could stop. End it now before anyone else gets hurt. Before Connor finds out and everything goes to hell.
But I don't want to stop. Not yet. Not when we've only just started.
Me: "We get better at hiding. And we figure out what we're going to tell Connor before he figures it out himself."
It's not a solution. It's barely even a plan. But it's all we have.
And for now, it's enough.
Ryder
I wake before my alarm. Lucy sleeps beside me, one hand tucked under her cheek, dark hair spilling across my pillow. Morning light catches the curve of her shoulder. I trace the line of her spine with my eyes and feel content in a way I haven't in years.
Two days of this. Only two days since the cabin, since everything changed, and already I can't imagine waking up any other way. She snuck through the bathroom again last night after everyone went to bed. Left her book on the nightstand when she finally fell asleep. I can still smell her vanilla shampoo on my sheets. The best sleep I've had since before the accident.
Lucy stirs before my alarm goes off. Her eyes flutter open, and when she sees me watching, a slow smile curves her lips.
"Morning, stalker."
"Morning." I brush hair from her face. "You snore."
