I open the sauna door. “Brooks?” I keep my voice soft, gentle. “Are you okay?”
His eyes meet mine, and my breath catches. I’ve never seen him look so... exposed. Vulnerable. Fear radiates from him in waves, along with something else—shame, maybe.
“Syd,” he gasps, the word barely audible. “Can’t... breathe.”
I kneel beside him, close enough to smell the ice and sweat on his skin, to see the tremor in his hands. “Yes, you can,” I say firmly. “You’re just breathing too fast. We’re going to slow it down together, okay?”
He nods jerkily, his eyes never leaving mine, like I’m a lifeline.
“Breathe with me,” I say, exaggerating my own breathing. “In through your nose—one, two, three, four. Hold. Now out through your mouth—one, two, three, four, five, six.”
We inhale and exhale together, the simple rhythm creating a bubble around us where nothing exists except this moment, this connection. The wild panic in his eyes gradually recedes, replaced by exhaustion and something that looks like relief.
“That’s it,” I say. “You’re doing great. Just keep breathing with me.”
My hand hovers near his, wanting to touch, to comfort, but uncertain if I should. We exist in limbo—no longer fake engaged, not exactly friends, something not quite exes but definitely ex-lovers.
After what feels like an eternity but is probably only minutes, his breathing steadies. Color returns to his face, and his shoulders drop from their tense position around his ears.
“Thank you,” he says, his voice hoarse. “I couldn’t push it back. You had the touch.”
“I had a really good teacher.” I try for lightness but I just hear gratitude.
A smile touches his lips, then fades. “You shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
“Deal with what? You being human?” I shake my head. “Brooks, you told me not to apologize for mine, so stop feeling shameful of yours.”
“Every time anyone gets close, I hear it,” he says suddenly. “That sound of me crashing into the boards. And then when my shoulder got hit again, I just... lost it. Managed to hold it together until I got back here, but then...”
“But then the adrenaline crashed,” I finish for him. “I get it.”
“Right.”
We sit for a beat, united in our understanding of how fear can ambush you.
“Why are you here, Syd?” Brooks asks finally. “Why aren’t you at KBVR? I thought after your interview, you wanted to stay there.”
I laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Well, turns out life had other plans. I got fired on Monday.”
His eyes widen. “What? Why?”
“Donny Dexter overheard me talking about our fake relationship at the Stagger Inn. Ran straight to Marcus with a recording of my words. Apparently, ‘faking an engagement for career advancement’ violates some ethics clause in my contract.” I sigh.
“Syd, I’m so sorry.” His hand covers mine, the first time we’ve touched in what feels like forever. The warmth of his palm sends electricity up my arm. “That’s my fault too. If I hadn’t agreed to the plan—”
“Then we never would’ve had the cabin,” I interrupt. “Or the skating lessons. Or any of it. And honestly? I can’t bring myself to regret it. Even the parts that hurt like hell.” I exhale deeply. “It also seemed like Marcus was looking for reasons to give Donny Dexter the sportscaster job, anyway. They were buddies.”
“No doubt.” His expression softens, a vulnerability in his eyes that makes my heart trip and fall. “What happened in LA?”
I shake my head. “I hated it. The only thing the network cared about was my connections. Then there was the traffic, the fakeness, the Batman fighting Superman on Hollywood Boulevard—”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Long story involving grown men fighting in superhero costumes. Not important.” I wave it away. “I’m a rivers and mountains girl, not a beach bunny. Anyway, what matters is that I realized something while I was there. My dream job isn’t about the market size or the prestige. It’s about reporting on teams I care about in the place where my heart lives.”
“I get that. So how did you end up here?”His full attention’s on me now, the panic attack seemingly forgotten.
“KBSN brought me in for an interview. They loved the demo reel I’d sent them a while back. They lovedme, and I told them I was available immediately.” I smile ruefully. “They offered me a job on the spot. I’m their new sports reporter.”
