“I didn’t even notice at first. I just remember looking up and suddenly realizing I was alone.”
“Your best memory of this place is getting lost?” The breeze caught a piece of her hair, and I brushed it back.
“That’s not the good part.” She shook her head, eyes drifting past me to the waterfall. “I was scared for a second. But I remembered what my dad taught me. I stayed put and trusted he’d find me.
“I pretended I was a forest princess on a stone throne. When he showed up, he was my knight. That’s why it’s my favorite memory. He was my hero.”
Her fingers tightened around mine, her smile faltering. “He taught me to be brave and strong, but turns out, he was the thing I couldn’t survive.”
The ache in her voice settled deep.
She still loved him. That was the part that hurt. Not anger. Not resentment. Love. Even after he’d become something she had to escape.
“He found me that day. But after my mom and sister died…we both got lost. And I think I was supposed to find him this time.” Her breath hitched. “I was supposed to save him. Instead, I ran.”
Her words splintered. “I ran. And I’ve felt lost ever since.”
She’d decided it was her job to fix him. To carry him. To be stronger than the man who raised her. And when she couldn’t, she called it failure.
“You’re not lost, Jamie.” I didn’t soften the words. If I did, she’d twist them into pity. “You took a detour. That’s not the same thing.”
She looked at me like she wanted to believe it, but believing meant letting go of the blame.
Silence stretched between us—too thick, too unsettled.
I shifted before it could swallow us whole. “Guess I owe you a secret now.”
She swiped at her eyes, mouth twitching. “I believe a little secret-telling is in order. Cough it up, big boy.”
Big boy.
My grin widened despite myself. “Alright. That billboard idea of yours? I didn’t rent space, but my dick’s already had its fifteen minutes.”
She blinked. “What?”
“An ex took a few photos, then decided to share them. They made the rounds. Ended up on some nude selfie site. She thought it was hilarious.”
I hadn’t. But that part didn’t matter right now.
“Oh my God, Eric. That’s awful. Are they still up?”
“Yeah. Once something’s online, it stays online.”
“And you didn’t know she’d taken them?”
“I knew.” My jaw tightened. “I just didn’t think they’d leave her phone.”
Her expression shifted, amusement fading. “That’s such a violation.”
“It was. But I’m still here.”
“Just think of all the creeps who’ve seen them. Gross.” She wrinkled her nose. “What site did you say that was? You know…in case I get bored later.”
The laugh that escaped her was bright and wicked. And I liked it a whole hell of a lot.
“You don’t need to go digging through the internet. I’m right here. I can give you a private showing. No search bar required.”
Her fingers curled into my shirt, tugging me toward her. “Oh really?”
