Eliza opens her mouth to respond, but before she can, Kane's voice rings out, calling us back to work. As we return to our tasks, Eliza squeezes my arm.
“You know,” she whispers, “family isn't always about blood. Sometimes it's about who shows up when you need them the most.”
Her words stay with me, providing a comforting balance to the cold outside as we continue working.
As the sun sets, we wrap up for the day. Despite the underlying tension from this morning's awkward encounter, we've made progress.
Kane gathers everyone for a quick debrief. As he speaks, I notice how Eliza stands a little straighter, her chin lifted with pride at what we've accomplished.
Our eyes meet as Kane finishes speaking, and I catch a flicker of something in Eliza's gaze. It’s the kind of look that steals the air from my lungs—soft, unguarded, and laced with something that feels like longing. But it’s gone in an instant, her eyes shifting away before I can convince myself it was real.
I have to remind myself not to read into it. After all, we're in the middle of a crisis, and Eliza has more important things to worry about than whatever this is between us. But I can't shake the memory of last night—her asking me to share her bed. Maybe it meant nothing, but the way she's looking at me now makes me wonder if there's more to it. That look lingers in my mind, making it hard to focus on anything else. As everyone leaves, Kane appears at my side.
“Look, Matt,” he says, his voice low, “I can see you're fitting in well here, and I appreciate your help. But don't forget, this is temporary for you. When you leave...”
He pauses, his jaw tightening as he chooses his words. “Eliza's been through a lot. Her ex in college ... it wasn't simply a nasty breakup. He took advantage of her trust, and it shattered her confidence in people. It took her a long time to rebuild, to feel like herself again. We all watched her struggle with that. I don't want to see her go through anything like that again—especially when you go.”
Kane's words land like a gut punch, forcing me to face the reality of my situation. I meet his gaze with all the steadiness I can muster. “I get it, Kane. Hurting Eliza is the last thing I'd ever want. I care about her, and I respect your family too much for that.”
Kane studies me for a moment, his expression unreadable, then he adds, “Remember, we're the ones who'll be here picking up the pieces if things go south.”
His words linger long after he walks away, a sobering reminder of the reality I'll soon face. The thought of leaving cuts deeper than I expected, especially now—with Eliza, with this place—when everything feels so much more important than when I arrived.
