Noah gives me a surprised look, like he can’t believe his sister and I are this friendly already. Thankfully, Caroline pulls him into a hug before he can ask.
She murmurs something into his ear, too quiet for me to catch, and his face softens.
Then she turns to me.
“We’ll see you in the morning, right?” she asks.
“Of course,” I say, nodding. “I already promised Maya I’d have breakfast with her.”
Caroline chuckles and leans in to kiss my cheek. It’s nothing—a quick, warm press of her lips—but my throat closes anyway.
I blink hard, trying to force the sudden tears back before Noah notices.
But when I glance up, he’s already watching me over her shoulder. I smile at him, and he smiles back, but there’s worry in his eyes.
When Caroline lets me go, Daniel steps in next. He tells me to sleep well and gives me a quick hug before turning to Noah.
Only then do I look around and realize it’s just the four of us left in the cottage. Which means Rick and Cassidy are gone too.
For a moment, relief moves through me.
Did Rick leave? Did Noah decide against talking to him after all?
But when we walk down the steps of the cottage, I see Rick standing there in the dark, his back pressed against the side of the building.
Waiting.
My jaw clenches.
Noah sees him too. He nods at him once, then turns to me, his eyes catching the light from the cottage.
“You go,” he says, his voice low. “I’ll be back soon. I just need to…” He nods over his shoulder, and my heart gives an unpleasant flip.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
What can I say?
Don’t go?
Don’t talk to him?
Don’t fall back in love with your ex who clearly wants you back?
I have no right to ask any of that of him.
“I won’t be long,” Noah promises, squeezing my hand. “Wait up for me?”
“Sure,” I say, the word rough in my throat.
I watch him walk up to Rick and say something quietly. Then they both head back toward the shore, where smoke still coils from the remains of the fire. My chest feels hollow, like someone has scooped out everything inside me and left nothing but the ache.
I turn toward the cottage, my mind racing through every possible version of what they’re going to say to each other.
Will Rick apologize? Declare his love? Ask Noah to take him back?
And what will Noah say in response?
I let myself into the cottage, the silence closing in around me, and go upstairs to our room. Without Noah, the space feels wrong somehow. Painfully empty.
