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I knocked on the door and waited. Sebastian opened it, his expression shifting from surprise to concern the moment he saw my face.

“Jeremy? What’s wrong?”

“She’s gone.” My voice came out rough. “Lucy left.”

He didn’t ask questions. He just stepped aside and let me in. There was a fire crackling in the hearth, the remnants of dinner still on the table. Bernadette looked up from where she was curled on the couch with a book. Her eyes widened when she saw me.

“Jeremy? What’s going on?” She transitioned from relaxed to on duty in the blink of an eye.

“Lucy’s gone,” Sebastian said quietly. “She left.”

“Oh no.” Bernadette set her book aside and stood. “Come sit down. I’ll get you a drink.”

I let them guide me to the couch. Bernadette disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a glass of whiskey. I took it and downed half of it in one swallow. That was when I remembered I had a bottle back at my chalet. I would be getting into that.

“Tell us what happened,” Sebastian said, settling into the chair across from me.

So I did. I told them everything. Alaska. The cabin. The way things had developed between us. Thanksgiving and flying her grandmother out. The nights we’d spent together. The interview. The note.

“I don’t understand,” I said, staring into my glass. “I thought things were good. I thought we were figuring it out. And then she just vanished.”

“Did she say anything?” Bernadette asked. “Any indication that something was wrong?”

“She’s been sick. Tired. Off. I kept asking if she was okay and she kept saying she was fine.” I shook my head. “I should have pushed harder. I should have made her tell me what was going on. I should have taken her to the fucking hospital. That’s what I wanted to do. She kept saying she was fine. I listened to her because she’s an adult and can decide if she needs medical attention.”

“You’re right,” Bernadette said. “I think she knows when she needs to see a doctor.”

“You can’t force someone to open up,” Sebastian said. “Not if they’re not ready.”

“But I knew something was wrong. I felt it. And I just let it go because I didn’t want to make things awkward.” I laughed bitterly. “Look where that got me.”

Sebastian sipped his drink. “Jeremy, listen to me. Whatever’s happening with Lucy, it’s not your fault. People don’t run away because of something you did. They run because of something they’re dealing with. Something internal.”

“Not entirely true,” Bernadette chimed in.

“I did something?” I asked. “She ran because I did something?”

She shrugged and took a drink.

“I swear I didn’t do anything!”

“I believe you,” Sebastian said, shooting his wife a look.

She raised her eyebrows in some silent communication.

“What could possibly be so bad that she’d leave without even talking to me?”

Silence stretched between us. I looked up to find Bernadette and Sebastian exchanging another look. The kind of look that said they knew something I didn’t. And it pissed me off.

“What?” I demanded. “What is it? You obviously know something.”

Bernadette bit her lip. “Jeremy, when I went to check on Lucy, I noticed some things. Symptoms.”

“Symptoms of what? Is she sick? Does she have something serious?”

My palms were sweaty. Fear like I’d never known twisted in my gut. I would get her to the best hospital with the best doctors. Why the hell didn’t she tell me!

“Not exactly.” Bernadette paused, choosing her words carefully. “There were symptoms I recognized.”