Chapter 16: When the World Knocks
The next few days unfolded with a quiet steadiness that felt almost unreal. Emery found herself slipping into the rhythm of the cabin as though she had always belonged there. Morning coffee with Brent. Snow‑dusted adventures with Callahan Jr. Sketching by the fire in the evenings. The world beyond the mountain felt distant, muted, like a dream she had woken from.
But peace has a way of drawing attention to the things that haven’t yet been said.
On the fourth morning, Emery woke to the sound of voices outside — low, unfamiliar, and too close. She sat up quickly, heart pounding. Brent wasn’t beside her. The quilt was still warm where he had been.
She slipped on her boots and stepped onto the porch. Brent stood near the truck that had pulled up, his postu
