Stephen POV
I parked the car in the corner of the park, but this time I couldn't get out immediately. My fingers were shaking on the steering wheel, and my mind was racing. Their kiss was still fresh in my memory, a scene that replayed in my mind like an endless nightmare. But I needed to face her. I needed answers. It wasn't fair to me, to her, or to how we felt about each other—or at least, what I thought we felt.
I took a deep breath, trying to control the pain in my chest. I got out of the car with purposeful steps, but each step seemed heavier than the last. The park was quieter now, the sky was already starting to darken. As I approached the picnic site again, I noticed that Derek was no longer there. Only Maddie and Averie remained.
Maddie was sitting on her side, her knees pulle
