ALEK POV
The crisp evening air carried the scent of pine and distant chimney smoke as we stood on the porch of Amber’s childhood home. The sun was almost down, and the sky was a breathtaking swirl of deep purples and fiery oranges. Yet, despite the serene beauty of the evening, tension clung to Amber like a second skin. I could feel the anxiety rolling off her in waves, the stiffness in her shoulders, the way her fingers kept clenching and unclenching.
Alan and Aaron weren’t much better. They hovered at her sides, shifting their weight awkwardly, glancing at each other like they were trapped in some silent standoff. Ever since her mother had told her they had something important to say, they had been spiraling.
It looked like it was my turn to keep it together.
Who would have thought i
