Beneath the Surface

CHAPTER TWENTY THREEWHAT HAPPENS AFTER

The final morning at Edenbrook Hills arrived draped in gold. Sunlight filtered through the wide glass panes of the lodge, casting amber warmth across polished floors and pinewood tables. Outside, the lake shimmered under the rising sun, mist curling like secrets waiting to lift. Inside, the buzz of retreat-goers gearing up for their last presentations added a crackling energy to the crisp mountain air.

Cole stood at the front of the open hall, sharp in a navy button-down and slacks, his voice echoing with practiced ease and genuine warmth. “I want to thank you all for your efforts these past few days,” he began, eyes sweeping across the room filled with colleagues-turned-teammates. “From sunrise brainstorming to competitive chaos—yes, I’m looking at the team that tried to build a PowerPoint on a kayak—you’ve all brought incredible energy. After the final round of presentations this afternoon, we’ll close out the retreat with a starlit dinner by the shoreline. Come dressed to dazzle.”

Laughter rippled through the room, followed by murmurs of excitement and questions about outfits and plus-ones. But Arielle remained quiet at her seat, fingers curled around her mug of peppermint tea, the steam curling around her face like a veil she didn’t mind hiding behind.

Nina slid into the chair beside her, effortlessly graceful in a burnt orange jumpsuit. She didn’t say anything at first—just gave Arielle a once-over with knowing eyes. “Still thinking about what almost happened last night at the fire pit?” she asked softly.

Arielle didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze lingered outside, watching the way the wind moved through the trees like invisible hands parting a curtain. “I don’t want to feel anything for him, Nina,” she said finally, her voice quiet. “Not now. Not like this.”

Nina followed her line of sight. “Well, he sure as hell feels something for you. He’s been watching you like you’re the last diamond left in the world and he’s terrified someone’s going to snatch you away.”

Arielle didn’t respond, but the faint blush warming her cheeks said everything.

—

Later, after a whirlwind of campaign presentations and polite applause, Arielle stepped into the lodge lounge to catch her breath. The day had been long, her smile stretched thin from too many congratulations and far too many glances in Damien’s direction. She was about to slip away to her room when she heard her name.

“Arielle,” Ezra called, his voice smooth and warm as ever. He approached with a calm confidence, hands in his pockets. “I hope this isn’t too forward, but would you join me for dinner before the official one tonight? Just a quiet moment before the crowd swallows us whole.”

She hesitated, caught off guard. Part of her wanted to say no. But something in his sincerity made her pause.

“Alright,” she said softly. “Just for a bit.”

Ezra’s smile widened, boyish and genuine. “Great. I’ll meet you on the garden veranda at seven.”

—

She showed up on time, wrapped in a soft peach dress that shimmered when it caught the fading sun. Its elegant lines hugged her in all the right places, and her curls were swept to one side, a single gold pin holding them in place. The look on Ezra’s face when he saw her confirmed it was the right choice.

“I thought you looked radiant the first time I saw you,” he said, stepping closer. “But this... this is something else.”

They dined under woven arches of fairy lights, the air perfumed with honeysuckle and fresh bread. Conversation flowed easily at first—about work, about the retreat, about favorite places to travel. But eventually, the evening settled into something quieter.

“You know,” Ezra said, twirling his wine glass between his fingers, “I meant what I said. You’re brilliant. The way you command a room with your ideas... it’s rare. I don’t offer jobs lightly.”

She smiled at the compliment, but her eyes drifted across the lake, toward the shoreline where the dinner would take place. “Thank you,” she said softly.

Ezra studied her. “You’re still thinking about him.”

Her fingers froze on her napkin. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do.” His tone was gentle, not accusatory. “Damien. He watches you like he wants to memorize you.”

Arielle swallowed hard. “I don’t know what’s going on with him. Or with me.”

“And if he felt something real? Would you want to know?”

She met his eyes. “Would you?”

Ezra chuckled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Maybe not.”

—

From a balcony above, Damien stood with a glass of wine in hand, untouched. Below, Arielle laughed at something Ezra said. Damien’s jaw ticked, the muscle there taut with something unspoken.

“You’re doing that thing again,” Nina said, appearing beside him with a glass of rosé and a raised brow.

Damien didn’t look away. “What thing?”

“Looking like a jealous wolf ready to bite.”

“I’m not jealous.”

Nina sipped her drink. “Sure. And I’m not wearing four-inch heels for a man who smells like cedar and sin.”

He shot her a look. “You’re insufferable.”

“And you’re a liar,” she said brightly, and floated away, leaving him alone with his brooding.

—

The final dinner was everything Cole had promised and more. Long tables dressed in white linen and eucalyptus trailed beneath tree canopies lit by hanging chandeliers. Laughter echoed like music between the branches.

And then Arielle entered.

The emerald green gown hugged her like it had been stitched just for her, her curls pinned up in a crown of soft elegance. She wore no jewelry save for a thin bracelet, and yet the entire room stilled the moment she walked in.

Ezra found her first. “You look... breathtaking.”

“Thank you,” she said, voice soft.

But her eyes drifted—inevitably, instinctively—toward the other side of the clearing.

Damien.

Still in place. Tux sharp, posture rigid. He didn’t blink. Just watched her like she was both question and answer.

Nina, who always appeared when she was needed most, nudged him. “Go talk to her.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Stop brooding. You’re driving me insane.”

“You do realize you're talking to your bosses’ boss, right?” Damien suddenly said, staring at Nina. But Nina wasn't intimidated.

“Not tonight, you're not,” she said with all seriousness and sass.

Damien smiled, just a little bit then it disappeared, like it was never there, but Nina saw it and she smiled as well.

Damien knew Nina was right, even with her being so upfront to him and saucy about it. He had to talk to Arielle.

But he stared another beat. Then, finally, he moved.

—

Later that night, when the music softened and laughter was replaced by hushed conversations, Arielle slipped away barefoot, the cool sand soft under her feet as she approached the lake’s edge.

The moonlight cast silver ribbons over the water, and the air smelled like pine and salt.

Damien followed minutes later. He found her standing alone, arms wrapped around herself.

“You always run away,” he said.

She turned, startled. “You always find me.”

He stepped closer. “We’re going back tomorrow. To everything.”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“To whatever this is,” he added, motioning gently between them. “Or isn’t.”

“It’s complicated,” she said, voice barely audible.

He breathed out. “I don’t do this. The feelings. The wanting. But I can’t stop thinking about you. You make it hard to breathe in a room and not notice you.”

Her heart stumbled in her chest.

“I’m not asking for everything. I just... I needed you to know.”

He leaned in slowly, reverently. Their lips brushed—just once. A kiss full of restraint and promise. A kiss, so tender, but truly explained what he felt about her.

When he pulled back, her eyes were still closed.

And when she opened them, she smiled.

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