The moment I reached my cabin, I closed the door and leaned my back against it, breathing out like someone who just ran miles through snow. My heart was still jumping inside my chest, like it was trying to escape. I wasn’t sure if it was embarrassment from the dinner, the intense attention of ten strangers, or the memory of my past mixing with my present.
Maybe it was everything at once.
The cabin was quiet. Too quiet. The only sound was the soft crackle of the fireplace and the hum of the heating system. Warm golden light filled the room, making everything look gentle. But my mind wasn’t gentle. It was running.
I dropped my purse on the table and walked to the bed, pulling my phone out with trembling fingers. There was only one person who could help me breathe again. One person who cou
