The morning after my night with Josh, the cabin felt different. Softer. I woke up with a quiet calm I hadn’t expected—muscles loose, mind still, no frantic thoughts chasing each other. Josh had kissed my forehead before slipping out early, leaving me in his bed with the scent of pine and him on the sheets. I stayed there a while, just breathing.
Around noon, Ian found me in the library nook, curled up with a book I wasn’t really reading.
“Jasmine,” he said from the doorway. His voice was always even, never loud, never demanding. “Would you like to take a walk with me this afternoon? The lower trails are clear enough for snowshoes. Nothing strenuous. Just… quiet.”
I looked up. He was dressed simply—dark wool coat, gloves, scarf. No pretense. No show.
“I’d like that,” I said.
He smiled,
