The morning sunlight had burned away the last threads of mist by the time we stepped outside. The air was cool, crisp with pine and damp earth, and for the first time since arriving, I felt the full breadth of the forest pressing around us. Jack locked the cabin door behind him with his usual quiet efficiency, his jaw still tight, his shoulders still carrying that weight I couldn’t quite name.
We didn’t talk much as we walked down the trail that led to where he’d parked his truck. I thought maybe he’d try to talk me out of it again, but he didn’t. He just moved with long, steady strides, and I had to push myself to keep up. His silence didn’t sting quite as much this time. Maybe because I’d earned this small victory. Maybe because, even if he wasn’t saying it, his agreement meant he trust
