The night was long.
Sleep never came for Andrea. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face, the way his voice broke when he said I can’t.
The house felt too quiet, too big. Her mind ran circles around everything she shouldn’t feel.
When dawn came, pale light slipping through the windows, Andrea went outside. The grass was wet with dew, the air sharp and clean. She needed air or maybe she needed to stop pretending she didn’t care.
She didn’t expect to see him there.
Daniel stood near the stone wall overlooking the sea, shoulders tense, a mug of black coffee forgotten in his hand. He turned at the sound of her steps, and for a moment, neither said anything.
“Didn’t think you’d be up,” Andrea said finally.
He looked exhausted. “Didn’t think you’d want to see me.”
“I didn’t,” s
