The warmth of the fire flickered against the walls of the cabin, casting shifting shadows that danced across the wooden beams. I sat curled up on the couch, my knees tucked under me, watching the flames as they crackled softly. Nolan sat in the armchair across from me, his posture relaxed, but his gaze sharp, watchful. He hadn’t said much since deciding to stay, but his presence alone carried a weight I couldn’t ignore.
I should have felt awkward. I should have told him to leave. But instead, there was an odd comfort in knowing I wasn’t alone.
Nolan stretched out his legs, resting an arm over the back of the chair. “You look like you have something on your mind.”
I exhaled slowly, rubbing my hands over my arms. “I have a million things on my mind.”
He nodded, like he had expected that
