The air smelled faintly of smoke and rain. Julia followed the thin trail curling above the fence, her steps slowing as she turned the corner into the backyard.
Brandon stood by a rusted tin barrel, sleeves rolled up, the glow of the small fire licking at his skin. Flames danced across his face, catching in the sharp lines of his jaw, the hollows beneath his eyes. He looked both haunted and free—like a man standing at the edge of his own rebirth.
The wind shifted, carrying with it the faint crackle of burning paper.
Julia’s stomach dropped. “What are you doing?”
He didn’t look at her right away. Another flick of his wrist, another card swallowed by fire. His voice was low, steady, almost too calm. “Letting go.”
She stepped closer, the light painting her features gold. “Of what?”
He fi
