The days that followed Derek's visit were strangely quiet.
Maya woke up each morning expecting the other shoe to drop, waiting for the moment when everything would fall apart again. She'd lie in bed, her heart pounding, her ears straining for sounds of trouble—raised voices, footsteps on the stairs, the screech of tires in the gravel lot. She'd hold her breath, waiting for the world to shatter. But it didn't come. The bar was peaceful. The regulars were friendly. Knox was steady and warm, a constant presence that made her feel safe in a way she'd never felt before.
She found herself falling into a rhythm. Mornings with Knox, sipping coffee and watching the sun rise over the mountains. The light would creep over the peaks, painting everything in shades of gold and pink, chasing away the s
