Chapter 17
Bree
Being in Gage’s arms felt even better than I could have ever imagined. It wasn’t just a hug—it was like he was holding on to me in a way that kept the broken pieces of me from falling apart again.
His arms were solid, warm, steady, like he was silently promising to keep me safe from every hurt
in the world. He held me as if he could shield me from all the sharp edges, as if he could make sure
that nothing bad ever touched me again.
Normally, I didn’t consider myself to have what you’d call daddy issues, but standing there in his
embrace, I couldn’t help the comparisons creeping in. They were both so strong, both carried
themselves with that quiet determination, and both seemed to have this way of always looking
toward the light, even when the weight they carried should have crushed them. Both shouldered
burdens they didn’t talk about, refusing to let anyone see just how heavy they were.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you, Bree,” he murmured, his voice low and rough, his face dipping
into my hair like he wanted to get as close to me as possible. “No one should have to live through
that.”
My chest tightened. I missed my dad every single day-missed his laugh, his warmth, the way he’d
make even the worst days feel less heavy. I wished I’d had more time with him, wished I’d gotten to
know him not just as my father but as a person. I wished he’d been here to see the kind of woman I
was becoming, to see me taking steps into this new stage of my life.
But wishing didn’t change a damn thing. It never would.
“Thank you,” I whispered, the words soft and a little unsteady, as I took in a deep breath without
thinking-pulling in the scent of him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
God, it wasn’t fair. Not only did he look unfairly good, but he smelled amazing too. Warm, like a
golden summer afternoon when the sunlight sinks into your skin, but not heavy or overwhelming.
There was something clean and fresh about it too, a hint of citrus that made me wonder if it came
from his shampoo or soap. Underneath that was something deeper, more masculine-something
that wrapped around me in a way I couldn’t put into words, the kind of scent you could never quite describe but would recognize anywhere.
Gage was a triple threat. Ridiculously good-looking, smelling like pure temptation, and-if
moments like this were anything to go by-so unbelievably compassionate it made my guard falter without my permission.
Honestly, I couldn’t figure out why he wanted to be around me at all, why he kept seeking me out. But if Gage wanted to be friends, who was I to say no? I wanted friends. I wanted an unforgettable
summer.
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I pulled away slightly-not because I wanted to stop being in his arms, but because something in me felt this awkward little warning bell. Friends didn’t usually hug this long, did they? I didn’t want to risk it becoming weird for him, didn’t want him to think I was holding on too long.
“Your turn,” I said, tilting my head up to meet those green eyes.
They were darker now, the moonlight filtering through the trees casting shadows that deepened their color. But even in the dim light, the compassion was still there, the same look that had been in them when I told him about my dad.
Gage cleared his throat and stepped back, rubbing the back of his neck like he needed something to do with his hands. His other hand slid into his pocket, and I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because he didn’t want to touch me anymore-or if it was the opposite. Maybe he was keeping his hands busy because if he didn’t, he’d reach for me again.
“Uhm…” He hummed low in his throat, eyes darting anywhere but at me, clearly trying to think of something.
To hide the small smile tugging at my lips, I turned back toward the trail, keeping my steps slow so he could catch up. I didn’t want him to feel like I was making fun of him. Honestly, it was probably a good thing he didn’t have something to match my story. That was how it was supposed to be.
“Alright,” he said finally, quickening his pace to fall in step beside me. “One time, during practice, I got taken down hard.” There was this strange mix on his face-part amusement, part horror. “I hit my head pretty bad because I was too cocky to put on my helmet.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” I said, raising a brow up at him.
“Well, no, but what happened after was,” he admitted, wincing a little. “I got a concussion, and apparently the hit was so hard-and the guy’s shoulder landed right in my gut-that I couldn’t… control certain things.”
My eyes widened as I caught on.
“Yeah,” he confirmed, grimacing but also clearly trying not to laugh. “I peed myself. On the field. In front of everyone. And they laughed their asses off. I was dubbed Wet Pants for my entire freshman year. The name only started to fade after I helped us win the championship. After that, people mostly let it go.”
“You peed yourself?” I repeated, my voice shooting up a pitch in disbelief.
He grinned at me, completely unashamed. “Don’t forget about the championship,” he said, holding up a finger like it was the most important part of the story. “I feel like that detail’s getting overlooked here.”
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I couldn’t help it-I laughed, shaking my head as we kept walking, the sound of our footsteps mixing with the faint night noises around us.
We kept walking, letting the conversation drift from one story to another-little snapshots of our pasts offered up under the moonlight. Some of them were silly, some were warm, and for the briefest moment I almost told him about Oliver. The words sat heavy on my tongue, threatening to spill out. But I swallowed them down. I couldn’t do it-not tonight. I wasn’t ready to take something so light, so unexpectedly good, and ruin it with the ugly parts of my life.
Eventually, the trees thinned and the forest spat us out into the open. The line of huts stood ahead, warm light spilling through the windows. Most of them were already lit, shadows moving behind curtains-people winding down from the bonfire, maybe even fresh from a late swim at the lake.
“So,” he teased, bumping his elbow-though with his height it landed closer to my shoulder-just enough to make me stumble. “I had fun tonight.”
“Me too,” I said, my smile too big to hide, my gaze dropping to the ground because if I looked at him right now, I knew I’d probably give away more than I wanted to.
“You know something great?” he asked suddenly, that grin of his widening like he’d just had the best idea.
“What?” I asked, glancing up at him.
“Since we stay right next to each other, I get to follow you home without coming up with some stupid excuse,” he said with mock smugness.
The words should have made me laugh. Instead, ice settled in my stomach, the kind of cold that seeped into your bones. I couldn’t go in. I wouldn’t. The light spilling from my cabin window told me exactly what I already knew-Gabriella was in there. And that meant the night could go from sweet to unbearable in seconds.
“Yeah,” I muttered, forcing my legs to keep moving, trying to make sure he didn’t notice the shift in
“Are you excited for self-defense?” Gage asked, still oblivious to my change in mood as he kept pace with me. “I can make you into a total badass, don’t you worry.”
I’d found out earlier he was the one teaching the self-defense classes. Normally, that fact alone would have had me curious, maybe even eager. But right now? I just couldn’t summon the enthusiasm.
“I think it’s awesome Derek set aside a full day for it,” he went on, talking easily. “Makes it easier to teach. You’re in the first group this Saturday, right? I mean, yeah, it kinda sucks I’m spending my Saturdays teaching instead of relaxing, but it looks amazing on my transcript, so…” he shrugged,” worth it.”
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“Right,” I said quietly, as we reached my cabin. I stopped at the first step, keeping my eyes anywhere but locked on his. “So, I guess this is goodnight,” I added.
“I guess it is,” he said, nodding slightly, his hands deep in his pockets as if he was holding something back. “But seriously, Bree-I had fun. I wouldn’t mind taking more walks with you.”
“You already run with me every morning,” I reminded him, trying for a light smile.
“I don’t mind running with you either,” he said, a small shrug accompanying his words.
“We’ll see,” I murmured, finally daring to meet his eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
His grin widened, eyes sparkling like he’d just been handed a promise. “You bet. Maybe I should run behind you instead of beside you-see if we can go faster that way.”
“Sure,” I said, hugging my arms around myself, silently begging him to turn and head for his own door.
But he didn’t. Silence stretched between us, not the comfortable kind we’d had before, but something heavier, sharper. He just stood there, watching me, clearly waiting for me to turn and go inside.
“Shouldn’t you?” he asked finally, jerking his head toward the cabin door, one brow arched.
Think, Bree. Think fast.
“Oh, I…” I started, glancing over my shoulder. My gaze snagged on the window, where Gabriella sat in full view, laughing so hard her head was tipped back. I turned back to Gage quickly. “I don’t wanna be rude,” I said. “You made sure I got here safely, so… I’m gonna do the same for you.”
Something shifted in his expression, that easy teasing replaced by something far more serious. ” Bree,” he said, his voice low and firm in a way I’d never heard from him before. “What are you not telling me?”
I dropped my eyes to the ground, wishing I could just disappear. I didn’t want to ruin the night. But I couldn’t lie to him-not with that tone.
“I don’t sleep in the cabin,” I whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.
“What?” Surprise cut into his voice.
“I sleep… out back. On the bench,” I admitted, pointing with my thumb. “You can’t tell anyone, Gage. Please. Don’t tell anyone.”
“You’re sleeping outside on a f*****g bench?” he repeated, his voice stripped of any softness now. “God-f*****g-dammit.” He raked both hands through his hair, turning away for a second before spinning back toward me.
Panic prickled under my skin. “Please, Gage. You can’t-”
4/5
“Come with me,” he said suddenly, extending his hand.
“What?” I blinked, not sure I’d heard him right.
“I said come with me, Bree,” he repeated, his tone brooking no argument. “Or I’ll throw you over my goddamn shoulder.”
I didn’t even get the chance to argue. I put my hand in his-because if there was one thing I knew about Gage, it was that he would follow through on that threat.
“Are your things back here too?” he asked, already moving around the side of the cabin.
His eyes landed on my small stash tucked under the bench, hidden away from the worst of the weather. A string of curses hissed out from between his teeth.
“I’m gonna f*****g kill that b***h,” he muttered, his words low and vibrating with anger as he bent to scoop up my things. He didn’t wait for me to respond. “Follow me,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.
So I did. Because really-what else was I supposed to do?
