Chapter 2
TWO
After a couple of hours on the highway, I finally spotted the exit sign for Saint Stephen’s Lake. With my eyes glued to the windows, I couldn’t help but smile as we crossed into its borders. No wonder Cole was so entranced by this place. With the sun shining and the dozens of happy people on the sidewalk, it felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a Hallmark movie. The town was so quaint, with its aged brick buildings, vintage flower pots, and street lamps. People waved as we passed by, and Cole did the same. After each one, he’d stop and tell me their name, and it was clear he was a part of this community.
I could only nod, returning my gaze to the world around us. While I loved the tiny town we grew up in, it was miles and miles of grassy farmland. Seeing the mountains and water was a different but welcome sight.
We kept driving until we reached the edge of the lake. The coastline was lined with various motorboats and people coming in and out of the water. Sailboats coasted in the distance, their colorful flags painting a sharp contrast against the greenery of the surrounding mountains. Next to the beach, there were a few small food stands, pop-ups that probably only came with the summer tourists. And even though the season was practically at its end, you would never know it driving through this town. It was like a postcard come to life.
We drove down the road a little longer until we reached a sign for the Fox Creek Lodge. Although it was my first time visiting, it felt like I already knew every inch of it. During our initial conversations, Cole filled the silence by telling me all about Fox Creek, showing me their planned renovations and the options they were considering. I soon became invested in its progress, and Cole sent me constant pictures whenever they crossed another item off their list. To be honest, I’d had my doubts that it would ever open based on the sheer size of the project, but almost three months ago, it opened its doors for the first time, with a steady stream of guests ever since. Many guests had already booked stays for next year. Cole radiated with pride when he talked about Fox Creek and even more when he spoke about how Alex was running it. While my brother was the unofficial handyman, she was the one in charge, ensuring the guests had a pleasant stay.
We drove past the main lodge, a large structure at the edge of the property. The building housed Alex’s office, their check-in station, and a casual restaurant for the guests to enjoy. Plans to add rooms to the second floor were made, but after renovating all the cabins, Cole and Alex decided to hold off on that for a couple more years.
Looking at the main lodge, the front looked like a typical wood cabin, complete with a wrap-around porch and swing. The side facing the lake, though, was all windows framed by black supports, giving it more of a modern edge. From the dining room, you could see almost all of Saint Stephen’s Lake, a sight that drew many people in for meals, even if they weren’t staying on the property.
Cole hit the blinker, passing the parking lot to follow a gravel road. Behind the main lodge was a large clearing, complete with a pavilion in the middle. On the outskirts of the property sat twelve cabins, all in a similar style to the main lodge, just on a much smaller scale. Each cabin’s path was lined with bright blooms, and sunflowers grew tall around the edges.
Cole slowed down the truck as we reached the furthest one, tucked in the corner of the woods. You could barely see it from the road because trees surrounded it on one side. On the other, there was a short path to a rocky beach on the edge of the lake. As I climbed out of the cab, I stared at the water, letting out the breath I’d been holding all day.
“I thought you’d like this one,” Cole admitted, running his hand over the back of his head. “It's the most private.” He pointed to the edge of the forest. “And there’s a break in the trees so you can see the sunrise over the lake in the morning.”
“It’s perfect.”
As my brother grabbed my suitcase, I moved to the front door and let myself inside. There was a small kitchenette immediately when you walked in, with a vintage-looking fridge and a peninsula for seating. Behind that was an archway that led into the bedroom. As I walked toward the bed, the back window caught my eye, and I let out a small gasp. I stepped out onto the wooden porch, pressing my hands onto ledge. The lake filled my entire view. You could see the mountains, the boats, and even some of the small islands in the middle of the water. It was a hidden paradise, and it was all mine for the next seven days.
“Hey, Tor, where do you want this stuff? ”
“Bedroom, please!” I called out as I walked back inside, leaving the patio door open to let in the fresh breeze. In my haste to get outside, I’d walked right past the king-sized bed in the middle of the room. My hand sunk into the white comforter, and a loud groan left my lips. Was it too early to take a nap?
Cole chuckled as he placed my suitcase next to the dresser. “It’s even comfier than it looks. After Alex picked it out, we ordered one for home, too.” He paused, shifting on his feet. “What do you think?”
Even though he was trying to play it cool, I could tell Cole was nervous. He constantly shuffled his feet and ran his hand through his hair when he was trying to play it cool. It had to be hard to open his world to the rest of us. My parents had already been through here, and I could only imagine what they thought.
“It’s gorgeous.” I smiled back at him. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
“All I did was put up a few walls. Everything else was all Alex.” Cole beamed with pride. “She’s the heart and soul of this place.”
I stared at him, studying the admiration that lined his face. “You’re really happy, aren’t you?”
He nodded, “It took a long time to get here, but now, I can’t imagine my life anywhere else.” He shuffled closer to me, running his hand through his hair. “Look, Tor, I know I fucked up a lot in the past–”
“It’s in the past,” I said, cutting him off. His eyes studied me, as if searching for a lie in my words. “I mean it,” I continued, hoping that if I said it, it would be the entire truth. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy, Cole.”
“I am,” Cole admitted quietly. “But that doesn’t mean I haven’t made mistakes. I know it’s going to be a busy few days, but I’d like to spend some time together, get to know the grown-up version of you better. Although…” He chuckled as he pulled me into a hug. “You still fit under my arm pretty well.”
I shoved him off me. “Only because you got all the tall genes and didn’t leave anything for the rest of us.”
As we finally started to fall into a comfortable rhythm, my phone rang out. My eyes cut to the display, hissing a sharp breath. I grabbed the device and held it to my chest, giving Cole my most innocent smile. “I have to take this.”
Cole nodded, shoving his hands into his pockets. But when he reached the door, he hit the frame twice. “Dinner at the house tonight? I can pick you up in a couple of hours.”
“You got it.”
As I watched him exit, I hit the answer button, smiling widely at the screen. “Hey baby, how was your day?”
Emilia’s toothy grin filled the whole screen, piercing a hole through my heart. It hadn’t even been a day yet, and I was already missing my daughter tremendously. I was used to spending all my time with her, not having been away since before she was born four years ago. But as hard as it was to take this trip, and knowing that I wasn’t ready to bring her with me, it was also nice to have some time alone. But just because I planned to take full advantage of my trip didn’t mean that I didn’t miss Emilia with every fiber of my being.
“Good. We played with paints!” The evidence was still all over her chubby cheeks, streaks of blue and yellow covering her sweet dimples. Her brown curls were wild, piled up on top of her head. Emilia was chaos in human form but still the most adorable thing I’d ever seen.
“You did? Are you being a good girl for Daddy? ”
“Yup!” She nodded. “We’re going to Target later. He said I could pick out my snacks.”
I ducked my head, hiding my laughter. “Already pulling out the Target move?” I called out to my ex, Cam. “How much of the house has she destroyed?”
He chuckled as he looked over our daughter’s head. “When the heck did this kid get such an appetite? I swear, last week, she wouldn’t eat anything, and now, she’s gone through most of the fridge.”
“No idea.” I knew all too well how often Emilia’s tastes changed. She might have been the light of my life, but she could also be exhausting. “You could always take her out to see the horses. Those are her favorite.”
“Good plan,” Cam answered. “I know Dad’s working on one of the new mares today.”
Cam’s family lived on a vast farm on the edge of town, the same plot his great-grandfather had purchased almost one hundred years ago. After Emilia was born, we’d moved into one of the cottages on the property, wanting to be close to his family in case we needed support. Honestly, after a decade of knowing them, I was almost as close to the Sedas as I was to my own parents.
When Cam and I broke up, I expected that to change, but it was the opposite. His parents sat me down and said that no matter what happened between Cam and me, we would always be family. They even let me stay in the cottage while Cam moved back into the main house.
It was working well for us. It gave me some privacy but kept Cam close enough that he could see Emilia as much as possible. It might not have been the most traditional situation, but it suited our needs right now.
When I had a project or deadline for one of my online classes, Cam stepped up, taking care of Emilia so I could focus. And with his work as a shortstop for a minor league baseball team, I had his parents' support when he was on the road for weeks at a time. Even though our romantic relationship was over, we were a team, a family, and in many ways, he was my best friend.
Turning my attention back to my daughter, I smiled. “Where’s Auntie Hadley? Did you already scare her away?”
“She was the genius who thought paints would be an amazing idea.” Cam gave me a knowing look. “And then, when it came time to clean up, she had a sudden emergency and had to leave.”
I chuckled; that sounded like Hadley. She was all about the bright spots in life, bringing a hefty dose of sunshine wherever she went. Ever since we were matched as roommates during my short-lived college career, she’d been my constant, my cheerleader when life tried to weigh me down, but ever since they first met, Cam and Hadley hadn’t gotten along. Her free-spirited nature tended to grate against Cam’s rigidity, a fact she exploited as much as possible. It was endlessly entertaining. The only thing they agreed on was Emilia, which was why I’d happily offered to let her crash at my house while I was gone. She wanted to spend more time with her goddaughter, and I knew Cam could use the help, even if he’d never admit it. Now, all I had to do was pray they wouldn’t kill each other in the process.
Cam leaned down and kissed Emilia’s forehead. “Why don’t you go play, baby? I have to talk to Mommy for a minute.”
“K, Daddy.” She hopped down from the counter. “Love you, Mommy.”
“Love you more, kiddo.”
“Love you, foreva and eva!”
I chuckled as Cam filled the screen, his face suddenly serious. He looked behind his shoulder, watching as Emilia left the room. “How are things going there?”
“Better than I expected,” I said. “Even though I was super nervous, I have to admit, it’s good to see Cole. And this town is absolutely adorable; it’s easy to see why he loves it so much.” I exhaled slowly. “But we’re taking things slowly.It's almost like we’re walking on eggshells. He tried to bring up the past, but I’m not ready to get into it, at least not yet. I want to just enjoy this week without all that hanging over our heads.”
“Give it time,” Cam said. “This is a good step, but remember, it’s just the first one. Y’all will get there, Vic.” His cheek ticked, and my hackles raised. After being in each other’s lives for over a decade, I knew Cam’s tells almost as well as my own. And that little tick? Clear sign he was holding something back.
“What?” I asked.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell him about Emilia?”
I pushed out the remaining breath in my chest, hating how conflicted I felt. When I found out I was pregnant, it was a shock. For someone who prided herself in following a particular plan, seeing those two pink lines completely disrupted everything. Not that I’d trade my life with Emilia for anything, but the fallout still stung sometimes.
Not only did I leave school to focus on Emilia entirely, but I’d changed in my parents’ eyes. I’d gone from their perfect angel to a scandal, and despite being loving grandparents, they still hadn’t completely gotten over that betrayal. For weeks after I told them about my pregnancy, I called Cole, hoping he’d be the one person who wouldn’t let me down. But he only answered once, and from his voice, I could tell he’d been drinking. The moment I asked about it, he became belligerent, screaming at me for fucking up his whole life. He’d said I was nothing more than a burden, and an unwanted one at that. The moment the call ended, I decided I was done, no longer willing to put him before my mental health and safety. I had to think about more than just myself, and I vowed I wouldn’t let my child get involved in his mess, not until he cleaned up his act.
And while he was sober now, keeping up with our scheduled phone calls and settling down, there was still a part of me that didn’t trust that his progress would last. I’d been burned too many times, gotten my hopes up, only for him to fall back into the bottle and break my heart all over again.
“I’m sure,” I said quietly. “At least, not yet. Cole seems good, but…”
“Hey,” Cam said, pulling my attention back to him. “You don’t have to explain. I know how much it hurt when he was drinking. You’re trying to make the right choice for Emilia. Don’t let anyone make you question that.”
“I don’t want her to get used to him, only for him to disappear again.” My eyes lifted to the ceiling as I tried not to cry. “I can handle him breaking my heart; it won’t be the first time. But if he crushed hers, nothing in the world would get me to forgive him. I don’t want her getting attached to someone if it’s not a long-term thing.”
“You’re a good mom, Vic.” Cam smiled softly at me. ”And hopefully, Cole will show you how much he’s changed. For what it’s worth, I’ve got faith in the guy. Sometimes, it takes hitting rock bottom to pull yourself back up, and it seems like he’s got enough to lose to make sure he never lands down there again.”