Chapter Twenty-Two
Juniper
I plop onto the cabin’s beat-up porch swing, and the rusty chains groan with every slow push—pretty much how I feel inside.
The chunky sweater I’m hiding in does a lousy job against the late October bite.
Wind slips through the pines, flicking the last crumbs of snow around like winter’s finally packing up.
This cabin, hidden deep in the woods, belongs to Dominique’s parents. Only she and Jacob know about it. When she handed me the keys, it felt like an escape plan—far from Cody, far from everything that’s gone wrong.
A romance novel lies in my lap, but the words blur together. Every sweet scene, every tender moment, drags me back to Zade—his touch, his smile, and all the lies.
I lose it. The book’s out of my hand before I even realize what I’m doing. It sails across the porch, flipping open mid-air. But it never hits the ground.
A hand catches it.
I freeze. My stomach flips. I look up fast. My breath feels weird in my chest, like it doesn’t know where to go.
“Zade,” I whisper, his name bitter on my tongue.
He stands just a few feet from the porch, his tall figure blending with the shadows of the trees. He's got that worn-out look, standing like he's barely keeping it together. "Juniper," he rasps.
“Why are you here?” I demand.
He steps onto the porch, the old boards creaking under his weight. “I had to see you. I heard what happened. I never wanted you caught up in all this.”
“I don’t care what you wanted,” I snap, standing up from the swing so quickly it nearly tips over. I bolt inside the cabin, my heart racing. I want to slam the door shut, but he’s already there, standing in the doorway, blocking it.
His presence looms at the entrance, and I take a step back, trying to put some distance between us, but the cabin feels too small. Too confining. His eyes, heavy with regret, lock onto mine, and I can’t look away.
“Your intentions mean nothing. You lied to me. You used me.” I hiss.
He recoils at the words, a flash of pain crossing his face, but he doesn’t back down. “You have every right to be angry, but please, just listen to me. I didn’t mean for things to get this bad. ”
“Didn’t mean?” I laugh, a harsh, bitter sound. “You never mean for anything, do you? It just happens, and then you show up with those sad eyes, expecting everything to be okay.”
“Juniper, I know I messed up. But I’m not here to ask for your forgiveness. I’m here to fix what I broke.”
I narrow my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. “And how exactly do you plan to do that? You think you can just come back into my life, say a few pretty words, and I’ll forget everything?”
He steps closer, softening a bit. "I don't want you to forget. I want you to get that I'm not going anywhere. I'm done lying."
“Well, I don’t believe you!” I fire back. “So just get lost, Zade.”
He runs a hand through his hair. “I deserve that. But I’m not going anywhere this time. Not until you hear me out.”
“I’ve heard enough, Zade.” I say. The finality in my tone is undeniable.
His gaze drops to the floor, and for a moment, I think he might give up. But then he looks up, and there’s something fierce in his eyes. “I can’t change the past, but I can be here now. I can try to make things right.”
“Make things right?” I scoff, stepping back, away from him. “You don’t get it, do you? There’s nothing left to fix. You broke everything.”
He looks pained, but he doesn’t deny it. “I know. And I hate myself for it. But I’m here now, Juniper. I’m here because I can’t lose you. I won’t go!”
“I’m done. This conversation is useless.” I snap. My voice is as cold as the wind outside. “You’re welcome to freeze out there if you want.”
His face falls, but he nods, his shoulders slumping like I just knocked the wind out of him. “I’ll stay. As long as it takes.”
He nods, sighs, and heads for the door. Just before stepping out, he pauses, glancing back at me, his eyes full of something I can’t quite place. But I don’t give a damn. I slam the door shut right in his face.
????????????????????
The hours crawl by, and the cabin is silent except for the fire crackling and the wind howling outside. I try to read, but the words don’t stick. I glance out the window and see Zade sitting in his car, not budging. Stubborn as always.
Night falls, and the snow starts coming down, covering the ground in white. I can see Zade’s breath fogging up the car windows. He’s probably shivering inside the car. Part of me wants him to suffer, to feel just a slice of the pain he’s caused. But another part of me can’t stand it.
I grab a warm blanket from the closet and head outside. The cold bites into me the second I step out, turning my breath into little puffs of mist. Zade looks up as I approach.
“What are you doing?” he asks as he rolls the car’s window down.
I toss the blanket at him. “Here. But don’t think for a second that I’m letting you in. ”
He catches it and smiles. “Thank you,” he murmurs, wrapping the blanket around himself.
“Don’t thank me,” I say, turning back to the cabin. “Goodnight, Zade. Enjoy the cold.”
Inside, I lock the door and turn off the lights, plunging the place into darkness. I sink down onto the floor in front of the fire, trembling, caught between anger and sadness. The flames dance, but their warmth doesn’t touch the cold that’s settled inside me.
The wind howls outside, and the snow is falling harder now. I imagine Zade huddled in his car, the blanket barely keeping the cold out. Part of me hopes he’ll give up and leave, but I know him too well. He’s too stubborn for that.
Time drags on, the night stretching out endlessly. My mind won’t stop replaying everything—every word, every look, every lie. I want to believe he cares for me, but how can I? How can I trust someone who’s done what he’s done?
The fire’s dying down, and I shiver, pulling my sweater tighter around me. I feel so alone, so completely lost. This cabin, Dominique’s secret hideaway, feels more like a cage than a refuge. I bury my face in my hands, the tears coming fast and hot.
“Why did you have to come back?” I whisper into the darkness, my voice barely holding together. “Why couldn’t you just leave me alone?”
I don’t even notice the tears until my eyes start to sting, my body giving in to the pull of sleep .