Chapter 24
Stella
L aughter echoes in the forest as we all hike together.
Isabella chose hiking as our first race, though I doubt any of us are taking this as seriously as she does. The sun filters through the canopy above, casting dappled patches of light on the uneven ground beneath our feet.
But despite all the beauty around me—the lush green trees, the quiet murmur of a distant stream, and the birds darting through the branches—my attention keeps returning to Adrian.
I glance back again, and my heart skips when I find him looking at me. His gaze is steady, a little amused. It’s comforting to see a smile on his face after the state he was in this morning.
Hazel and Nate are talking quietly behind him, while Layla and Sam are cresting the latest hill we climbed, with Layla laughing about something Sam said. I can barely hear them though, my attention completely consumed by Adrian.
As I continue down the narrow path, I hear Adrian’s footsteps catch up. My skin tingles with warmth. His face splits into a grin, and I try—unsuccessfully—to ignore the way my stomach flips when he speaks. “Well, looks like we’re the best here.”
I laugh. “Jay taught you well.”
Adrian laughs, and I feel a warmth spread through me at the sound.
As we hear the others behind us catching up, Adrian chuckles.
“Jay’s the reason behind many sides of me.
He’s the reason my sisters came here in the first place during their childhood.
I sent the girls here a couple of years after our parents passed after hearing him talk about it. I figured they needed a childhood.”
My heart cracks. “You deserved one too.”
Adrian sighs. “Sometimes, you grow up too fast and you just can’t get that childhood back.”
I smile softly. “It’s never too late to have fun and live a little too. Maybe you can’t go back to your childhood, but you can get some pieces of it back. A smile, some joy, a little fun. Growing up doesn’t have to mean leaving those things behind.”
He grins, his eyes crinkling in the corner. “Happy looks good on you, Stella.”
My cheeks burn. “Happy would look better on you.”
I don’t know what comes over me, but one second I’m just walking by his side, and the next, I’m running, laughter bubbling from my chest.
Adrian’s head snaps in my direction, and he picks up on my intention before I do and starts running, flashing past me.
Except he seems to have forgotten that I’ve spent countless hours training back in the city.
Always pushing myself to be faster and stronger.
It doesn’t take long before I’m leaving him behind, my legs eating up the trail as the air fills with the sound of my breath and my heartbeat.
I can’t help but glance back, and Adrian’s there—still following, but a little out of breath. His smile is genuine, and his eyes are sparkling.
His gaze locks on me, and everything around us seems to fade.
The trail, the trees, even the sounds of the others slowly disappear.
It’s just him and me. I stop running, and so does he, though he’s still a few paces behind me.
I can feel every beat of my heart as the seconds tick by, warmth spreading beneath my skin.
We stand there, neither of us saying a word.
I catch my breath. My heart is beating harder than it ever has, and it’s because of him. His eyes are fixed on me, searching. His lips part, and for a fleeting second, my gaze drops to his mouth.
When I bring my eyes back to his, I know without doubt that if we were anywhere else—alone—he would kiss me.
He swallows, and my eyes track down to his throat before slowly climbing back up by the way of his strong chin, nose and evergreen eyes.
He raises one eyebrow, a silent question, and I realize in that moment that there isn’t anything I want more than this.
The spell shatters when Jay, Hazel, and Nate reach the top of the hill, slowly catching up to us.
Adrian lets out a soft laugh, breaking the tension between us.
I quickly turn away, forcing my feet back onto the path.
“If you want to catch up, you’d better pick up the pace,” I tease.
It’s ironic just how much I feel like myself, yet also like a completely different person.
I’ve never been playful. But in this moment, it all feels so right.
Like I’m being myself, despite that person being so different from who I was a month ago.
The thought makes me grin wildly as I run.
Adrian
All five of us are now walking at our own pace with Hazel, Nate, and Stella leading the way. Jay is laughing to himself quietly next to me and it makes my skin itch.
When the others are too far to hear, he asks, “What’s that moony look on your face?”
I laugh but it sounds all wrong. “You know how much I love hiking.”
Jay laughs. “Really? Are you that oblivious?”
Shit. “Oblivious to what?”
“Stop talking,” he says quietly. “She’s looking at us.”
My heart stops. Then races.
But when I look ahead, her head isn’t aimed at us. Ugh .
I start walking forward so I don’t face his smug grin.
“You blushing,” he drops casually.
Please kill me now.
The truth is that everything in me reacts to her, all the time. When I hear her voice, my mood lifts. Since she came into our town, I’ve slept better. When I see her, I can’t help but grin and feel alive.
She feels like the sun. Like I’ve always been waiting for her to bring me to life.
Stella is happy laughter and easy smiles.
Genuine interest and affection that leaves you floating with the clouds.
That’s the magic of Stella Brookstone. She smiles so bright that she casts everyone around her in the same glow, even when she doesn’t realize it.
We’re all about to reach the end of the trail when Isabella finally catches up to us. Jay chuckles next to me. “Well, we’re running to the end of this. If we lose this because of you, Adrian, I will lose my shit.”
Both of us start running, both laughing. When Stella hears us run behind her, she and the others start running too. All of us are laughing, even Layla and Sam from behind us.
All five of us crash into each other at the end, laughing messes and out of breath.
But all I can think about is Stella’s blushing cheeks. Her breathtaking smile. Her messy curls.
Just how beautiful Stella is when she’s happy.