Chapter 30
Chapter thirty
Chesteria
“We came for peace but left with pieces of each other."
Itugged on my robe and slid my arms through the sleeves, still warm from the covers we’d barely left.
We only got out of bed to shower, still ended up having sex in there.
Bryce stood behind me in just pajama pants, brushing his hair like he was debating whether we had to be decent to go downstairs.
We didn’t.
“Oh! I have something for you!” I said, suddenly excited, remembering the snow globe I bought.
I dug into my bag, pulled it out, and handed it to him with a little grin.
Bryce tilted his head, studying it. “Where you get this from?”
“From the market. I bought it when I first got here. Isn’t it cute? If I knew we’d be… you know, here like this... I would’ve gotten you something bigger… more expensive.”
Bryce pulled me closer, hand resting on my waist. “C Baby,” he expressed, eyes softening, “you know when it comes to me, I like thoughtful shit. That means more than anything.” He held the snow globe up. “It means it came from your heart. That’s the real gift.”
Bryce kissed me slowly and deeply with his hands gripping my ass like he had every intention of unwrapping me all over again.
He drew back and added, “Besides, I don’t have shit to give you.”
I cocked my head and pointed at his dick with a playful lift of my brow. “Oh, that?” I teased, eyes dropping low. “That’s the gift of all gifts. It should’ve come wrapped in a velvet bow with a warning label and a release form.”
Bryce raised a brow, that signature smirk tugging at his lips. “A release form?” He tilted his head, voice thick. “Baby, I am the reason they make NDAs and Plan Bs.”
I licked my lips, still grinning. “Mmm. You right. Limited edition. Break-the-bed certified.”
He leaned in, voice dropping to a sinful murmur against my ear. “And addictive as fuck. This the kind of dick that rearranges shit and ruins you for anybody else. You feel me every time you sit down.”
I sucked in a breath, thighs clenching. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Bryce leaned in, lips brushing my ear. “It ain’t flattery if it’s facts. Ask your walk from last night.”
We both cracked up, tension thick as lust. Then he tapped my ass and nodded toward the door.
“Come on… let’s go see what them two fools up to. Hopefully, Isis didn’t break that man’s pelvis last night.”
Just as I reached for the door, Bryce caught my hand, locking our fingers together like he wasn’t quite ready to let go.
“You sure you good with staying a few more days?” he asked, his eyes searching mine for reassurance.
I turned to look at him. “More sure than I’ve been about anything in a long time," I replied, a smile creeping onto my face as the truth settled in my heart.
He nodded, a hint of relief washing over his features.
When we entered the living room, I noticed that Isis’s and Adrian’s bags were placed by the door—they were ready to go.
“We are live from the snowed-in cabin!” Isis exclaimed dramatically into her phone, twirling around with the playful fervor that we all loved about her. “The vibes have been immaculate, but it’s time to return to—”
Her voice suddenly cut off when she caught sight of us, and she quickly ended her live stream, looking bewildered.
“Um… why are y’all still in pajamas?! It’s time to go! Checkout is at ten!” she kidded.
I gave Bryce a knowing side-eye and shrugged. “We decided to stay a few more days… to enjoy each other,” I said, my voice dripping with a hint of mischief.
Isis gasped and clutched her chest like somebody announced a pregnancy. “Aww! Stop it! I love that for y’all! Y’all deserve some alone time, some healing, and some toe-curling, back-arching kind of peace.”
I couldn't help but laugh, fully aware of the “healing” Bryce had given me both the night before and that morning, which had deepened our connection in unexpected ways.
Adrian glanced back and forth between us, shaking his head in disbelief. “It’s wild. I came up here with her, but somehow this nigga ended up back with her. Mane… life is crazy.”
“Tell me about it,” I said, laughing.
Isis blinked like she just remembered what year it was. “Wait—hold on. If y’all are staying, and me and Bryce rode together, and you came with Adrian…” Her eyes widened, comically. “How am I getting home?”
Bryce shrugged as if it was the most obvious conclusion. “We all live in the same city, so I figured Adrian wouldn’t mind taking you back.”
“Nah, I don’t mind,” Adrian chimed in, throwing a playful wink in her direction.
Isis slowly dragged her eyes over him, head to toe, as though she were assessing a rental car for its safety features.
“Well… I don’t mind riding back with him,” she said cautiously.
“But the real question is, am I safe? I mean, I know the roads are kinda cleared, but I don’t do icy cliffs, mysterious curves, or those last-seen-on-the-news type vibes.
So tell me, sir, do you drive like a grown man with insurance, or like ‘Fast I brought with me a plan, a little highlight, a bit too much lip gloss, and a whole lotta delusion.
I was set on claiming something that was never mine, but life humbled me real quick. ”
A few of us chuckled, but she stayed sincere.
“This trip also taught me that just because you want something, it doesn’t mean you need it. Sometimes you’re chasing a version of yourself that doesn’t even fit anymore. And when you finally sit still—like, really sit still—you realize that peace hits way harder than attention ever did.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed around the room; nods of understanding shared among us.
Isis glanced toward Adrian, then down at her nails.
“Last but not least, I learned that sometimes the connection you needed was the one you never planned for. So yeah, I came here hoping to win somebody over and ended up finding a piece of myself instead. That being said, I’m leaving here rejuvenated, a bit softer, smarter, and less concerned with being chosen and more focused on choosing me.
Oh, I’m also leaving here slightly sore… but that’s none of y’all’s business.”
Adrian licked his lips, clearly replaying some memories.
Isis turned to him with a slow grin. “Stop thinking what you’re thinking, Adrian. I ain't sharing none of those details.”
Laughter broke out, then Adrian spoke up. “I guess I’ll go next. I came here on some chill shit. I just needed a break from all the drama in my life and the noise that never seems to end. I truly wasn’t expecting nothing major to pop off.”
He shook his head, clearly irritated by his own memories.
“I damn sure didn’t expect to get snowed in with Chesteria’s ex in the same cabin, to almost get mauled by a bear with zero home training, or to watch somebody as fine as Isis turn breakfast into a fire drill. I’m still confused how you set off the smoke alarm making eggs. Eggs!”
A few of us chuckled and shook our heads in amusement at the absurdity of it all.
Isis rolled her eyes with dramatic precision but couldn’t hide her smile. “The altitude threw off my recipe.”
“Isis, the altitude didn’t have shit to do with that toaster trauma; that was user error.
” Adrian shot back, earning more laughs.
He sobered just a little. “Nah, but when the power went out, and we had to use the generator and kick it old-school style, I ain't gon' lie… that did something to me. It made me think about who I really was underneath all the jokes and bullshit, what I really want, and what I really need.”
He glanced meaningfully at Isis, then back at the group, his eyes reflecting a newfound sincerity.
“I also didn’t think I’d open up about my singing. That’s something I usually keep close to my chest… not out of shame, but because people don’t always get it. But y'all pulled that outta me. Y’all made me feel like maybe I ain’t gotta hide that part.”
Adrian surveyed the room, nodding as he absorbed the collective energy around him.
“All in all, I’m grateful for this experience… for real. The way we argued, laughed, cooked—attempted at cooking—and still made it work? Yeah, this trip is definitely one for the books.”
In unison, we nodded, feeling the weight of shared experiences.
Bryce stepped forward next. His eyes found mine and stayed there. “Well, I’m thankful for communication, second chances, and for people who don't let fear or pride stand in the way of what they truly want. This trip reminded me that often, the very things we run from are exactly where we belong.”
His words resonated deeply within me.