Twenty Nine
January Twenty-Sixth
Fade
Fade drove up the newly paved road toward Wolfgang and Juniper’s house, the tires humming softly against the smooth surface. The road wound up the hillside, cutting through dense trees until the house came into view. A sleek, modern build with massive windows overlooking the valley below. It stood proud against the landscape, the late afternoon sun painting the glass in warm gold.
“Wow,”
Whitney murmured, leaning forward as she spotted the side patio. “Look at that deck. Can you imagine having coffee out there every morning?”
“Not sure I’d ever be on time to work with that view,”
Fade said, easing the car into a spot behind Marilyn and Amy’s car.
They climbed out, and Fade adjusted the bottle of wine in his hand, a housewarming gift, while his other hand found the small of Whitney’s back. The simple gesture made her smile as they approached the door.
Before they could knock, Wolfgang swung it open, grinning wide. “Hey, guys! Get in here.”
“Thanks,”
Whitney said warmly, stepping inside. The space was stunning, clean white walls, lined with windows on one side that showed off the valley. The open layout stretched from the cozy living room to a modern kitchen and dining area, and her eyes caught the staircase leading up to a loft.
“It’s beautiful,”
she told Wolfgang, her gaze still wandering in appreciation.
“Whitney!”
Juniper’s delighted squeal cut through the room, and before Whitney could react, she was swept into a tight hug. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”
With an apologetic glance back at Fade, Whitney let herself be whisked away.
“This is the living room and kitchen area,”
Juniper said, gesturing like a proud realtor. “Our bedroom’s down here—”
she pointed to a door tucked beneath the stair landing “—and upstairs, we’ve got two more bedrooms and a bathroom.”
“It’s perfect, June.”
Whitney’s smile softened. “I thought you guys wanted to wait to get married until the house was done?”
Juniper’s face glowed with quiet contentment. “I have everything I want right now.”
Whitney raised a brow. “So… when’s the wedding?”
June only shrugged, leading her into the kitchen where Marilyn and Amy sat at the table, deep in conversation. Whitney offered them a warm wave.
“I don’t know,”
Juniper admitted, reaching the counter lined with dishes and desserts. “Wolfie and I are happy. Isn’t that enough for now?”
“Fair enough. Congratulations, though, seriously. You guys deserve this.”
“Thank you.”
Juniper picked up a knife and pressed it into an untouched pie, slicing the first wedge with care.
Whitney hesitated, her voice dropping. “And I wanted to apologize again. For your birthday, my birthday, Christmas dinner. All of it. I hate how messy things got. And to think I was crying over missing my brothers.”
“Hey.”
Juniper’s tone was gentle but firm. “It’s fine. Really. I get it. I’m not sure I’d have handled things any differently if I were in your position.”
Whitney exhaled, some of the weight on her chest easing. “I really appreciate Wolfgang being on top of it all. He’s been incredible through everything.”
Juniper’s eyes twinkled as she lifted the first slice of pie onto a plate. “He’s good at being on top of things,”
she said with a wicked little smirk.
The corner of Whitney’s lip rose. “You’re terrible.”
February Nineteenth
Whitney
The night before had been exceptionally cold and wet, and the morning wasn’t much better. Whitney wrapped her coat tighter around herself as she set her purse on her desk and rubbed her arms, trying to chase away the lingering chill. The solar field’s operations never slowed for weather, and she wanted to make sure everything was running smoothly despite the frigid temperatures.
The building was quiet, Monday mornings always were and she suspected the cold had everyone moving slower than usual. She made her way down the hall toward the elevator, the soft ding breaking the silence as the doors opened. The blast of outdoor air hit her as she stepped onto the field’s upper platform.
The vast spread of solar panels stretched ahead of her, neatly aligned and glinting with frost. She walked along the front row, inspecting the panels’ positions and making sure nothing had shifted in the storm. Everything seemed fine, no damage, no misalignments. Satisfied, she turned back toward the elevator.
And that’s when it happened. Her stiletto caught awkwardly against the dirt, and her ankle rolled hard. Whitney’s hand shot out for the railing, but the added height of her heels threw off her balance. Momentum dragged her forward, and before she could stop it, her body pitched over the edge.
“Oh, fuck,”
she gasped, her stomach lurching as she tumbled forward.
The world tilted. Metal, sky, and trees blurring together and then there was nothing but cold air and the sickening rush of gravity. She barely had time to brace herself before the rocky slope rose up to meet her.
Fade
Fade pulled his phone from his pocket, squinting at the unknown number flashing on the screen. His gut twisted. Who the hell is this? A six-digit code scrolled across the display, and he hesitated before answering. “Hello?”
A woman’s voice came through, calm but professional. “Hello, is this Fade Zemanek?”
“Uh… yeah?”
He shifted uneasily. Pre-island, someone using his full name was rarely a good sign.
“I’m calling to inform you that Whitney Blu has listed you as an emergency contact.”
His heart thudded hard against his ribs. The air around him stilled. “What? What happened? Was she in a car accident?”
He set his wire strippers down, already halfway to the door.
There was a pause on the other end. “No.”
“Is she okay?”
His voice pitched higher, panic rising as he abandoned his current job site.
“She’s at the hospital. Would you like me to inform them that you’re on your way?”
“Yes, tell them I’m coming now.”
He was already in his car, fumbling for the keys with one hand.
“She’s in room one-zero-three.”
“Fucking great,”
he muttered, his frustration slipping through as he threw the car into gear.
“Goodbye, Mr. Zemanek.”
The call clicked off, and Fade slammed his phone onto the passenger seat.
He gripped the steering wheel tightly, forcing himself not to speed even as his mind raced ahead of him. The drive was a blur, and he barely remembered turning off the engine before he was out of the car and charging through the hospital’s entrance. He bypassed the reception desk entirely, his feet moving on instinct toward the familiar hallway. When he reached room one-zero-three, he slowed only to twist the handle carefully, easing the door open with a quiet crack.
The room was dimly lit. His breath caught as he saw Whitney lying still in the hospital bed, her face pale and scratched, the steady beep of the heart monitor the only sound breaking the silence. Relief flooded him, but it did little to calm the ache in his chest. She was here. She was alive.
Behind him, the door opened again, and a doctor stepped inside. “You must be Fade Zemanek.”
“Yeah. What happened?”
His voice was tight, clipped. He needed answers.
The doctor tucked a folder under his arm. “It appears she fell.”
Fade frowned. “Fell? From where? Down a flight of stairs?”
“Actually… down the side of a mountain.”
The doctor’s tone stayed measured, but the weight of his words hit like a punch. “She was found about thirty feet down after a fourteen-foot drop near the solar panel field. Security received an alert when someone went up there, and they found her soon after.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“She should recover fully. She has a mild pelvic fracture, several cracked ribs, and required stitches on her back. Right now, she’s heavily sedated. The doctors want to evaluate her before she’s discharged.”
“Evaluate her?”
The doctor’s face softened. “Until it’s proven to be an accident, we have to consider the possibility of a suicide attempt.”
“What?”
Fade’s voice rose sharply. “No. She wouldn’t—she wouldn’t do that.”
The doctor only offered a sympathetic nod. “Sometimes the happiest people surprise us. Please, stay as long as you need.”
He gestured toward the chair beside Whitney’s bed and quietly left the room.
Fade sank into the chair, his fingers reaching for Whitney’s hand. He brushed his lips over each letter of the lady tattoo across her knuckles before pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Fuck, babe… I love you,”
he whispered, his voice breaking.
But even as he held her warm hand, doubt crept in. How well did he really know her? The thought made his chest tighten. He needed to call her brothers.
With a frustrated sigh, he realized his phone was still in the car. He didn’t want to leave her, even for a second, but he had no choice. Standing slowly, he stepped out into the hallway and headed toward the nurse’s station, spotting a petite brunette flipping through a chart.
She looked up with a friendly smile. “Hi, can I help you?”
“Yeah, uh, do you know Rachel? I… don’t know her last name.”
“I know Rachel,”
the nurse said with a nod. “She’s on lunch right now. Is there something you’d like me to pass along?”
“I need her to call her boyfriend and let him know his sister’s here.”
The nurse blinked in surprise. “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.”
But she still jotted down the message on a scrap of paper.
“Not surprised,”
Fade muttered under his breath.
“Got it,”
she said cheerfully, tucking the note away.
“Thanks.”
He hurried back to Whitney’s room, his heart aching as he settled beside her once more and took her limp hand in his. The silence felt heavier now. His mind whirled. Had the ongoing drama with her brothers pushed her this far? Or was it really just an accident?
He closed his eyes, brow furrowing as he rubbed at the tight crease forming there. They’d get this sorted out when she woke up. They’d get her whatever help she needed.
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Rachel stepped inside hesitantly. “Hey.”
Fade’s eyes flicked up to her. “Did you reach Orion?”
“Yeah. He’s heading over with Aldous.”
She held out a bottle of water. “Peace offering?”
He took it with a faint smile. “Thanks. Consider it forgotten.”
He didn’t want to hold a grudge but that didn’t mean he trusted her, either. Especially if she ended up his sister-in-law someday.
Rachel lingered near him. “Do you… think what I did had anything to do with this?”
“What?”
He blinked, startled. “I don’t think she jumped willingly. When I told her, she was more amused than mad after the initial shock.”
“I’m sorry,”
Rachel whispered, looking down at the floor. “For you know, what happened between us.”
Before Fade could respond, the twins entered the room. “What?”
Orion froze next to her.
“I’m sorry.”
Her eyes widened with shock and began to water.
“Let’s go for a walk.”
Orion pulled Rachel out of the room.
Aldous’s face tightened with worry as he moved to his sister’s side. “What happened?”
Fade exhaled slowly. “She fell off the solar field floor. They think she jumped. But I don’t believe that.”
“Jesus…”
Aldous’s forehead crinkled as he took in Whitney’s condition.
“Could you let Brittanya know? Maybe she can relay things to the others.”
Fade’s voice softened. “The doctor says she’ll be fine. Just some fractures and stitches. She should wake up soon.”
Another knock sounded at the door, and Amy stepped inside, holding Whitney’s purse and phone. “Hey, guys. How’s she doing?”
“She’ll be okay,”
Fade said, standing to greet her.
“I brought her things for when she wakes up,”
Amy said, setting them on the counter. “Everyone at the office heard what happened and we’re working on getting the footage from the solar field for the evaluation.”
“Thank you,”
Aldous said quietly.
“Yeah, thanks,”
Fade echoed.
“I can’t stay long,”
Amy added. “But if you guys need anything, dinner, whatever — just say the word.”
“We’re good, but thanks,”
Fade replied.
As Amy left, Aldous checked his phone. “Brittanya and June are planning to stop by around three, so hopefully she’ll be awake by then.”
He pulled a spare chair up across from Fade and sat. “You know… I’ve never seen Whitney so much herself. I know you and Orion have had your differences, but I think you’re good for her.”
“She missed you guys, it was hard on her.”
He adjusted his chair and sandwiched Whitney’s hand in both of his. “So, why are you so reserved and Whitney and Orion seem, not reserved?”
Aldous chuckled. “I think it’s because I never had to be, they stood up for me and I never got the option to be heard at home, between the both of their loud mouths. They’ve always been like that though, butting heads.”
Orion entered the room. “Hey.”
He looked at Fade. “Rachel told me.”
Aldous turned his face to his brother. “Told you what?”
“She tried to get Fade to sleep with her.”
His head tilted back. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. Are you done with her?”
Orion snorted. “No. I just became her personal stethoscope and checked her heart through her throat.”
“That’s not how those work.”
Aldous corrected him.
“Whatever.”
“I’m just saying that sexual innuendo doesn't make sense.”
Orion rolled his eyes. “I’m going to go grab lunch.”