Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Maxinne
Zane was right. I love hiking. We’re only thirty minutes into the trail, and I haven’t stopped smiling once.
There’s something about being surrounded by nature that comforts me. Out here, the air smells fresh and alive. Towering oak and pine trees stretch toward the sky, their leaves whispering secrets in the wind, while ferns carpet the forest floor in soft, feathery layers.
I admire the way moss climbs up rocks and tree trunks. Every now and then, there are flashes of colorful wildflowers—trillium, bluets, and anemone—peeking out from the underbrush. Sven is having the best time chasing new scents and barking at anything that moves.
This is exactly what I needed today.
I crouch beside a cluster of tiny white blooms, brushing my fingers over the petals. “This one’s yarrow,” I say, glancing back at Zane. “It’s good for treating wounds, helping digestive issues, soothing skin inflammation, and so much more.”
Zane hums, but when I look up, his eyes aren’t on the plant. They’re on me. I clear my throat and push to my feet, brushing dirt from my hands as I move a few steps ahead.
“And this”—I gesture toward a patch of bright-green leaves near the trail—“is jewelweed. It’s what you want if you ever end up covered in poison ivy out here.”
“Good to know.” There’s a slight hitch in his voice that makes my stomach flip.
I glance at him again, noticing his gaze lingering a second too long before he looks away. Then the silence stretches, and when my eyes land on a cluster of ferns growing along the edge of the trail, I continue making small talk.
“Oh, and those are Christmas ferns. They stay green year-round, which is actually kind of spectacular when you think about it.”
I immediately cringe because, apparently, I really want to impress Zane, but I’m not sure why.
The last thing he probably wants right now is to hear me rant about plants, but I’m having a hard time being quiet.
The silence makes me a little uncomfortable and now that I’ve started talking, I can’t seem to stop.
“And those over there are trilliums. They’re one of my favorites. Well, maybe not my favorite-favorite. That spot is reserved for—”
I cut myself off when I realize I’m rambling, again, and heat creeps into my cheeks. Beside me, Zane lets out a faint laugh. At least he’s enjoying my social awkwardness.
There’s a change in him after running into his ex.
I hoped the prayer would have brought him some peace, but the moment we stepped onto this trail, he’s been quiet and hasn’t mentioned what happened in the outdoors store.
I wish I could help him untangle whatever’s weighing him down, because if anyone can understand how he feels, I think it’d be me.
I don’t know the details of Zane’s story, but I recognize that expression on his face of someone who’s trying to make sense of something that’s clearly still raw. I leave him be and return my focus on the hike.
An unexpected sense of awe settles over me as I admire the plants.
I don’t think I’ve ever stopped to consider that God intentionally created every single one of them.
If He took such care creating something as simple as a flower, what does that say about the people He made?
It has me wondering what else I’ve been missing all these years.
My thoughts are interrupted by the buzzing of my phone.
I reach into my back pocket and glance at the screen.
It’s my mom calling me for the third time today.
I know she’s worried about me, but ever since I arrived in Covewood, her check-ins have multiplied.
Every conversation starts with asking how Ashton’s doing and somehow ends with a reminder that summer will be over before I know it.
I let it ring until it goes to voicemail.
By the time we’ve hiked another quarter mile, I glance over at Zane walking quietly beside me, clearly lost within his own thoughts.
“Want to take a break?” I ask, veering off the path before Zane can protest.
He blinks, as if my voice cut through a fog he didn’t realize he was lost in. “Yeah—uh, yeah, if you need a break.”
“Oh, I could keep going for another hour at least,” I tease lightly. “You, on the other hand, look like you could use a moment.” I give him a small smile, hoping to reassure him, but his frown only deepens.
“Everything alright up there?” I ask, tapping a finger to my forehead.
He huffs out a breath. “Yeah, sorry.”
I lower myself to the ground and lean against a cedar tree, the bark cool and rough against my back. Sven is panting loudly, so Zane grabs a small bowl from his pack and pours him some water.
“You know,” I say as I unscrew the cap of my water bottle, “as someone who’s recently gained an ex myself, I’m here if you ever need someone to talk to.”
Zane sinks down across from me, resting his forearms on his knees. “I did say I’d explain what happened, didn’t I?”
“You did,” I say, the corner of my mouth lifting. “But you don’t have to. I just wanted you to know I’m a good listener.”
His shoulders settle. “Another trait you must share with your brother.”
“Oh, Ashton’s a great listener and has all the advice in the world to give,” I reply. “But getting him to listen to his own advice…now that’s the real battle.”
That earns me a laugh as he busies himself by searching through his backpack.
I take the opportunity to study him. He’s wearing dark-brown leather hiking boots with a splash of mud caked on the left toe.
His jeans hug his thighs, molding over the muscles hidden beneath the denim.
A red flannel shirt is unbuttoned over a simple white tee, the outer layer rolled to his elbows that reveal tanned forearms dusted with hair and…
A tattoo I didn’t notice before.
A butterfly, inked in black, sits right below the bend of his left arm. Its wings spread wide, except one is torn. The detail is delicate yet rough around the edges.
I don’t ask about it right away. I only stare for a second too long before my voice speaks up. “That’s beautiful.”
He looks up at me, studying my face, before following my gaze. “Oh…yeah.” He rubs a thumb over the ink, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “I got it a few years back.”
“Does it mean anything?”
His shoulders lift in a small shrug. “Something about how it’s not the end just because we break. My grandma always loved Butterflies, so getting this tattoo felt like a way to carry a piece of her with me too.”
I take off my smart watch and turn my arm over, reaching it out to show him the small butterfly tattoo on my wrist. Its wings fade into colorful, blooming flowers.
His eyes widen slightly. “You have one too.”
“Yeah.” I trace my tattoo with a fingertip. “I got it about a year ago. It means growing through change. How, sometimes, you have to fall apart before you transform into someone new.”
The air between us feels charged as Zane’s gaze lingers on my wrist. It slowly glides up my body until his hazel eyes meet mine, and it elicits a shiver from me.
“Guess we’re both butterflies with battle scars.” A small smile ghosts across his lips.
“Yeah,” I murmur, holding his gaze. “I guess we are.”
He lets out a slow breath, his jaw flexing before he looks away, and pushes himself up. “Come on, Butterfly.” The teasing in his voice returns enough to ease the tension. “We’ve got a trail to finish before it gets dark.”
I rise, shouldering my backpack, and we start walking again. Sven barks before he takes off ahead of us, disappearing around a bend. The forest floor is uneven beneath my boots, and the humidity settles against my skin like an extra layer I can’t peel off.
Zane’s footsteps fall in rhythm next to mine. There’s a quiet confidence in the way he moves, as if he belongs here. And standing near him makes me feel like I could belong here too. He glances back when I slow down, one brow lifting.
“You good?”
“Yeah,” I say, cautiously stepping over a tree root. “Just trying not to trip and faceplant on my first official hike of the season.”
“You’re doing good so far.”
“So far,” I repeat, but I catch the way his eyes linger before he turns back around.
The trail winds tighter now, and a bird calls somewhere above us, its cry echoing through the trees. I pause, tilting my head to listen, and Zane stops a few steps ahead to glance back at me.
“You hear that?” I ask.
He nods once. “Red-tailed hawk.”
I look at him, surprised. “You just know that?”
He shrugs like it’s nothing. “I grew up out here. I’ve picked up a few things.”
“That’s cool.”
We share a smile as we keep walking, and I gesture toward a cluster of green leaves near the trail.
“That’s plantain. It’s good for bug bites.”
He glances down then back at me. “Do you always spout off random plant facts?”
I smile sheepishly. “Only when I’m trying to impress someone.”
That gets a chuckle out of him.
“Is it working so far?” I ask.
His gaze flicks to mine. “Maybe.”
It’s only one word, but the way Zane says it has the air zinging with energy, causing my heart to pump completely out of rhythm.
Finally, the trees open up, revealing a glistening blueish-green lake.
The sunlight glitters across the surface, scattering rainbow hues back at us like a disco ball.
Dragonflies skim over the water’s surface, and the faint croak of frogs punctuates the quiet.
I take a breath, letting the fresh air fill my lungs, and for a moment, all of the chaos inside me stills.
We stand at the lake’s edge, our shadows stretching long behind us, soaking in the calm. Even though it’s nearing sunset, there’s a sunrise happening inside me, peeking over the horizon of my soul, lighting up all the dark spots.
“Wow,” I breathe out, taking in every inch of this moment.
“Yeah,” Zane replies softly beside me.