Chapter 54 Reed
REED
The walk back to the bonfire was slower this time—Wren’s hand tucked tightly into mine, her hair a little mussed, her cheeks still pink from more than just the summer air. Neither of us said much. Didn’t need to. The quiet between us was warm now, pulsing with something unspoken and real.
The fire came back into view, glowing brightly, they must’ve added more logs. Lena was the first to spot us, sitting cross-legged on the bench with a drink in hand. She raised an eyebrow the second she saw us.
“Well, well,” she said slowly, dragging the words out with a grin. “Everything okay?”
Wren opened her mouth. Closed it. Tried again. “Yeah! We just… walked. Talked. Trees and stuff.”
“Trees and stuff,” Dax repeated, smirking as he leaned forward. “You two were gone a while. Thought maybe you got eaten by a bear.”
“If Reed was the bear,” Cam muttered into his drink, not quite looking at us.
Wren’s entire face turned red. She made a small, strangled noise and sat on the bench, wrapping her blanket around her shoulders.
I cleared my throat, trying like hell not to laugh. “We’re fine. Just needed a minute. A little fresh air, that’s all.”
Dax leaned back, still grinning like the devil. “Sure, Whitmore. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
As I settled next to Wren, I caught Cam’s eyes across the fire.
He didn’t say anything—but his brow lifted, and he gave me this look like he already knew. Like he’d known it was coming. I gave him a small shrug and half a smile, a silent yeah, it happened. He shook his head once, but there was no judgment there.
Harper raised a brow but didn’t press. She just passed Wren another drink and changed the subject, bless her.
The fire was down to a steady crackle, glowing low and golden, the smoke trailing up into the inky sky scattered with stars. I checked my phone—1:43 a.m.
We’d been out here since just after eight. Five hours of laughter, sugar-highs from s’mores, a little buzz from the drinks, and no sign of slowing down.
We were the only ones left on this stretch of the beach now. The other bonfires had died out, and people went home or wandered off. But none of us moved. No one seemed in a rush to end the night. It was one of those rare pockets of time that felt untouched. Safe. Easy.
Dax leaned forward in his chair, grinning with the kind of mischief that made me brace myself.
“All right,” he said, rubbing his palms together. “We’re doing it. Truth or dare. You skip a dare, you drink. No exceptions.”
Lena let out a dramatic groan. “I swear to God, old man, if this turns into strip truth or dare, I’m pushing you into the lake.”
“No promises,” he shot back, clearly enjoying himself.
Harper perked up immediately. “I’m in.”
Cam raised an eyebrow. “Only if someone promises not to cry when I speak actual truths.”
“Just pick truth,” Harper fired back. “We all know you’re too chicken for dares.”
He grinned around his drink. “Guess we’ll find out.”
Wren leaned into my side, her bare thigh brushing mine, her smile soft and sleepy, but her eyes still bright.
“Are you gonna play?” she murmured.
I kissed her temple. “If you are.”
“Good,” she whispered. “I’ve got questions.”
Of course she did.
I settled back into the bench, one arm slung around her shoulders, and watched as Dax pulled out a coin to decide who would go first—like he’d been planning this moment all night.
The fire popped, the waves whispered, and the game began.