He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I’m not saying you can’t handle it. But I know from experience that it’s easier to face the unknown when you’re not doing it alone. In the Marines, we never went into a situation blind. Clearing a space as a team wasn’t about fear—it was about confidence. I just want you to feel secure.”
Her back was still to him, but he saw her head dip slightly, her fingers fidgeting with her keys. She didn’t answer, and Bear pressed on, his voice softer now. “You don’t have to do it all on your own, Joy. And you don’t have to pretend everything’s fine. Not with me.”
Finally, she turned, her green eyes dark with something he couldn’t quite read. “I can handle it, Bear. I have to.”
Before he could respond, she slipped the rest of the way up the steps, unlocking the door with quick, jerky movements. She paused just long enough to glance back at him, her expression a mix of apology and resolve. Then she stepped inside and closed the door softly, the lock clicking into place.
Bear stood staring at the door for a long moment. He exhaled slowly, turning to head back down the walk. She could shut him out tonight, but he wasn’t giving up.
Not on her.
Chapter3
The cold seeped through the car windows, a silent reminder of why Joy had no business being here. Her breath misted up the glass as she peeked out at the gathering crowd near Pike’s Peak quarry lake.
She wasn’t surprised to see that nearly every Oak Creek resident under the age of sixty was here. And Bear was right; it all had started with her.
She slumped farther into the driver’s seat, the weight of her memories pressing down on her. At fourteen, she hadn’t thought twice about stripping down to her bra and panties and leaping into the icy lake on a dare. It had been a reckless, wild moment that had sparked a bonfire and, unknowingly, a town tradition. Every year since, the crowd had grown bigger, the event more official.
And every year, Joy had been there, plunging in with everyone else. She’d never once missed it. Not even three years ago when she’d already had a cold and jumping into the frigid water had meant she was out of work for nearly a week afterward. This had beenhertradition, and she’d been proud to lead the nonsense.
But now…
Now, the very thought of stepping out of the car made her stomach churn. The attack had stripped her down to a raw, fragile version of herself she barely recognized and definitely didn’t like.
The car door creaked as she forced it open slightly. The cold air bit at her cheeks, but she stayed rooted to the seat.
The sound of laughter and the excited chatter of the crowd carried over the wind. A few people jogged past her car, their energy electric, their anticipation clear. Normally, she’d be right there with them, leading the charge, hyping everyone up. But right now, she just felt like a stranger in her own skin.
She gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white against the cold, cracked leather. She hadn’t come here for the thrill of the plunge. Not really. She was here because staying in that damn house for one more second today wasn’t an option.
The walls had been closing in on her, suffocating her with their silence, with the memories lurking in every shadow. She couldn’t sit in that tiny playhouse in the backyard either, bundled in blankets, pretending she wasn’t afraid of her own damn home.
She’d had to get out. Had to do something,anything, to prove she was still part of the world.
And if she was honest, she was here because Bear had asked her to come. She couldn’t resist that.
She hated how much sway he had over her, how just the thought of seeing him made her stomach flip. Walking home with him last night had been the best she’d felt all day. He was concerned about her, but he didn’t treat her like she was fragile, didn’t look at her with pity. He just…was Bear.
Steady. Solid.Bear.
Last night, walking home had been the closest she’d felt to normal in a long time. But when he’d wanted to come inside, her pulse had spiked. One step over that threshold into her house and he would’ve seen the truth.
How bad things really were. How she was barely hanging on.
She couldn’t let that happen.
A sharp knock on her window startled her out of her spiral. Her heart jumped, but when she turned, relief washed over her. Amari Lindstrom stood outside her car, bundled in a bright-red coat, her face lit with a smile that could chase away even the darkest clouds.
“Amari!” Joy exclaimed, fumbling to open the door the rest of the way. She stepped out into the cold, wrapping her arms around her childhood friend.
Amari squeezed her tightly, the embrace grounding Joy in a way she hadn’t expected. “I was hoping I’d run into you! I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw your car.”
“I can’t believe you’re here!” Joy pulled back, grinning despite the knot of anxiety still lodged in her chest. “What are you doing in Oak Creek? Aren’t you supposed to be performing heart transplants or something?”
Amari laughed. “Not quite yet. I’m in the middle of my residency, but I managed to snag a four-day mini-break. I’ll be working Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, so I figured I’d come home while I could. Spend some time with my parents and Theo and Eva.” She motioned toward the crowd near the lake. “They’re all here. Planning to make the jump.”
“Of course they are,” Joy said with a chuckle. “You Lindstroms are all a little crazy.”
