The idea of Whit by her side felt like the start of something truly beautiful.
Whit turned to her, his gaze soft and intense. He gently cupped her cheek, leaning in slowly. Lila’s breath hitched, her heart pounding as he closed the distance between them. Just as their lips were about to meet, the front door burst open, and a chorus of giggles filled the room.
“Mom, we’re home!” Camille’s voice rang out, followed by the sound of several teenage girls chattering excitedly.
Lila and Whit quickly pulled apart, both of them flustered.
Camille entered the living room with her friends, her eyes widening when she saw Whit sitting so close to her mother. “Oh! Hi, Dr. Calloway. I forgot you were coming for dinner.”
Whit cleared his throat, standing up and giving Lila a sheepish smile. “Hey, Camille. We were just…catching up after work.”
Camille glanced between them, a knowing look in her eyes. “Right. Well, these are my friends, Ashley, Brooke, and Jenna. We’re just going to hang out in my room for a bit.”
The girls waved and smiled, trying to stifle their giggles as they followed Camille down the hall.
Lila could feel her face burning with embarrassment. “Sorry about that,” she said, trying to laugh it off.
Whit chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “No need to apologize. They’re great kids.”
Lila sighed, feeling both relief and disappointment at the interruption. “Yeah, they are. Maybe we can pick this up another time?”
Whit nodded, his eyes still holding that same warmth and affection. “I’d like that. Very much.”
As he gathered his things to leave, Whit turned back to her at the door. “Goodnight, Lila. And thanks for dinner. It was perfect.”
“Goodnight, Whit,” she replied, watching as he walked to his car. She closed the door, leaning against it for a moment, her mind racing with the events of the evening.
From down the hall, she could hear Camille and her friends laughing and talking, oblivious to the moment they had interrupted.
Lila smiled to herself, feeling a sense of hope and excitement for the future. She knew that whatever happened next, she was ready to embrace it with open arms. And as she turned off the lights and headed to bed, her thoughts were filled with the promise of what could be with Whit Calloway.
For the first time in a long time, Lila lay in bed, a soft smile playing on her lips as she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of new beginnings and the unexpected joys of life.
21
Lila adjusted the straps of her backpack, taking a deep breath of the crisp morning air. The trailhead was quiet this early; the only sounds the chirping of birds and the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze. The Tetons loomed majestically in the background, their snow-capped peaks glowing in the soft light of dawn.
As she hiked, the familiar crunch of gravel under her boots provided a comforting rhythm. The path wound through dense forests of pine and fir, the earthy smell of the forest floor mingling with the fresh, clean scent of mountain air. She loved this place, where the world felt both vast and intimate, and where every step brought her a little closer to the peace she sought.
As she climbed higher, the forest began to thin, and the views opened up. Lila paused for a moment to take in the sight. The valley spread out below her, a patchwork of green and gold, with Phelps Lake glinting in the sunlight. She could see the small town of Thunder Mountain in the far distance, a reminder of the life waiting for her down there, but up here, it felt a world away.
The trail steepened as she neared her favorite lookout point, a rocky outcrop that jutted over the valley. The last stretch was always the hardest, but the reward at the end made it worth every step. Finally, she reached the top, breathing hard but smiling. She set down her backpack and stood at the edge, looking over the breathtaking panorama.
The Tetons stretched before her; their rugged peaks framed by a sky so blue it seemed almost unreal. She could hear the distant roar of a waterfall and the occasional call of an eagle soaring overhead. The air was cooler up here, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers and pine sap.
Lila sat down on a flat rock, hugging her knees to her chest. This was her sanctuary, the place where she escaped when she needed to think, to sort out her tangled thoughts and feelings. She closed her eyes and let the tranquility of nature in its purest form wash over her.
Memories of her husband surfaced, intertwining with her uncertainties about Whit Calloway. The years alone had dragged by, each one feeling interminable, but now, everything seemed to be changing at a dizzying pace.
Up here, those worries seemed smaller, more manageable. She opened her eyes and looked out at the vast landscape, feeling a sense of calm settle over her. Whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew she could face them. She’d learned the importance of endurance, resilience, and the strength to continue moving forward, one step at a time.
Lila closed her eyes, feeling the presence of the mountains around her as if they were silently bearing witness to the conversation she needed to have. She took a deep breath and quietly began to speak. “Aaron, I’ve missed you terribly. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of you. You were my rock, my partner, my everything.”
Her voice trembled as she continued. “I’ll never forget you. Your laugh, your strength, the way you could make everything better with just a look. You’ve been my anchor all these years, even in your absence. But…something’s happening, something I didn’t expect.”
She paused, looking heavenward, searching for the right words. “I’ve met someone, Aaron. His name is Whit Calloway. He’s…complicated, frustrating, and everything I didn’t know I needed. He challenges me and makes me feel alive in ways I haven’t felt since you. And it scares me because I never thought I could feel this way again.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she pressed on. “I’m not asking to forget you or to replace you. But I need to know that it’s okay for me to move on. To find happiness again, even if it’s different from what we had.”
