CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
ASHER
The cabin was quiet, the kind of quiet that felt like it could stretch forever.
Outside, the wind rustled through the trees, and the faint chirping of crickets filtered through the open windows.
It was peaceful, serene even, but the stillness between Gael and me wasn’t. It had been months since we’d come here, months of uneasy coexistence.
At first, it was all I could do to hold onto the anger, to remind myself of what he’d done. How he’d taken away my choice, my life, and left me with a reality I hadn’t asked for.
But somewhere along the way, the edges of that anger had started to blur.
It was in the little things.
Like how he always made sure there was blood on hand for me, even when he went hungry.
Or how he’d fixed the porch railing after I’d leaned on it too hard and nearly fell through. How he gave me space when I needed it but was always there when I didn’t.
I didn’t even know when it happened, but one day I realized I’d forgotten why I was so angry at him in the first place.
The frustration, the resentment was still there, but it felt muted, almost distant. What replaced it was something I didn’t want to name. Something softer, more terrifying.
I watched him from across the room now, his figure outlined by the soft glow of the firelight.
He was sitting on the couch, his head bowed as he flipped through an old book he’d found in town.
His brow furrowed in concentration, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips when he came across something amusing.
I couldn’t look away.
How did he do it? How did he carry so much weight on his shoulders and still find a way to smile?
How did he make the smallest things, like sitting by the fire or patching up the cabin walls, feel like something monumental?
The tension between us lingered, unspoken but heavy.
I wanted to break it, to say something that would bridge the gap, but every time I opened my mouth, the words got caught in my throat.
Until tonight.
I stood, my heart pounding as I crossed the room. Gael didn’t look up, too engrossed in whatever he was reading. I hesitated for a moment, then cleared my throat.
He glanced up, his expression cautious. “What’s up?”
“Can I...?” I gestured to the spot on the couch beside him.
His eyes softened, and he shifted to make room. “Of course.”
I sat down, closer than I usually did. The fire crackled, filling the silence, and for a moment, I didn’t know where to start.
“I’ve been thinking,” I said finally, my voice low.
He closed the book, his full attention on me now.
“About what?” Gael asked.
“About us. About everything.”
