Chapter 4
Evening settled over the cabin in soft shades of gold and pink, the sun dipping behind the trees as the air cooled. The day had been… a lot. Finding out, Chase somehow got my new number had thrown me off more than I wanted to admit. I didn’t want drama on this trip. I didn’t want him to invade my peace again.
But Jacob confessed. And he looked genuinely guilty.
I found him inside the cabin, curled up on the couch with Angela tucked under his arm. I stepped closer.
“Hey, Jacob,” I said quietly. “Thank you for telling me the truth about giving him my number. And for apologizing. I’m sorry I snapped earlier.”
He turned toward me, expression soft. “No, you had every right to be mad. I shouldn’t have given it to him. I didn’t think.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I wasn’t there. And it’s done. Let’s just put it behind us.”
Evening settled over the cabin in soft shades of gold and pink, the sun dipping behind the trees as the air cooled. The day had been… a lot. Finding out Chase somehow got my new number had thrown me off more than I wanted to admit. I didn’t want drama on this trip. I didn’t want him invading my peace again.
But Jacob had confessed. And he’d looked genuinely guilty.
I found him inside the cabin, curled up on the couch with Angela tucked under his arm. I stepped closer.
“Hey, Jacob,” I said quietly. “Thank you for telling me the truth about giving him my number. And for apologizing. I’m sorry I snapped earlier.”
He turned toward me, expression soft. “No, you had every right to be mad. I shouldn’t have given it to him. I didn’t think.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “I wasn’t there. And it’s done. Let’s just put it behind us.”
The air was cooler now; the sky is shifting into deep blues. I sat in one of the chairs by the fire pit, letting the quiet settle around me. The kind of quiet that feels like a reset.
Footsteps approached, and when I turned, Finn was walking toward me.
“Hello, stranger,” I teased, giggling lightly.
He smiled. “Hey, girly. What are you doing out here?” He crouched down to start setting up the fire pit.
“Just needed fresh air,” I said. “Angela wanted alone time with Jacob.”
He glanced toward the cabin, eyebrows raised. “Didn’t think they’d hit it off.”
“Neither did I,” I said. “But anything can happen.”
“You make a good point.” He finished lighting the fire, and the flames crackled to life. “There. Now we can see.”
He sat beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth of the fire and him.
“I’m curious about something…” I said.
He raised an eyebrow. “About what?”
“Is Finn short for something? Or is it just… Finn?”
He relaxed, smiling. “It’s short for Finnegan. But I go by Finn because it’s easier. You can call me either.”
“That’s a name you don’t hear often,” I said. “I like it.”
“Thank you.”
I leaned back, looking up at the sky. Stars were beginning to appear, scattered like glitter across velvet.
“The night sky is pretty,” I murmured.
“Like you,” he said softly.
Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Thank you. That’s sweet.”
He hesitated, then spoke with a quiet honesty that made my chest tighten. “You deserve all the compliments. And I know it’s weird because we’re friends… but I’m starting to fall for you.”
He reached for my hand slowly, giving me time to pull away. I didn’t. Our fingers intertwined, warm, and steady.
“I’m beginning to fall for you too,” I admitted. “But I don’t want to rush into anything. And Chase…” My voice faltered. “He wants me back. And part of me still has feelings for him. I hate that. I don’t want to go through that cycle again. I just want to be happy.”
Sadness crept into my chest, heavy and familiar. Finn noticed immediately. He gently lifted my chin, guiding my eyes to his.
“Hey,” he said softly. “Everything is going to be okay. I get where your heart is. He hurt you. He ditched you. He chose Evelyn and left you in the dust. But I’m here. I’ve got your back. Always.”
His voice was steady, grounding.
“You’re right,” I whispered. “I don’t need him. He has her. I don’t know why he suddenly needs me again. This trip… it’s helped me clear my head. Being here with all of you. Making memories.”
Finn leaned in.
And this time, I didn’t hesitate.
Our lips met — soft, warm, certain. Butterflies exploded in my stomach, the good kind, the kind that felt like hope instead of fear. His hand cupped my cheek, gentle but sure, and I smiled against his mouth.
When we finally pulled back, he looked at me with a grin that made my heart flutter.
“How do you feel now?” he asked.
I laughed quietly. “You gave me butterflies. The good kind.”
We talked a little longer, letting the fire crackle between us. When the flames died down, Finn put it out, and we headed back inside.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt something new blooming in my chest.
Something that wasn’t pain.
Something that felt like a possibility.