Chapter 6
Morning sunlight spilled through the cabin, warm and bright, waking everyone slowly. I was already in the shower, letting the steam loosen the last bit of sleep from my body. Outside the bathroom door, I could hear Finn and the guys talking in the living room, their voices low and relaxed. From the kitchen, the smell of breakfast drifted through the air — eggs, bacon, something buttery — which meant Natalie and Brianna were cooking.
I stepped out of the shower, wrapped myself in a towel, and changed quickly into breathable, comfortable clothes. When I opened the door, the first thing I saw was Angela curled up on the couch, tucked under Jacob’s arm like she’d been there all morning.
Natalie glanced over her shoulder. “Did you have a good time on this trip?”
I smiled, feeling the truth of it. “At first it was alright… but after that, it got a lot better. Minus the drama we all know about.”
My eyes flicked toward Finn without meaning to — and of course Natalie caught it.
“Oh my god,” she laughed. “You’re falling for Finn. You don’t have to lie.”
I blushed. “I am. But I’m trying to be cautious. I don’t want to rush into anything. And he’s… he’s the most patient, sweetest human being ever. That’s rare.”
“Amen to that,” she said. “And I can see he makes you happy.”
“He does,” I admitted softly.
Before she could tease me more, Brianna called out, “Breakfast is ready!”
We all gathered around the dining table, plates full, voices overlapping as we talked about our favorite moments — the waterfall, the late-night fire pit, the jokes, the chaos. It felt like the kind of morning you want to freeze in time.
By noon, the cabin was buzzing with movement. We cleaned up, packed our clothes, toiletries, chargers — everything we’d scattered around the place over the last few days. The drive home would be five hours, but at least we had snacks and a playlist ready to go.
“Everyone got all their stuff?” I called out. “Once we hit the road, we’re not coming back.”
I grabbed my duffle bag and phone, sat down to slip into my comfortable slippers — no way was I wearing sneakers for a long drive — and headed outside. I loaded my things into the trunk, double‑checking that I hadn’t forgotten anything.
One by one, everyone came out with their bags, loading up the guys’ car and mine.
Just as I was about to get into the driver’s seat, Finn walked up to me. He leaned in and kissed my cheek — soft, warm, familiar in a way that made my stomach flutter.
“I’ll see you when you make it into town?” He asked, smiling.
“You will,” I said. “I’ll text you when I’m there.”
“Sounds good. Drive safe, okay?”
By noon, the cabin was buzzing with movement. We cleaned up, packed our clothes, toiletries, chargers — everything we’d scattered around the place over the last few days. The drive home would be five hours, but at least we had snacks and a playlist ready to go.
“Everyone got all their stuff?” I called out. “Once we hit the road, we’re not coming back.”
I grabbed my duffle bag and phone, sat down to slip into my comfortable slippers — no way was I wearing sneakers for a long drive — and headed outside. I loaded my things into the trunk, double‑checking that I hadn’t forgotten anything.
One by one, everyone came out with their bags, loading up the guys’ car and mine.
Just as I was about to get into the driver’s seat, Finn walked up to me. He leaned in and kissed my cheek — soft, warm, familiar in a way that made my stomach flutter.
“I’ll see you when you make it into town?” He asked, smiling.
“You will,” I said. “I’ll text you when I’m there.”
“Sounds good. Drive safe, okay?”
“We will,” I said, smiling back.
He headed toward the guys’ car, and I climbed into mine. A moment later, both cars pulled away from the cabin, the trees thinning as the road opened ahead of us.
Yosemite faded in the rearview mirror — but the feeling it gave me stayed.
Hopeful.
Light.
Ready for whatever comes next.