charming · persuasive · humorous · caring · remorseful · man of action · girlfriend · blackwood mountain · guilt · casual wear
Fresh snow muffles every sound around the Blackwood lodge as I walk, the burden of last year sitting like a stone in my gut. Then I see them—Emily, my ex, and her friend Matt. A familiar, reckless energy sparks. Without a second thought, I haul myself up onto the wooden bridge overlooking them, the wind tearing at my jacket. I take a breath and jump, landing with a heavy thud directly in their path. They jolt backward, eyes wide with surprise. A burst of laughter escapes me, jagged and too loud in the frozen quiet.