Page 35 of Falling Again For My Best Friend's Brother

The moment stretched out between us, fragile and full of promise. Trevor's eyes searched mine, and I wondered if he could see my longing, hope, and fear.

Then, just as quickly as it had come, the moment passed. Trevor stepped back, clearing his throat, and I let my hand drop.

As I walked around the yard, picking up stray paintballs and tossing them into a bucket, I caught snippets of a conversation between Trevor and his friend Donovan.

"...time to move on, man. You can't keep living in the past." Donovan's voice was low but insistent.

Trevor sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. It's just...not that easy, you know?"

"But you've got to try. You deserve to be happy and to have a future. And that future isn't going to be found in the past."

I froze, my heart stuttering in my chest. Were they talking about...me? About us? The thought sent a chill down my spine, and suddenly, I couldn't hear anything over the rushing sound in my ears.

I must have made some noise because Trevor's head snapped up, his eyes meeting mine across the yard. For a moment, we just stared at each other.

Then, I tore my gaze away, mumbling something about needing to check on the rosebushes. I hurried off, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

As I knelt beside the flowers, my mind raced. Was Trevor planning to leave Rivermint Cove? To leave...me? The thought was like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless and aching.

I thought we'd been making progress, that we were building something real and lasting. But now...now, I wasn't so sure.

"Amelia?" Trevor's voice startled me, and I hastily wiped at my eyes before turning to face him.

"Hey." My voice sounded thin and brittle, even to my ears.

"You okay? You look a little pale." Trevor's brow furrowed in concern, and he reached out as if to touch my face.

I flinched back, and his hand dropped to his side. "I'm fine. Just...tired, I guess. It's been a long day."

Trevor nodded, but I could tell he wasn't entirely convinced. "Yeah, I guess it has. But it was fun, right?"

I forced a smile. "Yeah. It was."

But even as I said the words, I couldn't help but wonder if it was all just a lie. Suppose everything we'd shared and built was nothing more than a house of cards, ready to come tumbling down at the slightest breeze.

I walked back to the house, my ankle twinging with each step, a physical manifestation of the ache in my heart. Inside, the silence felt oppressive, and I couldn't bear to be alone with my thoughts.

Almost without thinking, I reached for my phone and dialed Emily's number. She answered on the second ring, her voice bright and bubbly.

"Hey, Amelia! How's it going?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but the words stuck in my throat. Suddenly, I was fighting back tears, my vision blurring as I tried to speak.

"Em..." I managed, my voice cracking.

"Amelia? What's wrong?" Emily's tone shifted immediately, concern lacing every word.

And then it all came pouring out—the paintball game, the overheard conversation, my fears, doubts, and insecurities. Emily listened patiently, making sympathetic noises and offering words of comfort.

"I just...I don't know what to do," I admitted, my voice small and lost. "I thought we were in a good place, but now I'm not so sure."

"Oh, honey." Emily's voice was gentle and soothing. "I know it's scary, but you can't let your fears control you. You have to talk to him, Amelia. You have to tell him how you feel."

I swallowed hard, my throat tight with emotion. "But what if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he is planning to leave?"

"Then at least you'll know." Emily's voice was firm, unyielding. "But you can't live in limbo like this, Amelia. It's not fair to either of you."

I knew she was right, but the thought of confronting Trevor, laying my heart on the line, and risking rejection terrified me.

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