Page 3 of (Un)Spoken

That tends to happen when you’re cut out of someone’s life.

The thought rang out in my head before I could stop it, and I was glad it hadn’t escaped my lips. I was trying so hard to let go of my resentment toward Cole, to escape the bitterness that overcame me when I thought of the past few years—of all the times when I needed him, only for him to ignore my calls or scold me for interrupting yet another one of his benders.

But now that his life was more settled, he was making more of an effort. Even if he had found a home in town so far from our family, I was happy for him. He was making a life for himself. It just sucked that we were strangers in each other’s worlds.

Cole grabbed my bag, leading me toward the dark blue Jeep. He nodded to the missing roof. “I’ve got the soft top back here if the wind’s too much. Alex likes to keep it off all summer. Apparently, winter comes in fast, so she tries to soak up as much warmth as she can.”

Alex. His fiancée. The one who often popped up in our weekly chats, but I had yet to meet in person. I chewed on my lower lip. “Are you sure she’s cool with me coming up this early?”

Cole chuckled, “Are you kidding? She was bummed you didn’t fly up with Mom and Dad. She’s dying to meet you.”

That brought me a little relief, but I was still nervous. Besides my parents, everyone would be a stranger. What had Cole told them about me? Even though I knew I hadreasons for cutting off contact with Cole, he would always be my brother. Did people hate me for placing boundaries between us? Did they judge me for being so harsh with him? Without both sides of the story, I could see me quickly becoming the villain—the bitter sister who refused to let go of past pain.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away as I clicked on my seat belt. Even if that was the case, I was only here for a week. I’d dealt with worse judgment than that. As I turned my mind to more positive thoughts, Cole switched on the engine, and a familiar song blasted through the speakers. I couldn’t help but smile. “Your terrible taste in music hasn’t changed.”

He chuffed. “Not even here a minute and already giving me shit.”

“You know you love it,” I said absentmindedly, searching through my purse for my sunglasses.

“I do.”

The somber tone in Cole’s voice made my gaze snap in his direction, searching his eyes for the source of his tone. As he looked at me, I could see the regret lurking beneath the surface. All the doubts I’d had about coming to New York started to melt away. It was hard living without him for so long. As much as I knew I did it for the right reasons, it felt like a piece of me snapped back into place when he hugged me tight.

Without a second thought, I reached out, taking his hand in mine. “I missed you, big brother.”

“Missed you more, trouble.”

TWO

After a couple of hours on the highway, I finally spotted the exit sign for Saint Stephen’s Lake. With my eyes glued to the windows, I couldn’t help but smile as we crossed into its borders. No wonder Cole was so entranced by this place. With the sun shining and the dozens of happy people on the sidewalk, it felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a Hallmark movie. The town was so quaint, with its aged brick buildings, vintage flower pots, and street lamps. People waved as we passed by, and Cole did the same. After each one, he’d stop and tell me their name, and it was clear he was a part of this community.

I could only nod, returning my gaze to the world around us. While I loved the tiny town we grew up in, it was miles and miles of grassy farmland. Seeing the mountains and water was a different but welcome sight.

We kept driving until we reached the edge of the lake. The coastline was lined with various motorboats and people coming in and out of the water. Sailboats coasted in the distance, their colorful flags painting a sharp contrast against the greenery of the surrounding mountains. Next tothe beach, there were a few small food stands, pop-ups that probably only came with the summer tourists. And even though the season was practically at its end, you would never know it driving through this town. It was like a postcard come to life.

We drove down the road a little longer until we reached a sign for the Fox Creek Lodge. Although it was my first time visiting, it felt like I already knew every inch of it. During our initial conversations, Cole filled the silence by telling me all about Fox Creek, showing me their planned renovations and the options they were considering. I soon became invested in its progress, and Cole sent me constant pictures whenever they crossed another item off their list. To be honest, I’d had my doubts that it would ever open based on the sheer size of the project, but almost three months ago, it opened its doors for the first time, with a steady stream of guests ever since. Many guests had already booked stays for next year. Cole radiated with pride when he talked about Fox Creek and even more when he spoke about how Alex was running it. While my brother was the unofficial handyman, she was the one in charge, ensuring the guests had a pleasant stay.

We drove past the main lodge, a large structure at the edge of the property. The building housed Alex’s office, their check-in station, and a casual restaurant for the guests to enjoy. Plans to add rooms to the second floor were made, but after renovating all the cabins, Cole and Alex decided to hold off on that for a couple more years.

Looking at the main lodge, the front looked like a typical wood cabin, complete with a wrap-around porch and swing. The side facing the lake, though, was all windows framed by black supports, giving it more of a modern edge. From the dining room, you could see almostall of Saint Stephen’s Lake, a sight that drew many people in for meals, even if they weren’t staying on the property.

Cole hit the blinker, passing the parking lot to follow a gravel road. Behind the main lodge was a large clearing, complete with a pavilion in the middle. On the outskirts of the property sat twelve cabins, all in a similar style to the main lodge, just on a much smaller scale. Each cabin’s path was lined with bright blooms, and sunflowers grew tall around the edges.

Cole slowed down the truck as we reached the furthest one, tucked in the corner of the woods. You could barely see it from the road because trees surrounded it on one side. On the other, there was a short path to a rocky beach on the edge of the lake. As I climbed out of the cab, I stared at the water, letting out the breath I’d been holding all day.

“I thought you’d like this one,” Cole admitted, running his hand over the back of his head. “It's the most private.” He pointed to the edge of the forest. “And there’s a break in the trees so you can see the sunrise over the lake in the morning.”

“It’s perfect.”

As my brother grabbed my suitcase, I moved to the front door and let myself inside. There was a small kitchenette immediately when you walked in, with a vintage-looking fridge and a peninsula for seating. Behind that was an archway that led into the bedroom. As I walked toward the bed, the back window caught my eye, and I let out a small gasp. I stepped out onto the wooden porch, pressing my hands onto ledge. The lake filled my entire view. You could see the mountains, the boats, and even some of the small islands in the middle of the water. It was a hidden paradise, and it was all mine for the next seven days.

“Hey, Tor, where do you want this stuff?”

“Bedroom, please!” I called out as I walked back inside, leaving the patio door open to let in the fresh breeze. In my haste to get outside, I’d walked right past the king-sized bed in the middle of the room. My hand sunk into the white comforter, and a loud groan left my lips. Was it too early to take a nap?

Cole chuckled as he placed my suitcase next to the dresser. “It’s even comfier than it looks. After Alex picked it out, we ordered one for home, too.” He paused, shifting on his feet. “What do you think?”

Even though he was trying to play it cool, I could tell Cole was nervous. He constantly shuffled his feet and ran his hand through his hair when he was trying to play it cool. It had to be hard to open his world to the rest of us. My parents had already been through here, and I could only imagine what they thought.

---