Page 54 of Unbearable

Her smile was slightly strained, but sincere. “I’m glad you told me. And I’m glad you had them, even through the hard times.” I squeezed her hand gently, unable to form any more words but grateful for her understanding.

I felt a familiar sense of ease that Dotty always managed to bring out in me. It was moments like these, with laughter, easy conversation, and simply enjoying each other’s company, that reminded me how much I missed her in my life over the last ten years. I only hoped she felt the same.

I stole a glance at her from the corner of my eye, watching the way the late afternoon light danced across her freckled cheeks. The golden hour cast shadows on the gentle curve of her jaw and the delicate slope of her nose.

Looking at Dotty, I saw the sun. I saw light and hope and warmth all wrapped up into one being, and it seemed like a fucking miracle how all of that could be encapsulated into one single person.

And now, as she sat next to me, that same warmth radiated through the truck cab, a gentle glow that seemed to fill the space whenever she was around. I found myself subconsciously rubbing the spot on my chest, where my tattoo sat inked on my skin below my shirt.

Maybe she was the sun—the light, the hope, and the warmth—of the entire world.

But I had a feeling that it might have just beenmyworld.

NINETEEN

Dotty

IMGONNAGETYOUBACK - TAYLOR SWIFT

We steppedthrough the doors of the quaint boutique hotel. The aroma of fresh flowers and polished wood greeted us, casting a welcoming spell over the cozy lobby.

I had been to Mount Leston a few times over the years but had never set foot in the Leston Lodge. Trent mentioned that Mark’s family owned the hotel, and he had basically grown up here.

We approached the front desk as the receptionist smiled at us. “Good evening. Welcome to the Leston Lodge. How can I assist you?” she asked.

“Hi, I have a reservation under Trenton Akers for two rooms,” Trent said, handing over his driver’s license.

Her smile faltered before she consulted her computer screen. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Akers, but it seems we had a slight mix-up with the wedding bookings. Mark spoke to me, and we changed your two rooms to one room instead to make room for some other guests. There are two queen beds in the room. I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Trent and I exchanged a quick glance before I broke thesilence. “It’s fine. I don’t mind. We share a space at your house anyway.”

He looked back at the receptionist. “That shouldn’t be a problem. We’ll make it work. Thanks.”

She nodded, her expression apologetic as she handed over the room key. “There is a bottle of champagne for the inconvenience. If there is anything else we can do to make your stay more comfortable, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

As we made our way to the elevator, the sound of laughter and music drifted down the hallway. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nervousness and anticipation building in the pit of my stomach. The elevator doors opened, and Trent ushered me in, placing his hand on the small of my back.

The room was charmingly rustic chic with dark wood accents, floral wallpaper, and,thankfully,two beds. Sharing a room hadn’t been part of my original plan, but with Woodstone Falls hours away, an escape route was out of the question.

Trent had offered to let me use the bathroom first, so I took a quick shower, hoping the hot water might help calm my nerves.

It did not.

Pushing down the whirlpool of anxiety manifesting in my stomach, I grabbed my pajamas and made my way out of the bathroom.

“All yours,” I called out to Trent, avoiding his gaze.

He cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

Lying down on the plush white bed, I let out a sigh. There was a nagging sense of unease that lingered in mybody. As I closed my eyes, I let the soft embrace of the pillow envelop me and drifted off.

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

I groaned. “Turn it off.” I rolled over, shoving the pillow over my head to cover my ears, even though it made little difference.

“Sorry,” Trent grumbled, finally turning off his alarm.

“Why did you set an alarm?” I grabbed my phone off the nightstand. “Seven in the morning on a weekend?”

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