Page 74 of The Proximity Effect

The silence that followed was different from our usual tense quiet. It was reflective and heavy, like the moment before a verdict is read—when everything could change with a single word.

“I don’t want to let him down. Not again.” I’d been letting him down for the past three months and had a lot to make up for.

“We won’t.” Liam’s voice held a certainty I hadn’t heard from him since we’d reconnected. “We can’t.”

“So what do we do?” Evan leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “How do we... where do we even start?”

I thought about Tessa, about how she’d somehow managed to crack open the doors we’d all slammed shut. About how the resort was starting to feel less like a burden and more like an opportunity. About Gavin’s faith in us.

“We start by being honest.” I met their eyes. “About everything. The resort, our plans, Tessa...”

“Tessa.” Liam’s expression softened at her name. “She’s part of this now, too.”

I stood up, walking to the window that overlooked the snow-covered grounds. The resort Gavin had loved so much spread out before me, full of potential and possibility.

“Then let’s do this right.” I turned back to face them. “For Gavin. For Tessa. For us.”

The nods I received in return held more meaning than any legal contract I’d ever drafted. Gavin had believed in us enough to entrust us with his legacy. The least we could do was prove him right.

We had a second chance at friendship, at success, at happiness. And this time, we weren’t going to waste it.

Tessa wiped down the last of the stainless-steel counters after the Valentine’s Day dinner rush that had left us all slightly delirious. Usually, I thought Valentine’s Day was a complete and utter waste of time, but this year things were different. The resort was at max capacity, the restaurant fully booked, and we now had a reason to celebrate the holiday.

Tessa had returned after a few days away with a small cargo trailer behind her car and moved in above Sweet Cheeks Bakery. It was a small space, but she seemed happy with her decision for now. We were already planning on looking for a bigger space, and when she was ready, she could move in with us.

“Last dish done!” Evan held up a sparkling clean pan like it was Olympic gold.

Liam collected the last of the clean utensils. “Only took you an hour longer than the actual dishwasher would have.”

“Quality over speed, my friend.” Evan grinned, nearly dropping the pan as he attempted to spin it like a basketball. I fought the urge to snatch it from him before he could damage either the pan or himself.

Tessa shook her head, failing to hide her smile as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “Thank you for helping to clean up. We had it handled, but it was a nice surprise to let the staff go early.”

“We’re full of surprises.” I pulled a black silk scarf from my pocket.

Her eyebrows shot up. “What are you up to?” She backed away playfully, bumping into Liam, who had strategically positioned himself behind her. His timing was perfect. We had barely discussed the plan, but he read the room flawlessly.

“Trust us?” Liam’s lips brushed against the shell of her ear.

She hesitated only a moment. “Against my better judgment, yes.” Her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

I stepped forward, carefully wrapping the silk blindfold around her eyes. “Too tight?”

“No, it’s perfect.” Her breath hitched as my fingers grazed her neck. “But if you’re planning to murder me, just know there are security cameras everywhere.”

Evan laughed, taking one of her hands while I took the other. “Murder would be terrible for our Yelp reviews.”

We guided her carefully through the resort, taking the service elevator to avoid guests. Liam went ahead to do one final check of our surprise. I found myself grateful for the staff who had helped set everything up while we were busy in the kitchen.

I slowed as we approached the French doors leading to the private glass-enclosed terrace guests could rent out. The sky was clear and a pristine blanket of snow reflected the moonlight. It was perfect—better than I had dared hope for.

“Okay, seriously, where are we going?” Her grip tightened. “Because I’m getting serious horror movie vibes right now.”

“Almost there.” I positioned her in the perfect spot as Liam gave us a thumbs-up from where he stood by the elaborate picnic setup, looking pleased with himself.

Evan squeezed her other hand. “Ready?”

At her nod, I untied the blindfold, letting it fall away slowly. Her sound of surprise was worth every minute of planning.

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