Page 8 of Begin Again

Morgan leans in conspiratorially. “Oh, trust me. This town has its fair share of secrets.”

Aubrey smirks. “That’s putting it lightly.”

He watches us closely like he’s cataloging every word. “Secrets, huh?” Bennett drums his fingers against the table. “Now that sounds like a story worth telling.”

The words hang in the air, heavier than they should.

I swirl the ice in my cup, the clink louder than it should be in the quiet that follows. He’s not just collecting quotes. He’s studying us with the kind of focus that doesn’t belong to a man chasing a deadline.

I take another sip of my coffee, studying him right back.

Shadow Grove might have been my fresh start.

But there’s a weight to Bennett’s gaze that makes me feel like he’s not just here for his article.

4

Selene

The sun sits high in the sapphire sky as I adjust the straps on Valkyrie’s harness. She wags her tail nub eagerly, her excitement practically vibrating through her sleek frame. I can’t help but smile—her enthusiasm is always infectious. And honestly, the idea of spending the day exploring a new trail has its appeal. Fresh air, quiet surroundings, and time to decompress after the whirlwind of finishing my latest project for Umbra? Yeah, I need this. A reset. A chance to breathe.

“Ready, girl?” I ask, clipping the leash to her harness.

She barks in response, bounding forward with the confidence of a creature who has no doubts about where she wants to be. Lucky her.

We leave the house and drive into town, the trail head begins just past the coffee shop so I parallel park in a spot where I can see in the front windows of the cafe. Not that I’m looking for anyone in particular. That would be ridiculous. A coincidence at best.

Nope.

That’d be a littletoostalkerish.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and exhale slowly.It’s fine.It’s just a cafe. Just a window. Just a guy.

I tell myself I won’t look

Sighing, I grab my backpack with my supplies and crawl out of the front seat of my Subaru. Valkyrie tramples close behind. After clipping her harness to the leash, I head toward the sidewalk.

I tell myself I won’t look.

Okay, I looked.

My gaze flicks toward the window. The cafe is empty in the front.Nothing.

Disappointing… not that I care.

Before I can contemplate going in, Valkyrie yips at me.‘Get a move on,’I can hear her say. She’s right. We have places to be.

Valkyrie does not play when it comes to walks. Especially when she gets to go off-leash in nature.

We walk past the trail map into the winding trail. I love walking through the grove of aspen trees, their leaves shimmering like tiny coins in the sunlight, the earthy scent of pine mixed with the faint sweetness of wildflowers as we climb higher, the forest canopy offering a cool refuge from the sun’s heat.

Valkyrie leads the way, occasionally pausing to sniff at a scent that catches her attention or look back at me, her sleek red fur reflecting the dappled light. I let her set the pace, enjoying the rhythmic crunch of our footsteps on the gravel path and the occasional birdsong echoing through the trees.

The path eventually opens up to a clearing, revealing a lake that looks almost too perfect to be real. Its surface is smooth and reflective, like a giant mirror capturing the deep greens of the surrounding pines and the bright blue sky above. A gentle breeze sends ripples across the water, and the sound of wind rustling through the trees is soothing, like nature’s version of white noise.

I inhale deeply, letting the calmness settle over me. For the first time in a while, I feel like I can exhale. It’s moments like these that make the move to Shadow Grove feel like the right choice.

“What do you think, girl?” I ask, unclipping her leash.

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