Page 8 of An Unexpected Everything
“I know,” I said quickly, too quickly. “Don’t tell them okay? You’re the only one who knows.”
“I hate more secrets. Considering that you’re angry with Mom about keeping them.”
“That’s completely different. This is about my past. Not about them.”
“Maybe. But you know you can always lean on us.”
“I know that. Just startled me is all. I’m going to go home and be safe. I promise.”
“Text me when you’re home.”
“Okay.”
“Think about telling the others, okay? And there’s something else you aren’t telling me, but I’ll let you have it.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me as well,” I shot back.
“Well it seems that we are the Cages after all. Secrets and everything.”
With a look of regret on his face, Kyler kissed the top of my head, hugged me tightly, and helped me into my car.
“Text me,” he said again.
I nodded and headed home. It was only later that I realized I hadn’t told him about Cage Lake. Or seeing Weston. My siblings knew of Weston, I hadn’t been able to hold back my love for him. Kyler had even met him once. But that had been a long time ago and we were all different people now.
I was so tired. Of everything. Fighting with my mother, being worried about William and his letter. And I was tired because I hadn’t slept well for the past three nights. Not since I had seen Weston. I couldn’t believe he was in Cage Lake. After all of these years, that’s where he had run off to.
I had loved him. He’d been every part of my soul.
And then he had left me with a note.
Yet seeing him reminded me exactly where I needed to be—safe, alone, and not dealing with the threads of my past that had worn beyond who I’d thought I could be. There was nothing left for me with Weston. That was something I had learned long ago, something I needed to grip on to if I wanted to make it through these weeks.
Even if it killed me to do so.
Chapter Three
WESTON
Spring in Coloradocould mean anything in terms of weather and mood. A blizzard. A rainstorm. A scorching hot day. A pleasant day where all you need is a light jacket.
Or usually, all of the above within one twenty-four-hour period.
Today was a decent day. The sun was shining and there didn’t seem to be a cloud in the sky as of yet. And though I could feel the sun on my skin, it was still crisp enough that I wore a long sleeve Henley and had already taken off my leather jacket. As I passed by other town residents, I figured each of us had decided a similar route. Layers upon layers, and hoping it didn’t snow again. I was tired of snow. However, considering where I lived, and the elevation itself, I should be over it by now.
Cage Lake was situated right against Champagne Peak, a tall mountain within the Rocky Mountains themselves. A little past the foothills, and up the winding I70, the town had been here for a few generations. Of course, it hadn’t always looked like its current incarnation, but progress happened everywhere it seemed.
I wasn’t in the mood to deal with my town however, because with all small towns came a thousand questions about your day,your plans, or if you had ‘heard the recent news’. I had no idea what the recent news was, but I had a feeling one of the locals or tourists would do something of note and the good intentioned whisper network would be at its peak. I honestly didn’t care much about gossip unless it had to do with my family.
And didn’t that make me sound like the grumpy asshole I was?
I woke up that morning with yet another hard on and I could only blame one person. It had been years since I had seen Isabella Cage Dixon, and yet with one encounter, she was once again the center of my dreams, the showcase in every temptation I wanted to ignore. Which of course, was a lie. She’d always been there. Just…not so present. Not so fresh.
The dreams had once only been of what we’d lost, what we couldn’t have. I’d dream of the moments where we couldn’t let go, then when I’d been forced to before we were ready. The dream last night, however? That had been all about the moments in between. The moments where it had beengood.
The dream had started in a different place, however. A place where she’d been on the edge of a cliff once again but I hadn’t been quick enough. Or I hadn’t decided to walk down that path at that time.
I swallowed hard as I walked down Main Street toward the Rise and Cage bakery. Images of Bella’s fingers losing their grip, rocks falling down over her, and those wide, beautiful blue eyes staring up at me in horror confounded into nightmare after nightmare.
