Page 76 of Our Darkest Summer
The warm night breeze hit my face, and I let my eyes slip shut for a second before following him. The roof sloped gently, leading to a flat area that looked over both the forest and the lake. He laid out the blanket, sat down, then, without hesitation, pulled me down between his legs, my back pressing against his chest. I sucked in a breath at the sudden closeness. But instead of tensing, I melted into him.
The stars stretched wide above us, burning in a way that made the world feel endless.
“Where’s Connor?” I asked, my voice quiet, like the night itself demanded whispers.
“Downstairs.” His breath was warm against my ear.
“And Bo?—”
“Connor took care of it,” Thomas murmured before I could finish. His arms tightened slightly around me. “He changed the sheets in the guest room, too.”
I tensed. “I think I’ll just sleep on the couch.”
“You’ll sleep with me.” His voice was steady. “Except if you would prefer the couch.”
A shiver slid down my spine, but not from fear. I exhaled, my hands resting over his forearms. I shook my head. His room sounded perfect.
We sat in silence for a long moment, staring at the sky.
“Do you know why I love the stars?” Thomas murmured.
“Why?” I whispered back, barely breathing.
His gaze flickered to the sky, his fingers absently tracing patterns on my arm. “Because they don’t just shine. They burn. Some of them are so far away that by the time we see their light, they’re already gone. And yet, we still look up at them, still make wishes on them… like they’re eternal.”
I swallowed, following his gaze. “That’s kind of sad.”
“Maybe,” he admitted. “But I think it’s beautiful, too. The idea that something can still mean something, even when it’s not really there anymore.”
For a moment, we just sat there on the roof, staring at each other, until he moved, pointing at the night sky.
“There’s the Scorpius,” he said, and I turned to look, narrowing my eyes to see the constellation. “You see,” he breathed into my ear, “that bright red one is the Antares—the Scorpion’s heart.” His fingers caressed my skin, his touch featherlight but grounding.
My heartbeat quickened from his words as I studied the sky. When I finally noticed the constellation high above the dark forest, I tried to count all eighteen stars it contained, and the knot seemed to ease in my chest again.
“I never should’ve stopped talking to you, you know.”
I stilled. The words were so quiet, so unguarded, they barely felt real. But from the way Thomas’ fingers twitched against my arm, the way his breath caught just slightly, I knew they were.
A thousand thoughts rushed through my head at once.Then why? Why did you act like I didn’t even exist? Why did you leave me to wonder if I did something?
I swallowed, my throat tight. “Then why?—”
I felt his breath against my temple. He hesitated, and when he finally spoke, his voice was rough.
“Joshua knew I wouldn’t play along with theirplan, so he found a way to make sure I did.” He paused. “He threatened to sell this house… and I just couldn’t let him do that. Not yet.”
I froze.He what?
“He blackmailed you?”
“Something like that,” he blew out a long breath. “But I let him do it. And I hated myself for it. I still do.”
My throat tightened, something hot and sharp burning in my chest.
His forehead brushed against my shoulder. “You didn’t deserve the way I treated you. The way I… left… things.”
I swallowed hard, letting the weight of his words settle over me. The truth should’ve made it easier. It should’ve unraveled some of the knots that had been twisting in my chest for the past months.
