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“Not just troll,” he says, “Forest guardian. Ancient. Watch trees grow, die, grow again. Many cycles.”

“How many cycles?” I ask, suddenly curious about exactly how old he is.

“Many,” is all he says, but the look in his eyes speaks of centuries.

He reaches out one massive hand, hesitating inches from my face, asking permission without words. I should step back. I should maintain boundaries with the ancient forest monster who could snap me like a twig.

Instead, I nod.

His fingers, rough but warm like sun-heated stone, brush my cheek with astonishing gentleness. A small wildflower falls from his wrist onto my shoulder, and he stares at it with something like wonder.

“Beautiful,” he murmurs, and I’m not sure if he means the flower or me.

His thumb traces my jawline, tilting my face up toward his. I should be terrified. Instead, I’m leaning into his touch, my body betraying all rational thought.

“Your eyes,” he rumbles. “Like new leaves in spring.”

“Are you… Flirting with me?” I ask, breathless. “Because I’ve got to say, you’re surprisingly good at it for someone who talks like they’re rationing words.”

That almost-smile again. “Words. Overrated.”

So much for monster.

Oren is turning out to be the best—and most unexpected—company I’ve had in ages.

He shows me how to recognize animal tracks gracefully tracing the outline of a deer print. We hike through the forest, his pace slow so I can keep up. I expect him to be silent, but he surprises me by talking about his beloved forest and its inhabitants. His words are deliberate and thoughtful.

He points out how the light changes as the sun shifts, marking time without a watch or a clock.

“Forest knows,” he says when I comment on it. “Just listen.”

We stop by a stream to rest, and Oren sits beside me, the earth beneath him dipping with his weight. I think of the last time I sat this close to someone, and the memory needles at me until I shove it away. I’m far from that now—a world ago, surrounded by trees and light, and one strange, intriguing forest monster.

Oren dips his fingers into the water and lifts out a smooth stone, placing it in my palm. “For you,” he says, his eyes meeting mine with what I can only interpret as sincerity. The stone feels warm when his hand touches it, as if it holds the sun and the earth on its surface.

“Thanks,” I manage, my voice sounding small and human compared to his. “I’ve never seen anyone like you,” I admit, unsure if I’m talking about his size, age, or how he looks right through me.

“Never seen anyone like you either,” he replies. The sincerity in his voice makes my chest tighten. When was the last time someone looked at me like Oren does?

Never, if I’m being honest with myself.

“Oren,” I start, then realize I don’t know how to finish that sentence. What do you say to an ancient forest guardian who’s just given you a warm stone and made you feel more cherished in one afternoon than your ex did in three years of dating?

Oren simply nods, like he understands, and we sit there in comfortable silence.

We eat lunch, sharing the fruit and snacks I brought in my backpack. I offer him some granola, and he pops it into his mouth like a kid trying candy for the first time. He makes a face, and I laugh—a sound that feels so right here among the trees.

Then the afternoon stretches ahead of us, shimmering in the undergrowth, and we move again, deeper. He leads me to a patch of earth that looks no different from any other, but when he presses a massive hand to the ground, red mushrooms sproutup like magic, vibrant against the green. When I reach for one he stops me.

“Not safe,” he cautions.

“Right,” I say. “Wouldn’t want to poison myself before anyone gets the chance to murder me in this haunted forest.”

I swear I hear him chuckle—a deep, resonant sound. “Forest not haunted,” he says. “Just old.”

He shows me how to plant seeds, digging small holes with his fingers. Somewhere between the planting and the cover-up, I realize the hole in my chest doesn’t feel quite as raw as it did this morning. I don’t know if it’s the earth or the company, but it’s a relief I didn’t expect.

This day has healed my soul more than any app ever could.