Page 10

Tessa

I couldn’t wait to tell Max about my day.

I’d officially survived my first day teaching fourth grade, and I loved it more than I ever expected to. Those kids were chaos and energy and heart, and they somehow made me forget about every fear I had about starting over.

They were loud. They were weird. They asked questions that had absolutely nothing to do with fractions, but I loved them for it.

I’d even made it through a hamster-related crisis without crying. That had to count for something.

When I pulled into the B&B, I didn’t see Max’s truck. For a second, my heart dipped—silly, really, how used I’d already gotten to seeing it parked beside mine like it belonged there.

I heard voices out back and made my way around the house.

Fraiser and Max stood by the outdoor kitchen. I smiled as I walked closer, about to call out—until I heard my name.

“…let her down easy if you’re afraid of hurting her feelings,” Fraiser was saying. “You have to be gentle. Tessa’s been through a lot. I’ve gotta head out. I’ll see you later.”

I froze.

Max didn’t say anything. He just stood there, looking down at the table between them. And in that silence, I heard everything.

I turned around and walked away before they saw me.

By the time I reached the stairs, my hands were shaking.

I told myself I was being dramatic. That maybe I’d misheard. That maybe it wasn’t about me.

But deep down, I knew.

I made it to my room, shut the door quietly, and leaned against it.

I hadn’t meant to fall for him. I’d told myself I was just passing through, just starting over, just trying to breathe again.

But I did fall. And somehow, I let myself fall fast and hard—in a few weeks.

And now?

Now I had to pretend I didn’t.

I didn’t plan on hiding in my room all night. I really didn’t. But the thought of facing him, of hearing him tell me gently that the past few days meant less to him than they did to me…

I couldn’t.

If he says anything, I’ll laugh. I’ll play it off. I’ll make a joke and brush it aside like it was nothing.

Like I’m nothing.

Because I refuse to be the girl who falls apart again.