Page 18 of To Her

Geri

I had been at the resort for well over four weeks now, and Alex's texts had started to dwindle.

I knew they would—distance wasn't for everyone, and I was forgetting him quicker than he was forgetting me.

I had, in fact, gotten a text from Matt yesterday asking how I was and if I would like to come see him.

I was yet to reply. Did I want to see him?

I had been doing really well when I wasn't allowing my brain to think of him, so I had decided to just ignore it for now and assess it later.

I had been asked to cover a shift at the bar—one I hadn't yet worked in—but I liked money and had started a nice savings since I arrived here. Not paying for city living was good.

I settled into working in the bar easily, pouring drinks and talking to patrons.

The atmosphere was lively, with skiers coming in after a day on the slopes, their faces flushed from cold and exertion.

The tips were flowing as freely as the alcohol, and I found myself enjoying the change of pace from the restaurant.

I walked over to serve the next group of people when I realized it was Con's brother, Cam. Dammit.

His eyes lit up when he saw me, and he said, "Hey."

I said “hey” back and asked what he wanted. I had managed to avoid him at all costs the past few weeks. He was just as cruel to others as he was to me, and I'd decided he was just that type of person.

"Whiskey, neat. And two beers," he said, his gaze never leaving my face.

I grabbed his drinks, then walked them back over to him, handing them off when he said, "Can I ask you something?"

I looked at the twinkle in his eyes and knew he was up to something, but I said, "Sure, why not."

He leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly. "When are you going to date my brother?"

I looked at him and said, "What?"

"You know he likes you, right?" Cam continued, taking a sip of his whiskey. "You're the first girl he has actually liked in a long time."

I laughed at that and said, "He goes on dates all the time. I'm sure that's not true."

"He only goes on dates to try to get over you," Cam replied, "because he knows you don't feel the same."

I stopped and stared at him. "What? That can't be true."

Cam leaned in again and said, "Listen here, girl.

I've known him my whole life. He doesn't just like you—my brother is madly in love with you, and you're just stringing him along at every turn you get.

So stop. Tell him you don't like him so I can mend his broken heart now, not later when it will hurt more. "

I was struck dumb. Con loves me? What the fuck?

The revelation hit me like an avalanche, sudden and overwhelming. Con—my friend, my confidant, the person who had made this whole transition bearable—was in love with me? How had I missed it? And more importantly, how did I feel about it?

"I... I need to get back to work," I stammered, turning away from Cam's knowing smirk.

For the rest of my shift, I moved on autopilot, pouring drinks and making small talk while my mind raced.

Every interaction I'd had with Con over the past weeks played back in my head, now tinged with this new knowledge.

The way he always made time for me, how he'd taught me to ski again with endless patience, the hot chocolate waiting for me at the bottom of every run, the seat he always saved for me at the pub.

Had it been obvious to everyone but me? Was I really that blind?

By the time my shift ended, I was a mess of conflicting emotions.

Part of me was flattered—Con was kind, attractive, stable.

Everything I should want in a man. But another part of me was terrified.

I'd come here to find myself, not to jump into another relationship.

And what if Cam was wrong? What if this was just his way of messing with me?

I stepped out into the cold night air, pulling my jacket tighter around me. The sky was clear with stars scattered like diamonds across the darkness. I decided to take walk before heading to bed, needing the time to clear my head.

"Geri!"

I froze at the sound of Con's voice. Of course he would be here now, when I was least prepared to face him.

"Hey," I said, turning to see him jogging toward me, his breath visible in the cold air.

"How was your shift?" he asked, falling into step beside me. "Cam said he saw you at the bar."

My heart skipped. "Did he say anything else?"

Con gave me a curious look. "No, should he have?"

"No," I said quickly. "It was just a normal shift."

We walked in silence for a moment, the snow crunching beneath our boots. I stole glances at him, trying to see if what Cam had said was true. Did Con look at me differently than he looked at other people? Did his eyes linger a second too long? Did his smile hold a secret meaning?

"You okay?" Con asked, breaking into my thoughts. "You seem... distracted."

"I got a text from Matt yesterday," I blurted out, immediately regretting bringing it up. But I needed to talk about something, anything other than what Cam had told me.

Con's expression darkened slightly. "What did he want?"

"To see me," I said with a shrug. "I haven't replied."

"Are you going to?"

I looked at Con, really looked at him. Was that concern in his eyes? Or something deeper?

"I don't know," I admitted. "Part of me is curious, but... I've been doing so well here. I don't want to go backward."

Con nodded, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the street lamps. "You deserve better than him, Geri."

"Do I?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop it.

He stopped walking and turned to face me. "Yes," he said firmly. "You deserve someone who sees how amazing you are. Someone who wouldn't dream of ghosting you or playing games with your heart. Someone who would choose you every single day."

My breath caught in my throat. The intensity in his eyes, the conviction in his voice—was this what Cam was talking about?

"Someone like you?" I whispered, the words hanging in the frosty air between us.

Con's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, I thought I'd made a terrible mistake. But then his expression softened, and he reached out, his gloved hand gently brushing a strand of hair from my face.

"I would never hurt you, Geri," he said softly. "Not if I could help it."

It wasn't a declaration of love, but it wasn't a denial either. My heart pounded in my chest as we stood there, the moment stretching between us like a thread pulled taut.

"I should get back," I said finally, breaking the spell. "Early shift tomorrow."

Con nodded, dropping his hand. "I'll walk you."

We continued in silence, the tension between us palpable. When we reached my hotel, I turned to say goodnight, but the words died on my lips as I saw the look in his eyes—a mixture of hope and fear that mirrored my own conflicted feelings.

"Goodnight, Geri," he said, his voice low.

"Goodnight, Con," I replied, slipping inside before I could do something impulsive, like kiss him or run away.

Back in my room, I found Lily already asleep, her soft snores filling the small space. I changed into my pyjamas and climbed into bed, but sleep eluded me. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

If Con did love me, what did that mean for our friendship? Could I risk losing that for something more? And did I even feel the same way? I cared for him deeply, trusted him more than almost anyone, enjoyed his company... but was that love?

And then there was Matt's text, sitting unanswered on my phone.

A part of me—a small, stubborn part that refused to learn its lesson—still wondered what could have been if things had been different.

If he hadn't ghosted me, if he hadn't had another girlfriend, if he had been the person I initially thought he was.

And Alex, whose texts were becoming less frequent but still arrived daily, a reminder of the passionate but ultimately shallow connection we'd shared.

Three men, three different types of relationships, three different versions of myself reflected back at me.

The girl who fell for the wrong guy and got her heart broken.

The woman who sought physical comfort and validation.

And now, potentially, someone new—someone who might be ready for something real, something lasting.

But was I ready? Had I found enough of myself here in the mountains to know what I truly wanted?

I stared at the ceiling, watching shadows play across it as clouds passed over the moon outside.

The revelation about Con's feelings had shaken me more than I wanted to admit.

It was one thing to come here and find myself, to build a life independent of romantic entanglements.

It was another thing entirely to discover that someone I genuinely cared about might want more from me than friendship.

The question wasn't just whether Con loved me, or whether I could love him back. The question was whether I was ready to risk my heart again, with anyone.

As I finally drifted toward sleep, one thought kept circling in my mind: What if Cam was wrong? What if this was all a misunderstanding, or worse, a deliberate attempt to create drama?

I needed to know the truth, but I was terrified of what that truth might be—and what it might mean for the fragile peace I'd found here in the mountains.