Author's Preface
[Cont.]
[Annie]
The morning light filtering through the heavy drapes of Suite 4 does nothing to soften my mood.
Oliver is already awake when I sit up on the plush king bed.
He’s standing near the small coffee station, wearing a fresh black sweater and looking thoroughly apologetic.
"Annie, look," he starts immediately, stepping forward with a mug of coffee in his hands. "About last night—I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have given in to the group like that. The guys were pushing, and I just got caught up in the moment. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
I pull my blanket aside and stand up, keeping my back to him as I grab my clothes from the bag. "It's fine, Oliver. I just want to get through today."
"Are you still mad?" he asks, trailing slightly behind me as I head toward the bathroom. "I can go talk to Dave and Evan, tell them to tone down the teasing—"
"I said it's fine," I cut him off, stepping into the bathroom and turning the knob. "I need to get ready."
I lock the door before he can respond.
[ *** ]
Breakfast down on the main terrace is uncomfortable from the start.
The morning air is crisp, but the atmosphere around the patio tables feels stifling.
I keep my attention firmly fixed on my plate and my phone screen, answering Evan and Sarah's cheerful chatter with brief, polite nods.
Whenever James walks nearby or tries to catch my eye while passing the coffee bar, I turn away—either asking Sarah a question about the resort or stepping away to "check a work email."
He makes a subtle attempt at small talk while I'm pouring juice, stepping up beside me with a low, "Morning, Annie."
I don't even look up.
I simply cap the glass bottle, set it down, and walk away without a word.
[ *** ]
By mid-afternoon, right after a quick buffet lunch, the resort staff gathers everyone near the trailhead behind the main lodge.
"Alright, team!" Evan calls out, holding up a laminated trail map. "The trail to Sunset Point is about a forty-minute hike up the ridge. The path is marked, but it splits near the midpoint. We’ll all meet at the summit for the sunset views and a champagne toast!"
Cheers and light applause ripple through the group of couples.
People start lacing up their hiking boots and adjusting their light daypacks.
While Oliver steps over to the front desk to grab a pair of trekking poles, I stand near the edge of the terrace, double-checking the offline trail map on my phone.
A shadow falls across my screen.
"Annie," James says, his voice low enough that it doesn't carry to the rest of the group.
I don't look up from the map. "I'm busy, James."
"You don't have to dodge me all day," he says quietly, stepping an inch closer. "I'm not trying to cause a scene."
"Then don't talk to me," I reply coldly, tapping my screen to lock it. I finally turn to face him, keeping my voice flat. "I have nothing to say to you."
James holds my gaze, his expression completely guarded, but there is a sharp edge of intent in his eyes. "I'm only saying this once because we're up here. Be careful with Oliver."
I stare at him, a harsh, bitter laugh rising in my throat. "Ex-cus-e me?"
"He's not what he seems," James says softly, completely unbothered by my tone. "I know him from back in the day. He doesn't have a good reputation with women, Annie. He plays a very specific game."
A surge of genuine irritation flashes through me.
I take a step toward him, my eyes narrowing. "That is rich coming from you. You're standing here at a private resort with your partner, trying to lecture me about another man's character?"
He doesn't flinch. "Annie—"
"You of all people don't get to warn me about anyone," I bite out, keeping my voice down so the others don't hear. "Mind your own business, James. I can take care of myself. I don't need your protection, and I certainly don't need your advice."
James looks at me for a quiet, heavy second.
He doesn't get angry; he just absorbs the hit with a slow, faint nod. "You're right. It sounds ridiculous coming from me. But I'm not telling you this to score points, Annie. I'm telling you because I know him, and I know how he operates."
"I'm done with this conversation," I say sharply, turning my back on him.
"Let's go, everyone!" Sarah shouts cheerfully from the trailhead. "See you all at the top!"
James gives me one last, quiet look before turning back toward Lily, who loops her arm through his with a wide smile.
The group disperses into pairs, stringing out along the narrow dirt path that leads upward into the blue pines.
Oliver jogs up beside me, adjusting his daypack straps.
"Ready? Evan said the first half mile is a bit steep, but we should make great time."
"Let's just get this over with," I say, stepping onto the dirt trail ahead of him.
[ *** ]
The forest is quiet, the air cool and filled with the scent of pine needles, but my head is pounding.
All I want is for this weekend to end—to get through this hike, survive the sunset toast, sleep in that room with Oliver one last time, and drive back to the city tomorrow morning.
[ *** ]
As the trail steepens, I pull out my phone to keep an eye on the GPS path and the remaining distance.
"So," Oliver starts, walking half a step behind me on the narrow path. "The scenery out here is pretty incredible, right? We should really do more of these weekend trips. Maybe head up to the lake district next month."
I keep walking, my eyes fixed on the terrain ahead. "I have three major client pitches next month, Oliver. I won't have time."
"Right, right, work," he says smoothly.
He stays quiet for maybe thirty seconds before he clears his throat.
"Hey, about earlier... you were really quiet during lunch. Are you sure you're not still annoyed about the kiss last night? I mean, it was just a harmless party dare, Annie. Everyone was doing it."
Whatever patience I had left disappears.
I stop dead in my tracks and spin around to face him on the trail.
"Oliver, stop," I say, my voice razor-sharp. "I am trying to navigate this route and get to the top of this hill. I don't want to talk about last night, I don't want to discuss next month, and I don't want to hear another apology."
He blinks, startled by the sudden flash of heat in my eyes. "Annie, I was just—"
"Please just focus on the trail," I interrupt, turning back around and picking up my pace. "Let's just reach the hilltop as fast as possible."
Oliver slows his pace until we're walking side by side where the trail opens up.
"You know," he says, gesturing toward a narrow, unpaved offshoot that veers off to the right, hidden behind a cluster of overgrown briars. "We can take this shortcut. It cuts right through the forest ridge and saves us at least fifteen minutes."
I pause, looking at the overgrown trail, then down at the offline map on my phone.
The offshoot isn't marked. "How do you know about a shortcut?"
"I've been on this trek before, way before this trip," He says, offering a confident smile. "I hired the resort guide last time, and he showed me this path. It leads straight up to the peak."
I glance at the main trail, then back at him, wanting nothing more than to get this entire day over with. "Fine. Lead the way."
"Follow me," he says, stepping over the tangled roots and taking the lead.
I follow a few paces behind.
At first, the ground is firm, but as we move deeper into the trees, the faint path dissolves into thick underbrush, dense pine needles, and jagged rocks.
The sunlight filtering through the canopy thins out, casting long, dim shadows across the forest floor.
My stomach tightens.
A feeling of dread starts settling in my chest, but I keep my face blank, refusing to let Oliver see me waver.
I pull up my sleeve and check my watch.
Thirty minutes have already passed since we took the shortcut.
Yet there’s no sign of the summit, no voices in the distance, and no hint of an exit—just an increasingly rough, suffocating stretch of dense forest.
My heart hammers against my ribs.
"Oliver," I call out, my voice tight despite my best efforts to keep it steady. "Are you sure about this path? Are you sure you're taking the right way?"
He half-turns, looking back at me over his shoulder with an easy, unbothered grin. "Of course I am. I know where I'm going, Annie. Just trust me."
He keeps throwing lighthearted comments over his shoulder about the resort, the weather, and his plans for dinner.
I barely hear him.
My focus is entirely consumed by the looming dark trees and the sinking feeling in my stomach.
Suddenly, Oliver stops and turns around fully, studying my expression with a faint, searching look.
"What's with the face, Annie? Are you doubtful of my intentions? Or are you actually scared?"
The question catches me off guard.
A chill runs down my spine, but I force my expression to stay flat.
"I'm not scared," I say coolly, keeping my chin up. "I just want to get this hike done with as soon as possible. So if you know the way, please quickly lead."
I reach into my pocket to pull out my phone, hoping to re-check the GPS, but the screen displays two words: No Service.
The surge of panic hits harder this time.
Unzipping the front compartment of my daypack, I slip my hand inside and curl my fingers around the small, heavy metal cylinder of my emergency flashlight.
I grip it tightly, taking a little comfort in having something solid to hold onto—just in case.
The sky above the tree canopy begins to turn a bruised, dusky orange.
The sun is already dipping low, casting deep, disorienting shadows through the woods.
"Oliver, seriously, is this the right way?" I ask again, my knuckles white inside my pocket.
"Annie, I told you, trust me," he says easily, waving a hand dismissively as he pushes past a thick branch. "We're almost there."
I play it as coolly as I can, swallowing down the lump in my throat and keeping a few feet behind him.
Finally, after more than an hour of navigating the steep, dark brush, the dense treeline suddenly breaks.
We step out onto the wide, rocky expanse of the hilltop.
The cool mountain air hits my face, and the warm, golden light of the setting sun floods the plateau.
A few yards ahead, the rest of the group is already gathered near the stone edge, holding glasses of champagne, laughing and chatting.
"What kept you two?" Evan calls out, holding up a bottle of champagne as Oliver and I step onto the rocky plateau. "We were starting to think you got lost in the pine ridge! Took you more than an hour."
"Did you two stop for a little detour?" Dave teases, raising an eyebrow with a playful smirk.
A few light laughs spread through the group as Sarah pours wine into crystal glasses.
I don't say a word and ignore the teasing.
My chest is heaving, my throat dry, and my hands still trembling as I pull my fingers out of my daypack pocket.
In, out.
I focus on my breathing, calming the cold spike of adrenaline still humming under my skin.
Everyone is laughing—everyone except James.
He stands near the far stone wall with a glass in hand, Lily beside him.
He isn't joining in on the jokes or even smiling.
His gaze rests directly on me.
He probably knows something is wrong, but I refuse to look back at him.
I grab a bottle of water from a nearby refreshment table, unscrew the cap with shaky fingers, and focus solely on grounding myself.
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