She went to the river alone.
A quick Uber ride and a short walk later, Nathalie found herself beneath the canopy of trees that framed the secret lake. It was quiet and serene. The air was warm but not stifling, and the hush of distant cicadas hummed like a lullaby.
The blue flowers were almost all gone now.
She stood by the old tree where they used to bloom the fullest in spring, her gaze trailing the faded petals on the ground. She remembered teaching Danny and Val how to weave wreath crowns from them, fingers sticky with stem juice and laughter echoing through the trees. Now… it felt like a distant memory, one she wasn't even sure had been real.
Fortunately, her heart didn't splinter at the thought anymore. Not like before. She'd come far. There had even been moments, brief ones… where she imagined loving someone else. But the fear always followed. Fear that they'd leave. That she'd be left behind again.
"I'd rather stay alone for now," she whispered to herself.
The sun had started to sink, casting golden-orange streaks across the lake's glassy surface. A gentle wind danced through the trees, lifting the ends of her dress and teasing her curls. She thought about texting Jason to ask if he was still coming but decided against it. If he wanted to come, he knew where to find her.
Instead, she turned her attention to the flower tree.
She scanned the branches and spotted a few small clusters of blue blossoms still clinging to the top. They looked fresh. Untouched. Perfect for weaving.
They were, of course, far too high.
"I wish Danny was here," she muttered as she kicked off her sandals and laid her bag and scarf over a low branch.
Thank God she had worn a firlly dress that was lightweight, and easy to move in. Climbing trees wasn't new to her. She and Danny had scaled their grandparents' apple trees more times than she could count.
This was nothing.
She grabbed hold of the lower branches and hoisted herself up with ease. Her knees scraped bark, but she barely noticed. Higher and higher she climbed, until she found a thick enough branch to support her weight. She inched forward, balancing carefully, and stretched her hand toward the nearest blue blossom.
Just a little more...
Snap.
The sound of a twig breaking below shattered her focus.
She jerked her head to look down—her balance slipped.
Her heart leapt into her throat.
A sharp scream tore from her lips as her foot lost grip and her hand slipped from the bark. Gravity took her fast. She instinctively curled into herself, bracing for impact, for pain, for grass and dirt.
But it never came.
Instead, she crashed into warm, strong, solid arms caught her mid-fall and held her tight as they both toppled gently into the underbrush. She blinked, stunned, her body tangled in limbs that weren't hers.
And for a moment, everything was still.
Then a voice, low and breathless, murmured, "Got you."
Jason?
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice low and breath brushing the shell of her ear.
Nathalie's face was buried in his chest, the soft cotton of his shirt clinging to the heat of his skin. He smelled of clean soap, summer sweat, and something entirely male wrapped around her, intoxicating in a way that made her heart thud against her ribs.
She didn't answer. Couldn't. Her breath was caught somewhere between her chest and her throat.
"You startled me," she finally whispered.
Jason chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through his chest. His hand slid beneath her chin, coaxing her face upwards until their eyes met.
The late golden sun painted everything in a surreal orange hue. His honey-brown eyes looked like molten amber, glowing against the backdrop of the shimmering lake and rustling leaves. Her gaze lingered, unintentionally slipping down to his soft lips, parted and inviting.
Her breath hitched.
Jason cleared his throat with a smirk, but Nathalie had already turned bright red. Embarrassed, she rolled out of his grip like a flustered beetle, making him laugh.
She stood, brushing dust from her dress and avoiding his gaze as she walked over to the riverbank. The water glittered under the sun's descent, sending flickers of light across her skin. The wind picked up gently, tugging at the hem of her skirt and lifting strands of her hair like they were part of the evening breeze itself.
"You came back," she said quietly, still facing the lake.
"Three days ago," he replied. He had sprawled out lazily on the grass, arms crossed behind his head, eyes following clouds. "Came to see my dad."
"Are you staying long?"
"Not really."
Then silence followed. Nathalie thought of what to say, but when she looked at his face, he seemed oddly at ease with himself which was very different from her. She was really trying hard not to pannic about how embarrased she felt and looked inorder not to end up making a fool of herself.
"You wanted to see me," she said, finally turning to him.
He smiled. "I hope you're not going to ask if I want you to forgive my cousin."
"I hope you're not going to ask me to."
"Why don't you try forgetting him?"
Her eyes dropped to the ground, and for a long pause, she said nothing. Then, quietly: "I've tried. It's just… it's not that easy."
The words surprised even her. She hadn't told Lisa. Hadn't told Danny. But somehow, Jason someone who had barely existed on the edges of her life felt like someone who could hold that truth without judgment.
Jason sat up. "Would you like to plot revenge?"
She laughed, shaking her head even as tears shimmered at the corners of her eyes. "I want him to be happy," she whispered.
Jason blinked in disbelief, then laughed a rich, disbelieving sound. "You're hilarious."
She turned to him, confused.
"You're actually serious," he said, sitting up to face her fully. She finally got a good look at him. Jason looked a lot different compared to the last time she had seen him three years ago, his jaw looked more squared and sharper, his shoulders were broader. The gentle curve of his lips was still there, but now they were framed by a quiet strength, something older, something… magnetic.
She blushed again and muttered, "You're stupid."
He grinned. "Been reading a lot of self-help books, have you?"
"So what if I have?"
"Would you really let him go after what he's done to you?"
"He followed his heart," she answered, trying to sound mature.
Jason laughed again. "Don't be a fool, Nathalie."
He stood and took a few slow steps toward her. She instinctively moved back, her feet crunching dry leaves beneath her sandals.
"You should be with me," he said quietly.
Nathalie froze, his words had caught her completely off guard. She blinked a few times to assert if she had been dreaming, but Jason still stood there.