Bella's phone rang at exactly 8:17 a.m.
She knew the time because she was already awake, staring at the ceiling, listening to the faint sounds of the cabin coming to life—the kettle heating, floorboards creaking, Lily humming softly somewhere down the hall. Morning had arrived gently, but the sound of her phone cut through it like a blade.
She reached for it slowly.
Mia flashed across the screen.
Her chest tightened.
Mia was her best friend. Her anchor in the city. The person who knew everything—especially the things Bella tried to outrun when she came to Silver Pine.
Bella hesitated, then answered.
"Hey," she said quietly.
"Finally," Mia replied. "I was starting to think you fell off a mountain."
Bella smiled faintly. "Something like that."
They talked for a minute about nothing important—the weather, the holidays, a mutual friend's terrible online dating story. But Bella could hear it in Mia's pauses, the way she circled closer to the real reason for calling.
"So," Mia said eventually. "Are you coming back soon?"
Bella's gaze drifted to the window. Snow clung to the trees, heavy and beautiful. The cabin looked peaceful in the early light.
"I don't know yet."
A pause. Then, gently, "Bella… your landlord called. He's asking if you're renewing the lease."
The words landed harder than Bella expected.
"Oh," she said.
"And your client from the branding project emailed again," Mia continued. "They want revisions before New Year's. Big ones."
Bella closed her eyes.
The city hadn't stopped just because she left.
"I'll handle it," Bella said, though she wasn't sure how yet.
"Are you okay?" Mia asked softly. "You sound… different."
Bella swallowed. "I am okay. I just—needed space. And I found it."
There was a smile in Mia's voice now. "Did you?"
"Yes."
"And… someone?"
Bella hesitated.
"Yes," she admitted.
Mia laughed softly. "I knew it. Is he good to you?"
Bella thought of Ethan's quiet patience. His careful honesty. The way he looked at Lily like she was the center of his world.
"Yes," Bella said. "He is."
When the call ended, Bella sat there for a long moment, phone resting in her palm.
Reality had arrived.
And it was asking questions.
⸻
Ethan noticed the change immediately.
Bella was quieter at breakfast, stirring her oatmeal without eating much. Lily chattered happily about a book she wanted to read later, unaware of the subtle shift in the room.
"You okay?" Ethan asked casually, but his eyes were sharp with concern.
Bella nodded. "Just… thinking."
"City stuff?" he asked.
She glanced at him, surprised. "How did you—"
"You get that look," he said. "Like part of you is somewhere else."
Bella sighed. "I got a call. My life didn't pause while I was here."
Ethan nodded slowly. "It never does."
"I might have to go back sooner than I thought."
The words felt heavy as soon as she said them.
Lily froze mid-bite. "Go back… where?"
Bella forced a smile. "Home."
Lily's lower lip trembled before she could stop it. "But… you said you were staying a little longer."
"I am," Bella said quickly. "I'm not leaving today."
Ethan reached over and squeezed Lily's hand gently. "Bella's just talking about plans, peanut."
Lily nodded, but her eyes stayed fixed on Bella.
After breakfast, Lily went to her room to draw. The cabin felt suddenly too quiet.
Ethan leaned against the counter. "You don't have to soften it for me."
Bella met his gaze. "I don't want to hurt anyone."
"You won't," he said. "But you also can't disappear from your life."
"I know."
They stood there, the space between them filled with things neither wanted to rush but couldn't ignore anymore.
"I don't expect you to stay," Ethan said quietly. "I never did."
"That's not fair," Bella replied. "You don't expect anything. Ever."
He gave a small, sad smile. "It's safer that way."
Bella's chest tightened. "Not always."
⸻
Later that afternoon, Bella stepped outside alone.
She walked slowly through the snow, letting the cold clear her head. The mountain air felt honest—no pretense, no rush. She thought about her apartment, her unfinished projects, the routines she'd built to keep herself steady.
She also thought about Lily's laugh. Ethan's careful hands. The way the cabin felt like something she hadn't known she was missing.
She wasn't running anymore.
But she wasn't ready to abandon everything either.
When she returned, Ethan was in the living room repairing a loose cabinet hinge. Lily sat nearby, coloring quietly.
"You're good with your hands," Bella said, leaning against the doorway.
Ethan glanced up. "You learn when you have to fix things yourself."
Bella smiled faintly. "You've fixed more than you realize."
His gaze held hers for a moment longer than necessary.
That night, after Lily went to bed, Bella and Ethan sat by the fire again.
"I don't want this to be a holiday bubble," Bella said finally. "I don't want us to pretend this only exists because it's Christmas."
Ethan nodded. "Neither do I."
"But I also don't know how to fit into your life here," she admitted. "And I don't know how you'd fit into mine."
"That doesn't mean we shouldn't try," he said.
She searched his face. "You're really saying that?"
"Yes," he said firmly. "Not recklessly. Not fast. But honestly."
Bella's breath caught. "Then I need to go back to the city for a bit."
The words hurt to say.
Ethan didn't flinch. He didn't argue.
"Okay," he said.
"Not to leave you," she added quickly. "But to make sure I'm not choosing this because I'm hiding."
Ethan nodded slowly. "That makes sense."
She reached for his hand. "Will you be here when I come back?"
He squeezed her fingers. "Yes."
No grand promises. No pressure.
Just truth.
⸻
The next morning, Bella booked her return ticket.
Lily watched quietly as Bella packed her bag.
"You're coming back," Lily said, not asking.
"Yes," Bella said firmly. "I promise."
Lily nodded, satisfied. "Okay."
At the door, Bella hesitated.
Ethan stood there, hands in his pockets, eyes steady.
"This isn't goodbye," Bella said.
"No," he agreed. "It's just… see you soon."
She stepped closer and hugged him.
This time, he held her back without hesitation.
As she walked away, Bella looked back once—at the cabin, at the man who stood watching, at the life that waited quietly for her return.
For the first time, she wasn't afraid of leaving.
Because she knew exactly why she was coming back.