Chapter 98 The Step We Cannot Take

Chapter 98 The Step We Cannot Take

Chloe's POV

An awkward silence spread between us. I kept my head down. I stared at my feet. I tried hard to calm my racing heart.

"You go first," Lucas broke the silence. His voice was low and rough.

I took a deep breath. I forced myself to look up and meet his eyes. "About last night," I said quietly, "I'm really sorry."

I rushed through the words. I just wanted to move past it. "I had way too much of that fruit wine. My head was a complete mess. I would never do something as dumb as roasting leaves on a normal day. And I definitely wouldn't… act all clingy and throw a little tantrum like that."

I deliberately left out the hug. I wasn't about to bring up how close we'd come to kissing.

I blamed everything that had crossed a line last night on the alcohol and my own immaturity.

Lucas just looked at me quietly for a long moment.

After a few seconds, he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. A little awkwardly.

"It's fine."

His voice was soft. It carried a kind of gentleness I'd never heard from him before.

"It was cute."

My breath caught. My heart pounded so loud I could hear it in my ears.

I gripped the edge of my tray. My palms were suddenly damp.

I must have heard that wrong.

Coming from him, those words were more dangerous than any flirty line.

My head told me to step back. To pretend I hadn't heard it. But I couldn't keep the corners of my mouth from curling up.

"Did you always…" I couldn't help asking softly, "feel that way?"

Lucas's eyes darkened. His voice was steady and certain. "For a long time now."

My fingers went still.

A long time? How long exactly?

The birthday party? That alley? The night of the fire? The hospital? Even before all that?

I didn't dare ask.

I knew that if I pushed any further, I'd tear away the last thin barrier between us. There'd be no more pretending.

Just then, the door swung open. Theodosia walked in carrying a bundle of fresh rosemary.

"The soup's almost ready, kids. Stop standing around daydreaming."

I snapped back to reality. I hurried to my seat. I picked up my fork and pretended to stare very seriously at the bread on my plate. I hoped it hid how flustered I was.

Lunch was generous. Rich tomato braised meat. Soft roasted potatoes. Buttered bread. And Theodosia's homemade berry jam.

I ate slowly. I barely said a word the whole time.

Lucas sat across from me. He was just as quiet. Though every now and then, he'd silently slide a glass of warm water toward me. Thoughtful and attentive.

Theodosia glanced between me and Lucas every so often. A knowing smile was in her eyes. But she didn't say a word about the tension hanging between us.

The whole thing made me deeply uncomfortable.

After lunch, I made up some excuse. I grabbed my dress to hang it out in the yard.

The cabin was especially quiet after the heavy rain. Tiny water droplets clung to the rose branches. A cool mountain breeze carried the faint scent of grass. Clean and refreshing.

I clipped the dress to the clothesline. My hands moved without much thought.

This can't keep going.

Lucas and I had gotten too close. Way too close.

Close enough that Owen would completely lose it if he saw. Close enough that I couldn't keep lying to myself. What I felt for Lucas had long since gone beyond how you're supposed to feel about someone older. Someone you look up to.

He was Owen's uncle. And I still hadn't officially broken up with Owen.

These facts rang in my head like a harsh alarm. Over and over. Impossible to ignore.

Around three in the afternoon, there was a knock at the gate.

I looked up. Owen was standing outside. Alone.

No Dahlia. No Stella this time. Just him.

He had on a grey hoodie. His hair was a mess. His face was pale and worn out. He was holding a bag of donuts.

"Chloe." His voice was hoarse. "Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?"

I didn't move. Theodosia glanced at him from the window and asked me quietly, "Sweetheart, do you want me to send him away?"

Owen's face went even paler.

I shook my head gently. "It's okay. I'll go talk to him outside."

Lucas came out of the cabin then. He stood quietly under the porch. He watched us without a word.

I walked to the gate but didn't open it. I looked at Owen through the fence. "What do you want to say?"

He lifted the paper bag. Then he awkwardly lowered it again. "Got these from that place down the mountain. Strawberry frosted—your favorite."

"I'm not hungry right now," I said. My voice was flat.

"Okay." He nodded without pushing back. His fingers were tight around the bag. His tone was heavy. "I didn't come here to ask for your forgiveness."

That caught me off guard. Those words sounded strange coming from Owen. He was never one to back down.

He looked down. His voice was full of guilt. "I know I've done a lot of awful things. Last night was just one more time I let you down. It makes complete sense that you don't want to see me."

He paused. Then he spoke even more quietly. "I just wanted to let you know—tomorrow, our group is planning to hike the ridge trail. There's an outdoor show by Velvet Chorus along the way."

My head snapped up.

Velvet Chorus.

A band I'd loved for years. They almost never toured. Their live tickets were nearly impossible to get.

Owen gave a bitter smile. "I was going to make it a surprise. But now… I figure even if I told you, you probably wouldn't want to come with us."

I didn't say anything.

He kept his voice gentle. "If you want to go, just message me. If you don't, that's fine too. I just wanted you to know."

He set the bag of donuts on the stone step by the gate. He took two steps back. Without another word, he turned and slowly walked away.

I stood there. I stared at the bag.

Footsteps behind me. Lucas came and stood at my back. His voice was calm and steady. "If you want to go, go."

"I'll be with you. I'll keep you safe. I won't let anyone bother you."

I had to admit it—I was tempted.

This was a Velvet Chorus live show on the ridge. Something I'd been hoping for a long time.

I turned around and went straight to my room. I packed what I'd need for the next day.

The next morning, the weather was perfect. Clear sky. Warm breeze. The kind of day that feels almost too good to be real.

The trailhead was packed with hikers. Food trucks lined the parking lot. The air smelled of coffee and sizzling bacon. Lively and full of energy.

Lucas had a backpack loaded with water, medicine, bandages, energy bars, and a foldable rain jacket. He'd thought of everything.

I looked at him and laughed. "Are we hiking or going on a rescue mission?"

He gave a small smile. His eyes were soft. "Can't it be both?"

We made our way to the meeting point. We spotted Owen right away, standing by a trail sign. Dahlia and Stella were with him.

When Dahlia saw me, her expression dropped. Stella, who had been holding Owen's arm, stopped smiling too.

Owen quietly pulled his arm free. He stepped forward, just enough to block their view of me.

A second later, my phone buzzed. A message from Owen: [I'll keep them in line. They won't bother you. Just enjoy the day with my uncle.]

Lucas caught a glimpse of the message. He let out a quiet scoff. "That's the bare minimum he should be doing."

I tucked my phone back in my pocket. "Let's go."

The first stretch of the trail was lovely. Wooden walkways wound through the trees. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves in scattered patches. Hikers strolled along in small groups. Some carried guitars. Some had picnic baskets. The whole mood was easy and relaxed.

I kept stopping to take photos. The winding path. The trail signs. The clouds drifting overhead. Then, before I could stop myself, I quietly snapped a shot of Lucas's profile.

Just then, excited voices broke out ahead.

"Oh my god, look! There's a little piglet over here!"

"Who brings a pet pig on a hike? It's so cute!"

People ahead stopped walking. A few girls had gathered by the bushes at the side of the path. Phones out. Taking pictures.

I looked over. Sure enough, a small piglet was nestled in the grass. Dark brown fur with pale stripes. Snuffling around in the dirt. Looking perfectly content.

"It's adorable," I said. I was already stepping forward for a closer look.

My wrist was suddenly grabbed hard.

Lucas yanked me back behind him in one sharp motion. His voice dropped low and sharp. "Don't."

He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were locked on the bushes. His whole body was tense.

The girls who'd been laughing and taking photos went completely still. Their smiles vanished. Phones frozen in mid-air.

Everyone's eyes moved past the piglet and into the trees beyond.

I looked too.

The branches shifted. Leaves rustled.

Two massive black wild boars stepped slowly out of the undergrowth.

They were huge. Nearly chest-high on me. Thick, curved tusks jutted from their jaws. Mud was caked across their backs. Their small, fierce eyes were locked hard on the crowd. The weight of their presence was suffocating.