I held up my check. “I came here for two reasons. One, because I’d just gotten fired, and two, to try to get my life back on track somehow because my dementia-boyfriend dumped me during one of his rare lucid moments. He kicked me out the apartment and his life, and I’ve been floundering ever since. That stopped here, because of Reese. And now I got fired again.”

I looked at the dollar amount on the check and started laughing. It barely covered half a month’s rent. It was less than what Keith first promised me.

“Here.” I pressed it to his chest, passing him by. “I’m sure that’s what you make in ten minutes. Have a couple coffees on me.”

I’d gone a few steps outside before I had to stop and bend over.

I was going to throw up.

The world began to swim around me.

I was having a panic attack. I recognized the symptoms, and damn, these were a bitch.

I couldn’t… I had to—one foot in front of the other. Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

It hurt. I was moving against cement in the air, but I had to keep going.

I was dizzy and sweating, and when I glimpsed myself in the mirror back at Reese’s cabin, I wasn’t surprised. I looked like a ghost, but I didn’t have time to stop and take shelter while this storm passed. I had to get out. Too much of life had taken a shit on me.

The amazing sex… I couldn’t stay just for that. My pride was shredded. I just wanted to grab my stuff, get to my car, and leave. I’d send my goodbyes later.

I was running. I was doing it all over again, but my God, I had just been booted from my old place of employment—after being told I’d worked there three days for free. Keith was a dick, but he’d never made me feel unwelcome here. It took good ol’ Coach Winston to do that.

I bit back tears as I filled my bag. Then I wavered. I did still have things in the fishing cabin, but I couldn’t bring myself to go in there to pack it all up.

I was telling myself that as I walked the north path that wound around the lodge, bypassed all the buildings, and came out just beyond the parking lot. I told myself I didn’t have the energy to explain to Owen and Hadley what had happened. They’d be angry. They’d rally around me, but for what?

I’d been dismissed because I was a liability to someone more powerful than all of us.

It felt like the world had stomped on me once again, but this time was different. I wasn’t shattered by trying to hold Reese up. It wasn’t that situation at all.

Unlocking my car, I tossed my bags in the back and got behind the wheel.

I had to reassess the situation.

I was exaggerating, reacting because of how final it all felt. That was it. That was all. This was not the end of the world.

I’d been fired. So what? I’d come here for the specific purpose of having a place to run away from my current life. Which I did. That’d been successful.

I’d wanted to reconnect with some of my old friends. Mission accomplished. I wouldn’t text or email. I would call Owen and Hadley to say my goodbyes. I would call Grant—oh shit. Grant. I’d forgotten. And Trent! Trent was coming tonight. He was expecting to have dinner.

Then there was Reese.

I couldn’t tell any of them why I was let go. It was because of Reese, and if I told them, they’d just have to look at me to know things had gone past friendship.

They would know.

They couldn’t know.

I sat in my car, and I had no idea what to say to my friends.

I’d have to use Keith’s excuse: the board hadn’t approved my employment past the first two weeks. And in that case, the job was done. Whatever.

This was no big deal.

Right? I mean…

I came for a job, and it turned out that job was done. That was it. That was all.

I should’ve stayed and said goodbye in person. I’d left everyone, Reese too.

What do I do? How do I clean up this mess?

My phone buzzed. I tensed, but it wasn’t who I thought it’d be. I almost started laughing.

Unknown: I have some of your stuff. Went to drop it off at your job, but the chick at the front said you don’t work there any more. You got fired?

Of all the timing, now he texted me? Now?

I might still have been slightly hysterical, because I called him back.

“You got fired from that stank-ass place?” he said when he answered.

“Hi, Lucas. I’m fine. How are you?” I sighed. “You’re right. Normal, pleasant greetings are a waste of time. Get right down to business. Yes, they fired me the same day your grandpa dumped me, and yes, I just got fired from the new job. I’m sitting outside a hotel, not sure what the hell to do anymore.”

He was quiet for a moment. “You have enough for rent?”

“I have a small bit to cover a few months, but coming here wasn’t such a good idea after all.” I laughed, the sound so pitiful. “You take in homeless people? Because I don’t know if my mom’s going to let me stay at home rent-free this time. She wasn’t really up for it last time.”

“It’s not my house. You know that.”

Right. Of course. Why would he be decent?

The tears began. I mean, why even fight them? They were my old friends by now.

“Yeah, okay. You’re right.”

“Look. If Gramps didn’t own it—but you know he’s particular about who stays here and I—”