Chapter 11

Sarah

The gym pulsed with the usual symphony of weights and rhythmic pounding of feet on the treadmills, a backdrop to the lightness blossoming again between Harper and me. Mid-conversation, we laughed over our old, quirky business ideas from college days. "The mobile café. That was a grand idea, wasn't it?" Harper chuckled, handing me a dumbbell. "We were going to revolutionize coffee on the go."

"Yeah, and the bookstore that doubled as a wine bar? We thought we were geniuses," I grinned, taking the weight with ease.

"Hey, that might still work, you know, 'Books and Booze'—catchy, right?" Harper adjusted her equipment, still smiling at the memory.

It felt good, this easiness between us, contrasting sharply with the emotional whirlwinds of the past few weeks. As we moved to the next set of exercises, I felt a resurgence of hope—maybe we really could make this work.

Then, my phone buzzed from the ledge a few feet away. Harper handed me a towel, and as I wiped my face, I noticed her glance shift to my phone's screen. The message displayed was like a grenade:

Shane : Can't wait to see you in a couple of weeks. Miss you. Love you.

The atmosphere thickened instantly. Harper froze, dumbbell in hand, the gym's bright lights suddenly too harsh. Turning back, I caught the shift in her expression from ease to panic.

"Harper, I—" I started, my stomach twisting.

But she was already stepping back, putting the weights down. "He's ‘missing and loving' you? What the hell, Sarah?"

I sighed, a sound heavy with weariness and frustration. "It's not like that, Harper. I was going to tell you—I'm going back to New York. Just to wrap things up. It's over with Shane, it truly is."

"But he's expecting to see you? In New York?" Harper's voice was tight, her emotions near the surface.

"Yes, I need to go back, wrap up some loose ends. I wasn't hiding it from you. I just hadn't figured out how to tell you." My explanation felt feeble even to my ears. "It's complicated. Just like you and Hayden, right? Things aren't exactly closed there either, are they?" I countered, knowing it was a low blow even as the words left my lips.

"Loose ends," Harper echoed bitterly. "And Shane?"

"I'm done with him, Harper. It's over. I just need to... end it properly." The words hung heavy between us, each syllable laden with unspoken fears and hopes.

"And you're planning to stay at Raven's Peak?" Harper's voice was hollow, tinged with hurt and uncertainty.

"Yes," I affirmed quickly, eager to reassure her. "I'm staying. I want to be here for my mom and see where things lead with you and me. I want to give us a chance."

Harper ran a hand through her hair, her expression a mix of conflicted emotions. "I get it. You need to close that chapter. But shit, Sarah, I wish you would have told me your plans. I thought I was going to lose you again."

Reaching for her hand, I sought to set her at ease after my omission. "I'm sorry you had to see that message. My return to New York—it's to end things properly, not to rekindle them. I'm here, Harper."

We parted ways shortly after, the air still tense but not without hope. I drove home, my car filled with the echoes of our conversation. Upon arriving, I found my mom in the kitchen, her keen eyes quick to notice my troubled expression.

"Everything okay, hon?" she asked, setting down her tea.

I hesitated, then decided to open up. "Things are heavy. It's Harper... and Shane. I have to go back to New York to sort things out, but I'm planning to stay here. In Raven's Peak."

Mom listened, her face a mask of concern and understanding. "You do what you need to do, Sarah. Just make sure you're making decisions for the right reasons."

I nodded, grateful for her support. "I will, Mom. I think... I think I'm finally starting to figure out what those are."

"I'm glad to have you back here," she said with a warm smile.

As I headed upstairs, the weight of the day pressed down on me, but beneath it all lay a sliver of relief. Talking to Harper felt like a necessary step toward something real and lasting.