Unbroken

*

The cabin was rustic, made of hand-hewn timber, old-school with massive stone fireplaces and lower verandas. The windows in the main room went from the floor to the ceiling and boasted a crisp view of a blue lake and a tall, green mountain.

As I toured the place, swallowing it whole with wonder, Hunter and Leo were in and out, unloading the truck and filling the kitchen with food, alcohol and boxes of birthday crap. Hunter didn’t bother hiding it as he cut open a bag of balloons and began blowing them up. Leo strung up a birthday banner in every room. They were the cheap kind from the dollar store, some of them tearing in half. I laughed hard as he awkwardly tried to salvage the banners, taping them together.

“Could have put a bit more thought into this,” he jokingly said.

I looked at him in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? You guys have poured more thought into this than I could have ever imagined.”

“Hold still,” Hunter murmured just then as he came to me, holding something in hand. I went still before him as he tore open a pink birthday ribbon that said “Birthday Girl.” I grinned stupidly as he pinned it to my white tank top, right over my heart, careful not to prick me. His other hand rubbed at my arm, sliding down it before gripping my hand tightly, squeezing it a few times. I looked up at him, squeezing it back, feeling breathless at the sincerity in his eyes.

We drank each other in for a fleeting moment.

This man—he’d known me from the start.

Without saying a word, he let me go and resumed decorating the place, until it looked like a monstrosity of balloons, banners, party hats, confetti and streamers. Leo even pulled out a vase of pink and purple flowers that had been hidden away from sight in the truck. He set it up on the dining table as a centrepiece before laying out the alcohol bottles in rows.

I watched them, unable to help without having hands bat me away. Leo blasted music on his Bluetooth speaker, throwing candy my way as he ushered me to the windows to peer out.

I stared out at the water, breath in my lungs, tears pricking my eyes because…there was such thing as being too happy, right? Yet…it felt bottomless right there and then, the gravity of such happiness defying all logic.

It felt good being away from home—from that trailer park, from the gossip and drama and countless knowing eyes of that town. Every time I was seen with Hunter, or Leo, or both of them, I could feel the judgment, their gazes locked on me, scrutinizing me with a shake of their heads. I could hear what they weren’t saying, but I wasn’t going to defend myself to them. Any attempt at telling them they didn’t understand shit would only serve to strengthen their narrative.

Let it be.If you can’t alter the narrative then write your own story.

The sun was setting when Hunter stepped out and fired up the BBQ on the veranda. I watched him work it in the heat of day, always using his hands, always so damn capable. My heart rose to my throat as I gaped at his torn shirt, at his uncut hair, at how low he wore his jeans. Filled out, but not as broad shouldered as Leo; Hunter’s muscles earned from working, not from lifting at the gym. My heart hurt right then because I didn’t want to see him struggling. I didn’t want him in that trailer park where he was so unwanted, didn’t want him slaving away. I wanted himthriving. Maybe he had a chance at a better life if he’d stopped being so stubborn and believed he was capable of so much more.

I felt Leo’s body come up from behind me. Felt his arms wrap around me, tugging my back against his front. His nose ran along my bare shoulder, his lips trailing featherlight kisses behind. I shut my eyes momentarily as a deep yearning formed at the pit of my stomach where his hand rested.

When did the three of us get so comfortable with each other? I wondered just then, opening my eyes, only to find Hunter’s head turned in our direction, his gaze trapped on mine.

Leo’s fingers drummed along my lower belly, lightly grazing along the waistband of my jean shorts. I swallowed, aware when Hunter’s eyes dropped to look at Leo’s touch. His chest sank slowly as he turned away, refocused on the BBQ where he began to fire up a pack of hot dogs.

“Turn around,” Leo muttered, voice low.

I turned around as he stepped back from me. He was smiling softly at me, looking me over from head to toe. Feeling conscious, I shrugged. “What?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Picture time, pup.”

“I look like shit.”

He let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “I’m starting to like you being so oblivious, Skye.”

“Why?” I asked as he raised his phone up.

“Because who knows where you’d be if you truly knew how breathtaking you really are. Now, smile and say cheese.”

I smiled brightly. “Cheese.”

“Louder, woman.”

I threw my arms up. “Cheese!”

He took his pictures before speedily placing the phone back into his pocket, the action almost possessive. Then he grabbed my hand and we helped Hunter serve the hot dogs, each of us dishing out the buns and sauce. The table was big, could have seated twelve, but we all sat on one end, me at the head of the table, Hunter and Leo on either side of me.

There was no reception up here in the mountains, so we had soft music playing around us as we ate and fooled around. Gutsing ourselves on burnt hot dogs, laughing that we forgot to pack ketchup. By the time we finished, it was completely dark outside, and the lights in the cabin were dimly lit.

“Wash up,” Leo told me. “We’ve got this.”