people’s. No one can tell you when you’re ready for a new relationship. And it’s okay if you’re not there quite yet.”
That’s the thing. She wanted to be ready, at long last. But did her slipup last night mean she wasn’t?
From outside, three short whistle blasts sounded. Angela squeezed Eva’s hand. “We’ve only got thirty minutes. Let’s get you up and about.”
Eva got dressed, used the restroom, and wolfed down a slab of beef jerky. The crutches Simon secured had seen better days, but at least neither of her teammates would have to carry her for miles. By the time they reached the starting line, other teams had already begun to cross it, taking off with their packs held high on their backs, itching for a win.
Eva’s eyes landed on Marc for the first time since last night. He stood chatting with Simon, looking as handsome as ever. Her heart swelled with love and heartbreak when he turned and looked at her, then swung his gaze promptly away.
Her sister-in-law was wrong. They’d never get past this.
Angela spoke first. “All right, should we head off?” The sky was still darker than most days had been, but streaks of sun had begun to break through the clouds.
Marc jerked his head. “Yep.” The terse statement didn’t bode well.
Simon snapped a photo of them all on his phone. “I’ll be waiting at the finish line.”
“Tell Sherry if it gets too late, she and the kids don’t have to stay.” Angela seemed suddenly shy around Simon. Had they mended things between them? If they could, maybe it wasn’t such a stretch to think she and Marc might be able to as well.
But Angela hadn’t called Simon by her dead husband’s name while kissing him and professing her love, so . . .
A headache started to form behind Eva’s temples, and her armpits already felt the pressure of leaning on the crutches. “Let’s do this.”
Simon whispered something in Angela’s ear, then pressed a kiss to her lips.
A blush engulfing her cheeks, Angela turned to face Eva and Marc. “Ready?”
“Ready.” Marc grabbed Eva’s rucksack from the ground before she could protest and started walking.
Eva and Angela followed, a slow and painful process. Navigating the road was tricky, what with the gravel and sporadic shrubbery, but the hilly course started to open up to a view of something big. As they reached the edge of a bluff, Eva gasped. “Lake Wanaka?”
Angela looked to Marc for confirmation, who nodded. “The path around the lake has always been really flat and free of debris. That’s good news.”
Finally.
They descended and reached the lake’s edge. The familiarity of it welcomed them and gave Eva an extra surge of energy despite her pain and exhaustion. They were almost there. Almost back home. Well, not home, but back to the place that had become a refuge to her these many months. They’d have to return to their actual homes soon. And how would that feel?
How would it be to return to a world surrounded by Brent’s things, his memories? Should she finally donate his clothing? Pack away his wall of awards, his computer and files, and convert his office into a guest room? If what Angela said was true, then moving on didn’t mean she had to get rid of any trace of him. But then, how could she ever be sure she had continued to move forward?
Stop it, Eva. She didn’t have to know all of that yet. All she had to do today was focus on the race.
Finish line. Finish line. Finish line.
But eventually her thoughts slipped out of their singular chant and back to the ache in her heart. Even if Marc hadn’t been walking slightly in front of her, Eva couldn’t help but watch him, almost begging him with her eyes to look her way. But he never did; he just remained fixated on the road ahead. If he asked her a question about how she was doing, he looked at her ankle—that was it.
They walked mostly in silence, except for the slow and steady crunch of her crutches against the ground and the lapping of the water against the shore. The tall reeds waved in the breeze, and the leaves of the overhanging trees had begun to change to a golden hue.
Autumn was coming, and nothing could stop it. The seasons marched on. Life did too.
And where did that leave Eva?
They took frequent breaks, drinking water and sitting by the lakeside munching on their energy bars. Marc ambled to