#Chapter 95: A Weekend Away

Amelia I wasn’t sure where we were going until the air began to shift. The further we drove, the cleaner it smelled. Pine needles, damp soil, and crisp mountain air replaced the heavy tension that usually followed us. Richard drove with one hand on the wheel and the other resting on my thigh. The silence between us wasn’t awkward. It felt intentional. It felt good. The lodge appeared like something out of a dream. It was nestled between ancient trees and wildflowers, all timber beams and stone chimneys. There were no staff. No press. Only us. I stepped onto the porch and breathed in deeply. My entire body softened. “This place is beautiful,” I said, fingers trailing over the railing. Richard came up behind me and pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “I thought we deserved to feel like people for once.” That day, we hiked trails that wound through the woods in gentle curves, far from the sound of traffic or the clicks of cameras. At one point, we found a small ridge with the valley