Prologue ~ Last Words

“I love you,” she confessed in the winter chill, frost filling the space between them. “So intensely that it scares me.”

The admission shocked him.

Her words, words he'd never imagined hearing in his wildest dreams, sent shivers through his body that had nothing to do with the cold. They were both dressed warmly enough; they hiked here often, even during winter, like now.

“But I also know you never have,” she continued, looking up into the sky, bathed in the soft starlight. “And never will, feel the same way. You and...” She let out a small sigh, still not looking at him. “Well, you've found your soul mate, and it isn't me.”

Those words, for some reason, they drove a spike through his heart. His own voice was trapped. He was frozen in place as if caught up by some invisible hand that held him still. Emotions were tangled, spiraling wildly out of control, like the snow that had fallen earlier. It blanketed the bank of the lake; their spot.

How had he not seen this coming? His mind raced as he stood paralyzed by her words. A frenzy of memories came rushing to the surface; little things she'd said and done in the past, lingering hugs and eye contact held for a bit longer than necessary. There had been times they'd joked about how it would be like if they started dating, even though it wasn't like that between them.

He'd been so blind.

“All we'll ever be is just friends,” she said, voice cracking from the sobs she tried to hold back. “And even though every breath I take burns that knowledge a little deeper into my heart, I'm okay with that.” Finally she turned and gave him a sad smile, letting the tears fall and form icy tracks that glimmered with light, iridescent. “I can take the pain. It's worth it, to be just your friend.”

“Viviane I...” his words trailed off into silence. He didn't know what to say.

“You don't have to say anything, Trevor. I'm sorry that I sprung this on you all of a sudden, but, there's going to be a Mrs. Bradley soon and I couldn't stand to keep this secret anymore. You had to know.” Another smile, this one with a touch of embarrassment. “And I'm not melodramatic or selfish enough to bring this up during the actual wedding, so...Anyway, I'm gonna head back to my car. I'll talk to you later.”

Those were the last words she ever spoke to him.

He should have said something, anything. He should have stopped her, but he didn't. Trevor had stayed there, looking at the skyscrapers in the distance, still reeling from her confession.

It had been many years ago when it happened. There'd been a brief shower during the hike up to the overlook, nothing that should have been cause for worry. And yet...Viviane's car hit a patch of black ice leaving the area. She'd lost control of the vehicle, swerving to avoid other drivers, and went off the road, careening into a tree.

She never made it home from their spot.

Alone, Trevor stood by the tree on the hill overlooking the lake. Viviane's absence had changed everything about how he'd thought his life would go. It was only now that he realized why her words back then had caused him so much pain.

He'd loved her too...

Author's Note

A friend asked me to continue their story, if indirectly. Now I have inspiration to do so.