Chapter 1217:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

She probably didn’t realize it herself, but something in the way she treated Caspian had quietly shifted. Or perhaps she had simply stopped caring so much. Or perhaps the feelings she had buried for so long were stirring back to life.

Kailey’s gaze drifted between the two of them. Then she took Felicity’s hand, looked up at Caspian, and said, “Actually, it’s been ages since we’ve had a proper catch-up. I’m sure you don’t mind, do you?”

“Of course not.” He gave a slight nod. “You go on ahead. I’ll follow.”

Everyone climbed into their cars.

𝘙еаd 𝖿𝗿𝗲𝖾 𝘯𝗈𝘷𝘦lѕ 𝘰n 𝗀а𝗹ո𝗈𝘃𝘦𝘭s.𝖼𝗈𝘮

Kyson and Ryan took the front seats, Sawyer and Aleena settled into the middle row, and Kailey and Felicity sat in the back with Candy between them.

Felicity hadn’t seen the little girl in a while, and they were having a wonderful time. The car filled with their laughter.

Aleena was beaming. “Aren’t kids just the best?” she said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “You know, Felicity, you should have one of your own sometime.”

Kailey’s expression flickered. She stole a careful glance at Felicity. Felicity didn’t seem bothered, her face giving nothing away. But this was definitely not the right time for that kind of talk.

Kailey shot Aleena a quick look, silently urging her to drop it.

Aleena caught on immediately and was about to change the subject when Felicity surprised them both by answering. “I’m not really thinking about that yet, Aleena. Maybe in a couple of years. I’m not even thirty. I’ve got time.”

“Oh, yes, of course. You young people have so much pressure these days. It’s better to take care of yourself first. Absolutely.”

Aleena quickly added a few more words, smoothly steering the conversation elsewhere.

Kailey gave Felicity’s hand a gentle squeeze, still a little worried. Felicity just smiled back at her, her eyes clear and untroubled.

She didn’t know exactly when the shift had happened, but one thing was certain: she had never felt more clear-headed in her life. If he was someone she couldn’t avoid, no matter how hard she tried, then she might as well face him head-on. As for where they went from there… she’d figure that out later.

The rest of the drive passed in easy harmony. Kyson had sent someone ahead to scout the area. At the top of the mountain was a large, grassy clearing perfect for camping, with a stretch of dense forest behind it. This time of year, if you were lucky, you might even spot a few mushrooms.

Once they’d parked, the men set about pitching the tents while the women unpacked the supplies. Ryan took charge of entertaining Candy.

By the time everything was ready, the clouds overhead had mostly cleared.

“Look over there!” Kailey suddenly pointed toward the treeline, her voice bright with excitement. “The Tinder effect!”

A beat of silence followed.

Kyson walked over to her, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Mm. The Tinder effect.”

Felicity shuddered, cringing with secondhand embarrassment. “You two are unbearable. What Tinder effect? It’s called the Tyndall effect!”

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