Liv checked the guest list as the Chicago group’s rental SUV crunched up the gravel drive. The breeze carried the rich scent of pine and distant campfire as Jacob, Maddox, Mike, and Chris emerged, stretching after their long drive. Liv met them with a practiced smile, but when Jacob caught her eye, a flutter of something unfamiliar stirred beneath her ribs. The moment lingered, but she quickly turned her attention to welcoming the group, her professionalism a shield.
Liv moved between conversations, orchestrating introductions, arranging gear for tomorrow’s hike, and confirming meal preferences. Jacob lingered by the railing, watching Liv with barely concealed interest. "This place is incredible. How did you end up running something like this?" Liv glanced at him, her tone brisk but polite. "It’s a long story. Maybe I’ll tell you on a trail when we’re both too tired to ask more questions," she replied, offering a hint of a smile before moving on.
Liv[/@ch_1] ties her running shoes outside her cabin, breath misting in the cold air.]
The resort still sleeps as Liv slips through the grove, the path winding toward the edge of a scenic cliff. The familiar rhythm of her feet on earth steadies her thoughts, though Jacob's quiet confidence from the night before tugs at her mind. The sun crests the horizon, turning the sky to fire as she rounds a bend—her foot catches loose gravel, and suddenly the world tilts. She tumbles, sliding over the edge, pain flaring sharp and immediate.
Liv[/@ch_1] lies several feet below, blood seeping from a gash on her leg, her breaths ragged. The forest is eerily silent, broken only by her strained gasps.]
For a moment, she is alone with the ache radiating through her body. Panic claws at her as she tries and fails to move. Up above, distant voices echo—Jacob, Maddox, Mike, and Chris out searching, alarmed by her absence at breakfast. Jacob breaks into a run, his heart pounding as he spots the broken brush and hears her faint cry.
Jacob[/@ch_2] scrambles down the slope, scraping his hands raw, while Maddox calls for help and Mike, Chris gather supplies.]
Jacob drops to his knees beside Liv, voice shaking. "Liv, stay with me, alright? We’re here. You’re going to be okay," he urges, pressing his jacket to her wound. Liv tries to laugh but winces. "Didn’t think I’d need rescuing on my own trails," she murmurs, locking eyes with him. In that moment, the walls she’d built around her heart seem fragile, almost transparent.
Liv[/@ch_1], their faces drawn tight with worry. Jacob refuses to leave her side, gripping her hand as if by sheer will he could hold her here.]
"You scared me half to death," Jacob whispers, tears bright in his eyes. Liv squeezes his hand, her voice soft but steady. "I’m not going anywhere. At least not without a little more adventure," she replies, a faint smile breaking through the pain. As the ambulance doors close, Jacob makes a silent promise—he won’t let go, not now that he’s found her.
