Page 22 of Honey for the Bear

“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.

She smiles, a small, tentative thing, but it’s enough to spark hope in my chest.

And for the first time in weeks, I feel like I can breathe again.

Chapter 11

Hannah

Themorningiscooland quiet, the kind of slow, sleepy start that usually soothes me after a restless night.But today, no amount of tea, fresh air, or sunlight filtering through the curtains can ease the tightness in my chest.

I’ve been staring at the wooden bear for the better part of an hour.

It sits on my kitchen table, small but solid, its rough edges smoothed by hands much larger than mine.Cameron’s hands.I run my fingers over the carved surface again, feeling each groove and curve.It’s beautiful in its simplicity, yet, it feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.

How long has he been working on this?Was he thinking of me the whole time?

The thought makes my stomach twist—part longing, part frustration.

He’s still trying.Even after everything.

I push my chair back with a sharp scrape and stand, pacing the kitchen.My bare feet slap against the cool wood floors as I move, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet space.

He left me.

He fought for me, protected me, bared himself in a way that no one else ever has.And then he left.He didn’t even give me a chance to figure out what I felt, what I wanted.

Yet… this bear.

This stupid, thoughtful, carved bear is sitting on my table like an apology he doesn’t know how to say out loud.

Damn it.

I grab the figurine and hold it tightly in my hands, the wood warm from my touch.It feels like a challenge, like he’s daring me to decide whether I’m going to let him back in or not.

But the truth is, I already know.

I’ve known since the night he kissed me.

***

Thewoodsarealivewith sound as I make my way up the path to Cameron’s cabin.The wind rustles through the trees, carrying the faint scent of pine and damp earth.Birds call to each other from overhead, and somewhere in the distance, I hear the steady trickle of the creek.

The air is crisp, biting at my skin, but I don’t care.I’m too focused on the knot of nerves twisting in my stomach, tightening with every step I take.

The cabin comes into view, tucked between the trees like it’s always been there, a part of the forest itself.Smoke curls lazily from the chimney, a sign that Cameron is home.

I stop at the edge of the clearing, clutching the carved bear in one hand.My heart feels like it’s racing and stalling at the same time, each beat loud in my ears.

What am I even going to say to him?

The truth, I tell myself.Just the truth.

I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders, and march up to the front door before I lose my nerve.

The knock echoes in the quiet, three sharp raps that feel like they belong to someone much braver than me.

For a moment, nothing happens.The cabin stays silent, the only sound is the faint rustling of leaves in the wind.

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