Page 36 of Ranger's Secret

"This is my fault," I admit. "All of it. I pushed for this when Delaney wanted to stay away. I convinced her to give us a chance when she knew it was a bad idea. She’s been torn up about this from the beginning. She didn’t want to break her promise to you.She never wanted to hurt you, Maya. She loves you more than anything."

Maya studies my face for a long moment. “Go on,” she says.

"Listen, I'll back off. Completely. If that's what makes Delaney happy, if that's what heals your friendship, then I'll disappear from her life." The words taste like ash on my tongue. "She deserves to have you in her corner, not to lose you because of my selfish bullshit."

"You'd do that? Just walk away?"

"If it's what Delaney needs? Yeah. I love her enough to let her go if that's what's best for her."

Maya is quiet for a long time, processing what I've said.

"She really tried to resist all of this? Resist you?"

"Even when we were together, even when she was happy, she was always thinking about you, Maya."

"And you? How do youreallyfeel about her?"

"Like she's the other half of my soul. Like I'd rather cut off my own arm than see her hurt. Like I want to spend the rest of my life making her laugh and keeping her safe and proving that she's the most important thing in my world."

The honesty in my voice must reach her because Maya's expression softens completely.

"Shit," she says quietly. "You really do love her."

"More than I've ever loved anyone."

She's quiet again, staring at the photos on her coffee table. Pictures of her and Delaney at graduation, at various birthdays, on random adventures. Years of friendship documented in snapshot moments.

"I need to think about this," she says finally. "And I need to talk to her again. Because you're right about one thing, she doesn't deserve to lose me because she fell in love with an idiot."

I can't help but smile at that. "An idiot, huh?"

"The biggest idiot I know. But also my brother. And maybe... maybe I've been selfish too. Asking her to promise something that might not have been fair to ask."

Hope flickers in my chest, but I tamp it down. This isn't about me getting what I want. It's about Delaney getting her best friend back.

"Just be nice to her, okay?” I ask. “She's been through enough."

Maya nods. "I will."

"And whatever happens between Delaney and me, I don't want this to ruin things between us either. You're my sister. I love you."

"I love you too, you massive fuckup. Even when you make decisions that complicate everyone's lives."

I pull her into a hug, relief flooding through me as she hugs me back. It's not complete forgiveness, not yet, but it's hope.

And right now, hope is all I have.

Three days passin agonizing silence. I give Delaney space, but it's torture. I want to drive to her place, bang on her door, and demand she let me fix this somehow.

Instead, I throw myself into work and wait for her to make the decision. I put the decision completely in her hands.

Tuesday night, I'm finishing up paperwork in the ranger station when I hear a car door slam outside. It's late, well past visiting hours, so I grab a flashlight and head out to investigate.

The sight that greets me makes my heart stop.

Delaney is standing beside her car, looking nervous and so fucking beautiful that I have to grip the doorframe to keep from rushing toward her.

"Hi," she says softly.

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