Page 32 of Icebreaker

I reached out to trace a frosted patch on the windowpane. "I'm trying to do all that, but when he's in one of those distant moments, he can feel like he's not here even when his physical body is in the same space as me. It's like there's a battle going on inside him, but I can't see it."

"Quinn, I don't want to sound preachy, but you do understand that love is more than the good times, right? It's also about sticking it out through the bad times, too. Can you do that?"

"I want to…more than anything." I heard the hedge in my words.

"You have to go beyond want. You have to walk the walk."

I sighed heavily. "I'll do my best."

"He can't ask for more than that. I want to visit Portland to check out your new place. How about now? Sounds like you could use a little backup."

The tight knot in my chest loosened. "Yeah? You'd do that? It would be amazing."

"Of course. I'm your big sister, remember? You mentioned you had a rare three-day break coming up. I can come then, and we can hang out for a couple of days—like old times."

I hoped she could hear my smile through my voice. "Thanks so much. I'm looking forward to it already."

"Just in case it helps, you're not the only one who'd like to kick Dante's ass for what he's done." She chuckled.

When the call ended, the ground felt steadier under my feet. Knowing Maggie was coming soon made me feel stronger.

When her plane touched down three days later, I was waiting at the arrivals gate, bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet. When she appeared, her bright red hair stood out from everyone else. She spotted me, let her carry-on suitcase drop to the floor, and rushed into my arms, offering a tight, protective hug.

"It's so good to see you, my baby brother." She squeezed me a little tighter.

"Same here." I saw that nothing had changed between us, and it soothed my nerves.

I grabbed the handle of her suitcase, and we made our way to my car. I filled the drive with comments about Portland landmarks and appreciative words about my new home.

Soon, however, Maggie cut through the fluffy talk. With a few minutes left in the ride, she shifted her weight and faced me. "Okay, let's have it. Tell me the details about Axel and his ex, and don't leave anything out."

I admitted that I didn't know all of the details, but I shared what I could. "And I saw some of it on TV. They broadcast the press conferences where they pushed Axel to admit the relationship."

"And Dante?"

I pulled into the parking lot and turned off the engine before answering. "He said Axel was making shit up, and he needed help."

Maggie reached out to grab my hand. "He sounds like a real piece of work, and you said Axel's not handling his return well? That's understandable."

"Not always. He's up and down. Right now, he's on the upswing again, but I'm bracing for the next rollercoaster hill."

She shook her head. "Sounds tough for everyone involved."

"Yeah, it's so damn complicated. I love Axel. I know that for a fact, but I worry that this constant fear he'll be distant again might be too much for me in the end."

Silence passed between us, and the car's windows started to fog from our breath. Maggie finally spoke. "One essential thing is you need to make sure you're not just a safety net for Axel. He needs to be in a relationship with you because he wants you, not because he's escaping from someone else."

Her words were wise. "I know, and I need to find a way to say that to Axel without hurting him. If he needs to move on, better to do that now than when things are even more complicated."

Maggie nodded. "I'm here for you, Quinn. Don't forget that, and don't forget that what happened between Dante and Axel is their issue to resolve. Don't let it swallow you up somewhere in the middle."

Her words were intense and stung a bit, but she was right. As we headed into my apartment, I knew the next few days would be crucial for defining my emotional future.

I showed Maggie around the apartment to lighten the mood, and soon, it was time for bed. I was exhausted from the last day of practice before the break, and she'd spent a long day traveling. I let her have my bedroom while I slept on the couch.

The following day, I took Maggie to Washington Park. The autumn leaves were a riot of color. A brisk breeze followed us as we strolled along the paths, our footsteps crunching on the fallen foliage.

As we strolled through the serene beauty of the Japanese Garden, Maggie looped her arm through mine and rested her head on my shoulder. The familiar gesture brought back a floodof memories. She'd comforted me that way countless times growing up, especially after we lost our parents.

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