The Lines We've Crossed

THIRTEEN

The dinner party was in full swing, the dining room filled with the warm glow of candles and the hum of conversation. Our parents were seated at the head of the table, Ward and Devin laughing about some old business story while my mom and Rose chatted quietly to the side. Tyler, Wheezie, Sarah, Rafe, and I filled the remaining seats, the table crowded with platters of food and glasses of wine.

Dinner had been a success, the meal punctuated by toasts to the new settlement and stories from our parents' younger days. By the time dessert was served, everyone was in high spirits, the earlier tension of the day forgotten.

As plates began to empty, I stood up to start clearing the table. "I'll get the dishes," I offered, gathering the dessert plates and heading toward the kitchen. Sarah, ever the good friend, followed me, carrying a stack of glasses.

In the kitchen, I set the plates in the sink and turned on the water, letting it warm up as I grabbed a sponge. Sarah leaned against the counter, watching me with a curious expression.

"You know," she started, her tone casual but her eyes sharp, "I've been noticing something lately."

I glanced over at her, my hands busy scrubbing a plate. "Noticing what?"

Sarah shrugged, but there was a knowing smile on her lips. "You and Rafe. There's something different."

I nearly dropped the plate I was washing, the question catching me off guard. "What? No, there's nothing going on between us," I said quickly, shaking my head as if to emphasize the point.

Sarah raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. "Really? Because it seems like he's been paying a lot more attention to you lately."

I rolled my eyes, trying to brush off her insinuation. "We're just friends. I've known Rafe forever. It's nothing serious."

Almost on cue, as if the universe wanted to prove me wrong, Rafe walked into the kitchen, carrying his dessert plate. He approached the sink and handed me the plate with a casual smile.

"Here you go," he said, his voice smooth. "Heather, your brownies were amazing. Think you can make me a batch one day?" His tone was light, but there was a hint of something more in the way he looked at me—something that made my heart skip a beat.

For a moment, I just stared at him, completely forgetting Sarah was even in the room. Rafe's compliment, coupled with the way he was looking at me, sent a wave of warmth through my chest, and I couldn't help but smile, feeling like a little kid who had just been noticed by their crush.

"Yeah, sure," I managed to say, my voice brighter than I intended. "Just let me know when."

Rafe's smile widened, and he gave me a small nod before turning and walking out of the kitchen, leaving me standing there with my heart racing.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Sarah turned to me with a look that screamed 'I told you so.' "Yeah, that did not look like nothing," she said, crossing her arms as she leaned back against the counter.

I tried to play it cool, but the heat rising in my cheeks betrayed me. "Okay, maybe he's being a little flirty, but it's not like it means anything. Rafe flirts with everyone," I said, focusing on the plate in my hand to avoid her gaze.

Sarah wasn't buying it. "Not like that, he doesn't. I've seen him flirt with other girls, Heather, and it's different with you."

I sighed, setting the plate down and finally meeting her eyes. "Sarah, even if he is flirting, it's probably just because we've known each other for so long. It doesn't mean he's interested in me like that."

Sarah shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "You can keep telling yourself that, but I've seen the way he looks at you. And the way you just lit up when he complimented your brownies? That's not nothing, Heather."

I opened my mouth to argue, but no words came out. Because deep down, I knew she was right. There was something between Rafe and me—something that had shifted recently, something that was more than just friendship. But admitting that out loud, even to myself, was terrifying.

Instead of replying, I focused on finishing the dishes, my mind racing with thoughts of Rafe and what this all meant. Sarah didn't push me any further, sensing that I needed time to process. But as we worked side by side in the kitchen, I couldn't help but wonder what this new dynamic with Rafe would mean for us, for me, and for the careful balance I'd tried so hard to maintain.

After all, if there was one thing I knew about Rafe Cameron, it was that he didn't do things halfway. And if this shift between us was real, then things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.