Bree hadn’t meant to follow Trent outside--not exactly anyway. She’d seen him leave but hadn’t realized he’d stepped outside for a breath of fresh air in the same place she had until after she was halfway out the door. It would be strange to walk away from him. It seemed strange to walk toward him, too, though. But she did it anyway.

The night was chilly, which was to be expected in the mountains in December. It wasn’t snowing, but the wind was stirring up ice crystals from the ground. The stars twinkling in the heavens were spectacular. This was exactly what she’d been looking for when she came out here. Peace, quiet, beauty, and a wonderful man. She had just hoped somehow that’s what Jason would end up being. The better she got to know him, the more she thought that wasn’t likely the case.

“Hey,” Trent said, glancing at her and then back out at the landscape. “You had enough pool for one night?”

“Enough reminiscing for a while, I guess.” She could feel the effects of the alcohol. She’d drank a little too fast on an empty stomach. Hopefully, it wouldn’t lead them to a place of no return. “How have you been?”

“Okay.” He shrugged. “Trying to focus on school as much as I can.”

“Hence no girlfriend at the moment?” She smiled at him, hoping it came across as teasing and not inquiry, though she really did want to know. It seemed like every time she was single, he was dating, and vice versa.

“Not at the moment,” he replied. “Jason seems like a… guy.”

Bree laughed, nudging him gently in the arm. “He is a guy.”

“Sorry--I couldn’t bring myself to say anything else. Great just wasn’t going to work in that sentence.”

Shrugging, she said, “You’ve just got to get to know him. He really does have some great qualities.”

“Like what?”

He looked like he genuinely wanted to know. “Well, he’s really good at math--just like you. He may end up being an accountant.”

“Cool. Maybe I can work with him someday, and he can help me to better see all those endearing qualities you speak of.”

She shook her head. “He volunteers at the soup kitchen.”

“When it’s required for a grade.”

“Oh, he told you that story?” She turned to look at him, resting an elbow on the porch railing.

“He did. If you ask me, it was the guy who went and got your guitar you should’ve brought to the cabin, not that guy.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder.

“Gee. I guess he really rubbed you the wrong way, huh.” Bree turned back around so she was looking at the mountains again.

Trent let out a loud sigh. “I’m sorry. It’s just… he said some things that weren’t cool.”

Now, he had her interested. “Like what?”

“Like… he expects you to… you know….” His eyes were wide, but he didn’t say more.

Bree was at a loss. “What? Lose my ability to speak?”

That made him chuckle. “No. He just said that you haven’t… that he expects you to… that the bed was very big, okay?”

“Oh. Oooh.” Now it was Bree who was speechless. It took her a few seconds to ask, “He said that?”

“Yeah. He said lots of things.”

Bree wasn’t sure if she should be embarrassed or angry. The idea of Jason standing over at the pool table with her friends, and the boyfriends of her friends, talking about their personal life, made her irate.

“Bree, are you okay? Your face is turning red, and you’re breathing heavy.”

“No, I’m fine. I’m just great.” She pressed a hand to her forehead.

Trant’s hand was on her shoulder. “Hey, I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just… it made me mad to hear him talk about you like that. You’re not a freaking prize he can win, you know?”

She turned to look at him again and realized he really was mad, that it was Jason’s comment that had prompted Trent to leave the pool game and come out here. “Thank you, Trent. You always were a gentleman. I appreciate it.”

He shook his head. “Not always. But… if he lays one unwanted finger on you, I swear to God, you scream, and I’ll bust the door down if I have to.”

Bree felt her cheeks reddening for a completely different reason now. “Thanks, T.”

He chuckled. “God, it’s been forever since anyone called me that.”

“What? Really?” She found herself giggling as well.

“Yeah. That’s totally a Bree thing.”

“T and B for life--right? Isn’t that what we used to say? What everyone used to say?”

He nodded, his hands pushed deep into the pockets of his black coat. “Yep, that’s what we used to say.”

Again, she found herself speechless for a second. But Bree couldn’t help but ask, “God, Trent, what happened to us?”

“I don’t know, Bree. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too.”

Silence settled around them, and she couldn’t help but lean over and put her head on his shoulder. He smelled so good--like the woods on a crisp day. He put his arm around her shoulders, and for a moment, she considered asking him about that night, in the parking lot, so many years ago. Would he have kissed her if Hank hadn’t showed up? If he had kissed her, would it have meant something? Would they have been a couple? Would they still?

She didn’t get a chance though. The door opened behind them. This time it wasn’t Hank. It was Jason. And he looked pissed.