Page 54 of A Thousand Second Chances

Gazing out over the forest, he purses his lips thoughtfully. “You know, I bet my dad would enjoy something like this. I should ask him sometime. Mom would’ve too, but…”

He trails off, and just like that, his eyes dim, his burdens crashing back as his shoulders slump. I want to growl or scream or shake him—anything to bring back that flash of fleeting joy I’d glimpsed moments earlier.

But before I can figure out what to say or do, Percy shoves gently past me, swapping positions. It’s not the first time we’veaccidentally touched on the course—a brush of fingers here, a press of shoulders there. And like every other time, my skin tingles with the contact, even beneath my fall jacket.

“I’ll take the lead,” he says, moving on to the next obstacle—a set of uneven wooden planks of various sizes ascending toward a higher platform in the distance.

I don’t argue, following him as he throws himself at the planks with fresh ferocity. As we continue past the next few obstacles, I let my mind drift, considering this weekend getaway in a new light. Everyone else had come to Mackinac Island to have fun, but Percy’s here to contemplate and work through all he had lost. What must it be like for him to return to a place haunted by so many memories?

I feel an irrational burst of anger at his dad for forcing him to go through this alone. Not that I’d been much better. Until now, I must’ve only been adding to Percy’s stress. As usual, I’d made it all about me. But that, at least, is a problem I can fix.I swear I’ll make it up to you, Percy.Starting with making sure you have the best damn time today.

Soon enough, we reach the last obstacle—a massive zipline extending over the tops of trees in a valley below to meet up with another platform barely visible in the distance. Wood creaks beneath our feet, the entire structure swaying slightly as a fierce wind buffets us.

Percy sucks in a breath. “That’s alotbigger than the test zipline.”

“Maybe,” I reply. Adrenaline buzzes through me as I eye the gap. “But it’s the same principle. Shove off from the platform and sit back in your harness with your legs stretched out ahead of you. Then, when you get close, cup your hands around the wire and use your gloves to slow yourself. And if you stop too soon—”

“Spin around and pull myself the rest of the way,” Percy says faintly. He squares his shoulders. “Right. I’ve got this.”

Despite his words, he doesn’t move from his spot near the edge of the platform. His wide eyes stare out across the drop-off at the trees below as if they’re spikes waiting to impale him.

He most assuredly doesnotlook like he’s got this.

I briefly war with myself before stepping forward. Resting a comforting hand against his lower back, I lean in to speak softly into his ear. “Hey, listen to me.Nothingbad is going to happen. You know what to do, and plenty of other people have used this zipline before.”

And even if something goes wrong, the day’s probably going to reset anyway, I think but don’t say. Somehow, I doubt that’ll offer much reassurance.

Instead, I add, “And I’ll be right behind you.” My voice grows taunting. “Unless you want me to take the lead again. I’ll happily show you how it’s done if you’re too chicken to go first.”

Percy’s back vibrates against my palm with his quiet chuckle. “For the record, I know exactly what you’re doing.”

My lips quirk. “Oh, yeah? And is it working?”

“Kind of.”

“Good. Then my work here is done.”

Reluctantly, I drop my hand and step back, giving him some space. I doubt he’d ever forgive me if I accidentally knocked him off the platform. At first, he remains locked in place. Just when I’m starting to wonder if my pep talk had been enough, he squeezes his eyes shut and practically hurls himself off the platform, clutching the cable connecting him to the zipline for dear life.

I can’t help but grin as he whizzes out into space with a shout. He keeps his whole body tensed at first, clearly terrified, but around the halfway mark, I catch him tilting his head to the side and gazing out at the view. Even at a distance, I can see the wayhis entire body relaxes. When he nears the end, he expertly slows himself like we’d discussed, pulling himself the last few feet until he’s safely on the platform. From here, he’s little more than a dark smudge.

All right, my turn. I shove off, relishing the thrill in my gut at the brief sensation of falling—the rush of movement. Then, I’m out past the tree cover and over the open expanse of the valley. I suck in a breath. God, it’s beautiful. The sun hangs brightly in the sky overhead, and the waters of Lake Huron glitter in the distance. Beyond that rests Mackinac Island, coated in green with the bright white of downtown highlighted on the near coast.

The view alone makes this entire excursion worth it.

My blood is pumping with the raw joy of being alive when I reach the platform at the end, and I barely manage to slow myself enough to avoid crashing into it. I stumble once I regain my feet. Percy is right there, helping to hold me up, and suddenly, none of our sordid history seems to matter quite so much.

Ignoring all the reasons this is a terrible idea, I wrap my arms around him and tug him close. I expect him to recoil, but to my surprise, he leans into the embrace. Our harnesses jingle as they rub together, and I suck in a breath when he lightly nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

Then, the fragile moment shatters. I’m not sure which of us pulls away first, but all at once, we’re standing on opposite ends of the platform with as much distance between us as we can manage without leaping off into the open air.

“I think that’s our exit,” I say, nodding toward the ladder down as I try to ignore the persistent buzzing underneath my skin.

Percy runs a hand through his tousled hair and manages a wry grin. “I gotta admit, this was a good choice. I had fun…once I got past the crippling fear of death.”

Remembering the feel of him pressed against me, I swallow. “So did I.”

Toomuch fun, really. Without Quinn or our previous animosity to serve as a buffer, it’s far too easy to fall back into old habits. God, and we’re supposed to stay out here tonight, which means renting a hotel room. If that’s not tempting fate, I’m not sure what is.