He nods somberly. “You said she was your best friend?”

I lift my chin. “Yes. She was. And believe me, it’s been tough, and the pain will always be there. But time helps, and so does knowing that she wouldn’t want me to be sad about it all the time.” I muster up the courage to meet his eyes, his gaze soft with compassion. “The important thing to remember is that you’re not dealing with the hurt all alone. You have your mom and your brothers and your grandpa and—”

“And you,” he interrupts.

My breath catches, and I realize this isn’t just a counseling session anymore. It’s so much more. This is two people connecting on the deepest level, despite the hurt from their pasts. This is real. Raw.

More than anything in the world, I desperately want to close the space between us and kiss him again, the way he kissed me last night. Hard and sure and with abandon.

But I know I can’t. And that’s a kind of hurt I don’t know how to deal with.

“How did you know about this place?” I blurt out, looking for any way to change the subject.

Logan seems to understand and follows along without hesitation. “We’ve been coming here since before my dad bought the property. It’s been a few years for me, though. I’ve sort of been avoiding it.”

“Why would you avoid somewhere as beautiful as this?”

The smallest nervous chuckle rumbles in his chest. “You sure you want to know?”

I nod, eager to be let in on what feels like a big secret.

Logan clears his throat. “Well, uh, because Graham told us that he lost his virginity here. Kind of ruined it for me.”

“Ew!” I squeal. “Don’t ruin it for me too!”

“You asked,” Logan says with a chuckle.

Soon, we’re both laughing and splashing water at each other. I feel like a kid again, flirting with a boy I like at the neighborhood pool. Maybe I was wrong before about none of this being easy. Because this, right now, feels as simple as it gets.

As the sun sinks lower in the sky, we enjoy the relaxing mineral water together. Small talk comes easily, but comfortable silences fill the space between us too.

Finally, once we’re thoroughly pruney, we slip back into our clothes and begin the hike back. By the time we reach the truck, the moon and stars are starting to peek through, and I gladly take Logan up on his offer to drive. I may have made serious progress on the whole driving a stick thing, but I’m not sure I’m ready to tackle it in the dark just yet. Plus, I could use a little time in the passenger seat to reflect on the conversation we just had.