Amelia’s POVWhen I got to the office a little later, Tristan was there, sleeves rolled up, supervising the last of the renovations.As soon as he saw me, his face lit up. "Amelia, hey," he said, brushing the dust off his hands as he walked toward me.I felt my stomach tighten but remembered one of Dr. Brooks’ techniques. Pause. Breathe. Don’t react.So I stopped, closed my eyes for a brief moment, and focused on my breath. Slow, deep inhales, steady exhales. I pictured the air traveling through my body, grounding me.When I opened my eyes again, Tristan was staring at me, eyebrows raised. "You okay? What are you doing?""Breathing," I said simply.He blinked. "Oh. Right… breathing." He gave a small, uncertain laugh. "We’re all doing that, aren’t we?""Not always consciously," I replied, keeping my tone even.He tilted his head, amused. "Well, look at you. Zen master Amelia."When I finally felt centered, I looked him squarely in the eyes. To my surprise, the usual charge between us w
Last Updated : 2025-10-14 Read more