Before approaching Vince, L had already given Jamie a heads-up to find a way to pull X aside. Sure enough, as soon as she walked over, Jamie called out to X, leading her away.
Kieran stayed a few steps behind L, just in case she got too caught up in talking and didn''t watch her step. This way, he could keep an eye on her while also giving them some space to talk.
Vince nced at her. "Something on your mind?"
"What''s your deal with Ms. Zimmerman?" she asked.
"She''s from a well-off family. My uncle introduced us-he says he''s getting older and wants me to settle down soon."
L nodded. "So... are you two dating?"
"No, we just met a few days ago. We''re getting to know each other and seeing if we''repatible."
After hearing that, L let out a breath of relief. "Actually, after you left that night, Ame told that young man to-" Before she could finish, a sharp yelp cut through the air. X had slipped and fallen on the stone steps.
"Ms. Zimmerman, are you okay?" Jamie asked, visibly concerned.
L had no choice but to pause their conversation as Vince hurried over, helping X sit down on one of the steps. "Where does it hurt?"
"My ankle," she said apologetically. "I think it''s twisted... I don''t think I can keep going."
"What matters most is that you''re okay," Vince reassured her. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No."
L walked over and nced at Amelia, who stood nearby with an unreadable expression. "How bad is it?" she asked gently.
Vince removed X''s shoe and pressed lightly on her ankle. She let out a small gasp. "It''s probably dislocated."
X bit her lip, her voice barely above a whisper. "I''m so sorry. I should''ve been more careful-I didn''t mean to ruin your trip."
Vince''s voice was calm. "I should''ve been paying more attention."
Then, after a moment, he added, "I''ll realign it. Try to bear with it."
X nodded, biting down on her lower lip to keep from making a sound as he reset her ankle. Her eyes watered slightly, and she looked pitiful. Even after her ankle was adjusted, she still couldn''t continue the hike.
Vince rose to his feet and turned to the group. "You guys go on ahead. We''ll rest here for a bit before heading back down."
"I don''t think you''ll be able to manage on your own. Maybe we should-"L started, but Vince cut her off. "I''ve got it covered. Don''t let this ruin your day. We were just tagging along anyway. I saw a sign earlier-there''s a cable car station up ahead. We''ll take our time getting there and ride it down."
He lifted his gaze and met Amelia''s. For a fleeting second, his chest tightened.
Amelia gave him a small smile. "In that case, we''ll keep going." Then, she patted Matthew on the shoulder. "Let''s go."
Vince watched as they walked off side by side, his expression unreadable.
L reminded Vince to be careful before taking Kieran''s hand and continuing up the trail. Despite the unexpected mishap, the rest of the hike wasn''t dampened. By the time they reached the summit, it was around 2:00 pm. They found a nice, sheltered spot to rest.
Jamie settled between L and Soren, while Amelia pulled Teddy down beside her. "Let''s wait a bit before heading back down. I want to see the sunset from up here."
No one objected. L pulled out a deck of cards for them and then turned to Kieran. "Come on, let''s go take some pictures over there."
Amelia smacked her forehead. "I totally forgot-we''ve got a pro photographer here! You two go ahead and take your pictures first, but don''t forget to get some of
uster. Actually, wait—I''ming too! I''ll take a couple''s photo for you."
L chuckled. "It''s alright. I brought a tripod. I''ll set it up so we can take a group phototer."
"Alright, just call us when you''re done."
"Got it."
L took Kieran''s hand and led him toward a picturesque spot she had scouted earlier. He leaned casually against the railing, framed by
him. Even against such an awe-inspiring backdrop, he still stood out effortlessly.
vast, towering mounta S