The drive back to the cabin was made in utter silence, and Carissa spent the entire ride hugging her stuffed penguin and staring out the window. Bradley wanted to reach out to her, to hold her hand or anything to show her that things were okay, that he wasn't upset with her. But her body language spoke volumes, and she clearly wanted to be left alone.

When they arrived at the cabin, he got out and opened the door for her. Exhaustion weighed him down physically, but mentally, he ...