Walked to the door.
Opened it.
Then paused.
Maybe he expected Samantha to call him back.
She did not.
The door shut behind him.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Samantha stared at the steel.
Then her legs weakened.
She gripped the bar.
Wyatt reached her first but did not touch her.
“You sitting down?”
She nodded.
He pulled out a stool.
Samantha sat.
Her entire body began shaking.
Not elegantly.
Not quietly.
Weeks of tension left at once.
She covered her face.
“I thought I’d feel stronger.”
Elena crouched beside her.
“You were strong.”
“I’m shaking.”
“That’s biology, not failure.”
Samantha laughed through tears.
Across the room, Grizzly poured a glass of water.
Not whiskey.
He set it in front of her.
“Drink.”
She did.
Wyatt leaned against the bar.
“You did good.”