The next few days in Maple Grove were a blur of new beginnings for Evelyn. She spent her mornings writing at the small desk by the window in her apartment, the soft rustling of leaves outside her only company. Her afternoons were filled with explorations of the town—visiting the bakery for a warm cinnamon roll, browsing through the local bookstore, and sometimes just wandering through the quiet streets, watching the changing colors of the trees.
It was during one of these afternoon walks that she ran into James again.
"Back for another tour?" he asked, his smile as warm as the autumn sun.
Evelyn couldn't help but smile back. "I was actually just enjoying the quiet. I think I'm starting to like it here."
James nodded thoughtfully. "Maple Grove has that effect on people. It's like it wraps you in its arms and won't let go."
They fell into step beside each other as they began walking along the edge of a path that wound through the town's forest. The trees here were even more breathtaking than those in the square, their branches a canopy of orange, gold, and red, filtering the late afternoon light in a soft, amber glow.
"You spend a lot of time here?" Evelyn asked, glancing at James. He always seemed so at ease in this town, like it was a part of him.
"More than I probably should," he replied with a half-laugh. "I don't mind the quiet, though. It's where I think best."
Evelyn nodded, recognizing something in his tone. "I get that. I need quiet too, for my writing. Otherwise, everything just gets… jumbled."
"You're a writer?" James asked, sounding genuinely curious.
She hesitated for a moment, not sure whether to say it aloud. The word still felt foreign to her, like she hadn't quite earned it yet. "I'm trying to be," she said finally. "I came here to finish a novel."
"That's brave," he said with a smile. "Most people don't have the courage to chase their dreams. Or maybe they're afraid they'll fail."
Evelyn glanced at him, wondering if there was more to the statement than just a general observation. But before she could ask, James shifted his gaze toward the path ahead, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.
"You ever think about what would've happened if you hadn't followed your dream?" he asked quietly, his voice tinged with a sadness she couldn't quite place.
She thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "I think about it all the time. But I've never been good at just… staying still. I always feel like I'm meant to do something, even if I'm not sure exactly what it is yet."
James looked at her again, his expression softening. "I get that. Sometimes it's hard to find where you belong."
For a moment, they walked in silence, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of fallen leaves beneath their feet. Evelyn wanted to ask more, to dig deeper into whatever was weighing on him, but she didn't. It wasn't her place, not yet. She sensed there was something James was keeping from her, something personal that he wasn't ready to share.
As they reached the edge of the forest, they stopped by a small, worn bench that overlooked the river. James sat down first, and Evelyn followed, feeling the coolness of the metal against her fingertips as she rested her hands on the back of the bench.
"Have you lived here your whole life?" she asked, hoping to steer the conversation to lighter ground.
"Pretty much," James replied, his gaze fixed on the river below. "I went away for college, but I came back. Maple Grove… it pulls you back, you know?"
Evelyn nodded, understanding what he meant. There was something magnetic about the town, something that made you feel like you'd been here before, even if you hadn't.
"I've always been more of a city person," she admitted. "I thought I'd hate it here at first. Too quiet, too slow. But now… I think I needed it more than I realized."
James turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing as if trying to figure something out. "You'll find your rhythm here," he said with quiet conviction. "It has a way of letting you breathe, of making you feel like you can do anything. Or at least think you can."
Evelyn smiled. "I'm hoping for that."
They sat there for a while, watching the water flow lazily by, the soft sounds of nature filling the space between them. It was a comfortable silence, one that didn't need words. Evelyn couldn't help but feel grateful for the time she was spending with James, even though she could sense there was something more lurking beneath his calm exterior. There was a sadness to him, something that seemed to linger in his eyes whenever he thought she wasn't looking.
As they finally stood to leave, James glanced over at her. "I'm glad you're here, Evelyn. I think you'll find what you're looking for."
"Thank you," she said, touched by his sincerity. There was something in his words, a warmth that settled in her chest, like he was sharing more than just pleasantries. "Maybe you'll help me figure it out."
"I'm happy to," he said with a smile, but this time, it was more distant, like he was holding something back.
Evelyn wasn't sure what it was, but she had the feeling that James's life wasn't as simple as he made it seem. She didn't push, though. She was content for now with the quiet companionship they shared. But deep down, she couldn't shake the sense that there were parts of James that only the town—and time—could reveal.
As they walked back toward the town, the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the path. Evelyn glanced at James, wondering if she would ever get to know the full story behind his quiet eyes, or if, like Maple Grove itself, he would remain a mystery wrapped in layers she'd need to slowly unravel.
But for now, she was content with the quiet moments they shared, knowing that sometimes the best connections were the ones that didn't need to be explained.