Chapter 7

The office was quiet as Chloe sipped her coffee and chatted with Jen about work. Suddenly, the door swung open, and Elly popped in with an upbeat energy.

"Good morning, girls!" Elly's voice rang out as they leaned casually in the doorway. "Chloe, you should join us next time. Jen and I had an amazing trip to the waterfalls last Saturday, plus an unexpected hike."

Chloe froze mid-sip, eyes widening. She set her coffee down with a clink, narrowing her gaze at Jen. "Wait a second—what? You went hiking? You hate long walks, Jen."

She shot Jen a look, clearly both shocked and a little amused, as if she had just discovered a hidden talent for climbing mountains.

Jen blinked, caught completely off guard. "Uh… well..." She paused, clearly scrambling for an excuse, and then a sheepish grin crossed her face. "Okay, I don't hate long walks. It's just that my legs have an agreement with me—they walk only for food or very, very scenic views. And you know, waterfalls are very scenic."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. So you're saying you trekked up a slippery path because of the view?"

Jen shrugged dramatically, clearly trying to deflect with humor. "Exactly. The waterfalls were worth it, though. Totally Instagram-worthy. And Elly promised me a hot coffee afterward, so... motivation."

Elly, still standing in the doorway, looked at Jen with genuine surprise. "Wait a minute—you hate long walks? I had no idea. You seemed pretty energetic on that trail."

Jen shot Elly a look, her smile now turning into a playful smirk. "You mean when I was pretending not to trip every two seconds? Yeah, that was me being 'energetic.'"

She paused for a moment, then added, "It was a team effort to keep me from rolling down the mountain"

Chloe snorted with laughter, clearly enjoying the exchange. "So, you're telling me Jen hiked for a waterfall and a coffee. I think I need a little more than that to believe this."

Jen raised her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I did it. If that's not dedication to a good photo, I don't know what is."

Elly grinned at Jen's antics. "Next time, Chloe, we're all going together. Don't worry, I'll be there to make sure Jen doesn't tumble off a cliff."

Jen shot a playful glare at Elly. "Appreciate it. Just don't make me do it again anytime soon, okay?"

"Okaaaay" Elly replied, the teasing tone still in their voice.

As Elly exited, Chloe leaned over and pinched Jen's side. "How come you didn't tell me about this?"

Jen winced, laughing. "Because I knew you'd react like this."

Chloe crossed her arms, mock-offended. "So it's my fault now? And hiking? You hate long walks. What's so special about Elly that made you do it? Don't tell me... I'm being replaced as best friend?"

Jen chuckled, brushing it off with a wink. "You'll always be my best friend. Elly just has... persuasive skills."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, a little more serious now. "So, Elly already knew about... well, everything?"

Jen's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "No, and I don't think it matters anymore."

Chloe leaned back, unconvinced. "Okay, if you say so."

Jen smiled, but her mind lingered on the question. Maybe it didn't matter... but she wasn't so sure.