The log cabin was bigger than Bree Matthews had expected. Of course, when her friends had suggested they rent a place up in the mountains for a few days during winter break, she knew it would have to have a lot of rooms in order for all of them to comfortably fit, but this place looked more like a mansion made of wooden beams than a traditional log cabin.

"Woah! This place is massive!" Bree's boyfriend, Jason Owens, said as he stared up at the house.

"You're telling me." It was nighttime, and due to Jason's classes ending later than most everyone else's, they were likely the last to arrive. After a long day in classes and a three hour drive, she was ready to get inside, see friends from high school she hadn't seen in a long time, and maybe have a drink or two.

"Let's go!" Jason said, heading up the steps.

Snow lined either side of the pathway, but the walkway looked clear. Bree grabbed her suitcase and followed behind him, hoping there wasn't any ice--and wishing he would've taken the bag for her. It wasn't like Jason to think of something like that, though, and she was tired of always reminding him to be a gentleman. So she took it up herself.

When they reached the door, he threw it open without knocking. Bree prayed this was actually the right place. "Hey! Someone order a party animal?" Jason announced stepping inside.

Thankfully, Bree recognized the loud, squeaky laugh of her best friend from high school, Nora Phillips. She was the only one who had ever even met Jason before since she'd visited Bree a few times at college. The rest of the gang saw her and realized who he must be, and everyone jumped up to tell her hello and meet the new flame.

"Bree!" Nora said, a wine cooler in her hand. "Thank goodness you're here. We were thinking about sending out a search and rescue party."

Bree giggled and hugged her. "We hit some snow on the west side of Lexington," she explained. "It slowed us down."

"You? Since when is Bree Matthews afraid to drive on a little snow?" another friend, Abby Quinton, said, also hugging Bree.

"I wasn't driving," Bree replied, trying not to roll her eyes.

"Well, we're so glad you're here. Christy was about to fall asleep."

"I am not." Christy Rice stumbled backward into the arm of the couch. "Okay, maybe." She was a tiny girl, and by the looks of it, she'd had one too many drinks. Bree stepped over and hugged her.

"It's nice to see you, girl. How's Tennessee State?"

"Ugh. Let's just say… D is for diploma." She took another drink of her beer. "Oh, Bree. This is my boyfriend--Devon Stahl. Devon, this is Bree. I know she's beautiful but hands off!"

"Please, babe. You know I only have eyes for you."

Devon, who had to be at least six foot five, unfolded himself from the couch and wrapped his arms around Bree. "How's it goin'?"

"Don't!" Christy shouted.

Bree laughed nervously. Jason was across the room, already chummy with some of the other guys. "Very funny. Nice to meet you Devon." She excused herself and was promptly introduced to Abby's boyfriend, Ed Thorton, and Nora's date, who wasn't her boyfriend--yet--a sweet, but shy guy with red hair named Flint Vance.

"Where's everyone else?" Bree asked, once she'd introduced Jason.

"Playing pool," Christy said, practically falling into Devon's lap. "You guys should go check out your room."

"I had to save it for you." Abby's eyes bulged. "I tried to tell Grant's girlfriend that because they didn't pay as much, they couldn't have one of the rooms with the ensuite bathroom,but she was being such a--"

"Bother about it," Nora finished, making a face at Abby as if to say there was no need for name calling.

"Great. Thanks," Bree said, going back to pick up the suitcase where she'd dropped it by the door. Jason still had his duffle bag slung over his shoulders.

"You need some help with that, Bree?" Devon asked as she hauled the luggage to the stairs. Devon looked at Jason like he was worthless.

"No, it's okay. I can manage." She'd made it up about two steps before he came and took it from her. Jason was already at the top of the stairs.

"Thank you," Bree said.

"Sure. I don't mind helping a lady out." He smiled at her, and Bree couldn't tell if he was hitting on her or just being polite. From Christy's warnings to him not to flirt, she got the impression he was a little bit of a lady's man.

"Which room is ours?" Jason shouted.

"Third on the left!" Nora screamed up the stairs.

Bree hadn't quite reached the landing when she heard Jason yell, "Sweet! This is a big a*s bed!" She felt all the color rush to her face. She hoped Devon didn't get the wrong impression. Jason hadn't been her boyfriend that long, and they hadn't taken their relationship to that level--yet.

He didn't say anything, only set the suitcase down outside of the door. "Here you go. I know some of the guys in the other room were looking forward to seeing you, so… don't let Romeo get too carried away." Devon winked at her and then headed down the stairs.

Bree picked her jaw up off of the floor and entered the bedroom..

"This is awesome!" Jason was bouncing up and down on the bed like a little kid.

It was a nice room, but she wasn't ready to stay in it just yet. "I'm going to head down to say hi to the guys in the pool parlor. You wanna come?"

"Sure. I'll be right down. I hope they have plenty of beer."

"After what I paid for a stocked fridge and pantry, they better." She forced a smile and headed back to the stairs. Jason hadn't shared any of the cost since he said they were her friends. Bree had been working every weekend for weeks to save up for this. While she loved playing the guitar at local clubs and singing, she would've also loved it if her boyfriend wouldn't be so stingy with his cash.

When Bree reached the bottom of the stairs, Nora was waiting for her. "So… Jason seems… nice."

"Yep. I'm gonna go say hi to the other guys. Are Hank and Isaac both here, too? Did they bring dates?" She was already walking through the living room toward the sound of pool balls in the back of the house.

"Uh… Hank did, but… Isaac didn't. His girlfriend broke up with him. Since he had twin beds in his room anyway, he brought someone else."

"Oh? A friend from college?"

Nora didn't need to answer that question because as soon as Bree walked into the room, she saw exactly who Isaac had invited. "Oh f*ck," she muttered, her mouth falling open in shock.

"Nope," Nora said. "Surprise."

Surprise wasn't even the half of it.

Trent Walker had just sunk a difficult shot, knocking two balls in the outside pocket when Bree walked into the room. She took one look at him and muttered a curse word. Not sure exactly what to make of that, Trent lined up the next shot but ended up scratching, which wasn't a surprise, considering how jarring it was just to see her again, let alone have her drop the F-bomb at the sight of him.

"Our shot!" Hank Yarborough said, a little too much happiness in his voice. "But first, let's take a break to say hi to Bree!"

Everyone set their pool sticks down and went to say hello. Even the girlfriends who had been watching got up to go meet her, despite the fact that one of them, Grant's girlfriend, Jody something-or-other, had been complaining about Bree getting the good room ever since she'd sat down next to Hank's girl, Kensey. Apparently, the two knew each other from school and were sorority sisters. What sorority, Trent didn't know, but he had a feeling it was one full of rich b*ches.

He waited until last to go say hi to Bree. She clearly hadn't been expecting him. Why she didn't want to see him, he didn't know. As far as he could tell, they were on good terms. It had been a while since he'd talked to her or even sent her a text, but that was because he'd been so busy getting his accounting degree at University of Kentucky, he really didn't have time to keep up with everyone.

"Hi," she said, stepping up in front of him. Her smile looked much more friendly now than the face she'd made when she first came in the room

"Hi, Bree." Trent leaned down and wrapped his arms around her. He almost wished he hadn't.  She smelled just as good as she always had--like vanilla--and it was all he could do to make it a quick hug.

He could make up excuses all he wanted to, but he knew darn good and well the reason he hadn't talked to her had nothing to do with school.

"How's it going?" she asked him as the pool game resumed behind them and Nora headed back out of the room.

"Good. It's going good. How are you? How's school going? University of Louisville everything you hoped it would be and more?"

She laughed, and he remembered how much her giggle had always made him smile, but he held back now, not wanting to seem too eager. "It's great. I'm really loving my music program."

"That's great. You'll be famous before we know it."

"I don't know about that. As long as I can teach music, I'll be happy."

He stood there for a second, looking at her awkwardly, not sure what to say, when a guy he hadn't met yet stepped through the doorway behind her.

Bree turned. "Oh, Jason. Come meet some more of my friends from high school. This is Trent Walker."

"Trent?" It was a question. "I didn't know you were going to be here."

Shaking his hand, Trent said, "It was sort of last minute. Isaac's girlfriend didn't want to come. Or be his girlfriend anymore."

Bree hid a smile, but Jason just shook his head. "Well, it's nice to meet you."

"You, too." But the way Jason was looking at him, he didn't think it was. Trent wondered what Bree might've said about him that made Jason leery of seeing him there.

She gave him a small, awkward smile, and then headed off to introduce Jason to the rest of the gang. Trent turned back to the pool table, wondering if coming here had been a big mistake. He'd be lying if he didn't admit that the main reason he'd agreed to come was because he wanted to see Bree, but he wasn't expecting for her to still be able to take his breath away.

Watching the guys play pool, Bree sat next to friends she hadn't seen in far too long and tried her best to listen to what they were talking about. Concentrating was hard. She truly hadn't been prepared for Trent to be there, and the fact that he was served as a distraction.

Jason must've noticed her change in behavior. She'd mentioned Trent to him before because he'd come up when she was telling him some stories about things that had happened with this particular group of friends while they were in high school. Jason had specifically asked if Trent was going to be there, which Bree had thought was odd, until now. Jason wasn't the brightest bulb in the pack, but he had to have guessed there was more to her past with Trent than she was telling him.

There was more to it than Bree was willing to admit to, most of the time. The drink in her hand was helping with the introspection, though. Trent still looked good. In high school, she'd catch herself staring at him and have to look away before he noticed. They were friends, after all, nothing more.

Nora was telling a story, and everyone laughed. Bree chimed in, trying to fool them all into thinking she was a part of the conversation, but her mind had wandered back to junior year….

Out in the parking lot, Bree could still hear the music playing in the gymnasium. She felt so stupid, buying a new dress and getting herself all made up--for what? Stupid Chris Smith wasn't interested in her. He'd just been using her to make his ex-girlfriend jealous.

Bree pulled her phone out of her pocket and started to dial her mom. She hadn't driven herself to the dance, so she had no ride home. She might look like a little kid having her parents come and get her, but it beat walking home.

"Bree! Are you okay?"

She turned around to see Trent jogging toward her, the corsage his date had pinned on his lapel a few hours ago a visible reminder that he'd come there with someone else.

"I'm fine," she said, sticking her phone back in her jacket pocket. "I just… want to go home." There was no sense trying to hide her tears from him. Trent knew her better than anyone.

"I saw what that jack*ss was doing, Bree. I'm so sorry."

She wiped her nose on the back of her hand, realizing she was also still wearing her corsage. She took it off and hurled it across the parking lot. "Why do guys have to act like that?"

"I'm so sorry," he said again, brushing a blonde lock of hair away from her face. "Not all guys are like that, you know."

Shaking her head, she folded and unfolded her arms, not sure what to do. "Well, it seems like everyone I date is."

"Yeah, I'll give you that." He chuckled, sticking his hands in the pockets of his dress pants.

"That's not funny." She pushed him playfully, and since he had his hands in his pockets, he staggered backward a little bit.

"I was just kidding, Bree. Trying to make you laugh."

"Yeah, except it's true."

"Bree…."

"God, Trent. I'm such a loser."

"You're not a loser, Bree. He's the loser." He had his hands on her now, pulling her by the arms so she'd look at him. "Anyone who doesn't know your worth is a loser."

She looked into his eyes for a moment but then dropped her head. "You're just saying that because you're my best friend."

"Best friend?" he repeated. "Wow. I've gotten a promotion."

"Stop. You know you are." He pulled her closer, and Bree put her head on his shoulder. His arms circled around her, and she inhaled deeply, wishing she had a way of telling him she wanted so desperately for him to be more than a friend.

But she had no idea if he felt the same way, and she couldn't mess this up. What would she do without him in her life? Shrivel up and die? Bury herself under a rock and stay there forever.

"You should come back inside, Bree." Trent's voice was just a whisper in her ear. "Don't give him the satisfaction of knowing he upset you."

"Are you kidding? And watch him dance with that stupid b*tch all night?"

"Let him watch you dance with a bunch of hot guys all night. All right, well maybe not any hot ones--but me, and Isaac, and Hank…."

She raised her eyes to look at him. Did he really think he wasn't hot? He was the hottest guy in Shelbyville. "What about your dates?"

He shook his head. "Our dates all know that we're friends. Hell, Missy and I are just friends. You know that."

That's what he'd said, but she didn't know if Missy was aware of that. "Are you sure? I was just going to call my mom. How am I going to get home when this is over?"

"Hi--I'm your next door neighbor. Pretty sure I can get you home." He slipped a finger under her chin and gently raised her head so she was looking at him. "Bree, Bree… it's okay. You're okay. You're better than okay. You're amazing."

Bree took a deep breath. Something was happening here, and while it made her nervous and a little terrified, it felt really good as well. An energy filled the air around them, and Bree found herself staring at his lips for a second before she realized they were moving closer to hers.

He was going to kiss her! Trent Walker--her next door neighbor, hottest guy in school, best friend, was going to kiss her. Bree closed her eyes and leaned in, ready to accept his kiss and whatever it meant for them.

"Yo, Walker! You comin' back or am I gonna have to steal your girl?"

Trent jumped back about six feet, and Bree dropped her head. Stupid Hank! What the hell was wrong with him?

"I'm coming!" Trent shouted back. He took a few steps, ran a hand through his sandy blond hair, and then turned back to Bree. "You, uh… you ready?"

"Yep. Let's go." How could she not go back in now? She took a deep breath and walked alongside Trent, back into the dance, pretending what had just happened hadn't just happened….

Back in the cabin, Bree realized Nora was saying her name. "Bree? Are you even listening?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm listening. Sorry. Maybe I've had too much to drink."

"Isn't that your first beer?" Christy asked.

"Light weight," Abby joked.

Bree did her best to tune back into the conversation, but her eyes kept wandering back to Trent. Things had never quite been the same between them after that night in the parking lot when he'd almost kissed her.

She wished she could go back in time and make it happen. If things were going to be odd, she may as well see what it would've led to. Instead, that night had been the beginning of the landslide of their friendship, and God how she'd missed him….