Into the Fading Twilight (Starlight Grove, #2) (8)

I just flipped him off. “Do not let my kid jump off the hayloft or ride in the pasture with no tack, understood?”

“Who me? I would never.”

The hell he wouldn’t. But it was a risk I was willing to take because something had created a bond between Nova and me that day. And now, I couldn’t handle the idea of her being at risk. Not being okay. I needed to check for myself—even if that made me reckless. Because getting involved with a victim of a case in any personal capacity? It broke every rule in the book.





CHAPTER THREE


Nova




IFELT EYES ON ME. AGAIN.

I ignored the sensation. Even though it was like nails on a chalkboard. I stayed focused on the wind drifting in through the open window as Brae made the turn onto Mountain View Way, the street that would lead us directly into downtown Starlight Grove.

The main drag through town was aptly named because the moment we turned onto the street, Mount Lupine came into view, popping up in the distance. Snow already dotted its craggy peak, and the bracketing forests made it seem even more imposing.

But there was something about its beauty. The largeness of it. It reminded me that there were forces out there so much bigger than me.

I relished the realization that those forces ruled the world. They weren’t good or evil; they were simply life. And life went on. Just like my breath did.

I felt eyes on me again, those nails scraping down the chalkboard.

“How are you feeling?” Brae asked as the sensation abated and she turned her gaze back to the road.

“Good.” The answer came automatically, with zero checkin as to how I was actually feeling. An easy lie. Or maybe not. Though compared to what I’d been through, I was good.

Brae was quiet for a moment—the kind of silence that made me realize a chasm had erupted between me and my best friend. The one who used to know me better than anyone. Now, it felt like no one knew me … not even myself.

“Your eyes?” Brae pressed.

My sunglasses were firmly in place at the moment, but they still allowed me to take in the town around me. There were about twenty or so shops and restaurants in the downtown area. Starlight Grove was an old mining town that had made the switch to ranches when the gold dried up, but it still kept some of that Old-West aesthetic.

There was a mix of that western vibe, with aged brick buildings and ones that had an antique farmhouse feel. But all of it carried a clear sense of pride in the décor. Flowerpots and baskets. Some fall designs with leaves and pumpkins. Plenty of advertisements for town events.

The bookstore had a sign for an upcoming book club meeting. Several tourist shops advertised the homecoming football game. The bakery told folks that their s’mores pie was back.

“We should hit up the bakery after work,” I said.

Brae’s brow furrowed at my abrupt change of subject. “The bakery?”

“It says they have s’mores pie. I’m down for that.”

Her mouth pursed, lines of disapproval etching themselves there. “Maybe.”

Brae had transitioned from best friend to mother somewhere along the line, and I missed the hell out of my bestie. We’d worked summers at the same bar and grill in Rhode Island and had a blast. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to say the same about working with her at the Boot. But I had to try.

“Or we could do boysenberry milkshakes at the Grove Griddle.” There was a hint of desperation in my tone that had nothing to do with wanting to visit the town diner and everything to do with missing my partner in crime.

Brae made a humming noise as she pulled into a parking lot behind the Boot. The building itself was a stunner. It was made of aged wood so dark that it was almost black, but that only made the flowers potted in water troughs pop all the more. And the swinging doors on the front made it look like an honest-to-goodness saloon.

Brae swung into an empty parking spot but didn’t turn off the engine. I braced as she turned to face me. She reached out as if she was going to place a hand on my forearm, and my breath caught in my lungs. I wasn’t sure if I wanted her to touch me or if I was terrified by the idea of it. But it didn’t matter because as quickly as she reached out, she snatched her hand back.

It hurt.

Even knowing why she’d retreated, it still felt like a dagger to the ribs. Dex had let it slip that I’d screamed bloody murder when Brae tried to hug me in the hospital and hadn’t stopped until they sedated me.

I had no memory of the incident. Not even a flicker. That time was spotty at best. And I wasn’t sure what was the truth and what was my imagination. Just like my time in captivity.

Now, no one touched me.

It only added to the tally of how long it had been since I had felt any sort physical kindness: A pat on the back. Fingers woven through mine. A hug.

I missed it.

But I was too scared to ask for it all the same. Because what if I freaked out again? That would seriously hinder my I’m totally fine and don’t need to be sent back to therapy story.

“Nova?”

I jolted in my seat. “Sorry. Space cadet city.”

Brae frowned. I swore she’d donned that expression more in the four months I’d been back than during the rest of her life combined. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

The doubt etched into her face hurt just as much as her pulling back from the touch, but I just battled it with a smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”