“That’s right, Rocky, just keep those unreachable dreams flowing.” I finished the beer and smacked the can on the table.

Rocky scowled at me as I stood up. I turned to walk out.

“Heard there was some girl out on Phantom Curve,” Dad said to my back before I could step out of the kitchen.

I turned around. “Yep. Just another family member coming to pay respects.”

Dad stared at me as if he was trying to figure out if there was more to it. He’d always had an unhealthy interest in the deaths out on the curve.

I lifted my hand in question. “What?”

He shook his head. “Fuck, Jem, just brought it up. Dane said she was out there all alone, a real pretty girl with a duffle bag like she was traveling through.”

“Well, Dane had on more of his thinking cap than usual then.”

“So?” Draven sat forward with interest.

I raised a brow at him.

“Was she pretty? How’d she look?” he asked, and I could almost see the drool dripping from his mouth.

I thought about the question. The girl had looked at me with round blue eyes peering out from long blonde bangs, and for a second, the rest of the fucking landscape had disappeared and all I could see was her. “Too damn pretty for this place.” I turned and walked out.

Dane was working on the old jeep he’d bought for three hundred bucks. For a guy who wasn’t always thinking straight, when he focused on something mechanical, he was like a brilliant surgeon with a wrench. He straightened from under the hood. He wiped the back of his greasy hand across his forehead and left behind a black streak.

“What happened with that chick? Damn—” He shook his head. “The only place I’ve ever seen a girl like that was in the center of my magazine.” He ducked back under the hood. “Did you get her number?”

“Now why the fuck would I get her number? She was standing in the ravine, not in the middle of a bar.”

“You disappointment me, bro. Never known you to walk away from a pretty girl without a phone number. No matter where you met her.”

I shook my head and leaned my forearms on the edge of the jeep to look down into the engine. “Yeah, well this wasn’t your every day pretty girl.”

“Yep, she was out of his world.”

“Well said, Dane. So are you about ready to breathe life into this monster, Dr. Frankenstein?”

He laughed. “Almost. Hey, Jem, you ever hear from that girl, Kiki? The one who used to send me naked pictures of herself just to piss you off.” Another laugh.

I straightened and scrubbed my hair with my fingers. “Oh yeah, I forgot about her doing that. Kiki was definitely wild, but no, I haven’t talked to her.” The day Kiki and I’d split up to head our own ways was the last time we spoke. It was over by then, and we both knew it. There wasn’t any reason to stay in touch. I’d been on the road for a long time, and I’d met a lot of people. I’d picked Kiki up hitchhiking on the highway. For six months we’d traveled the country on my bike. Her dad had been a successful pool shark, hustling people out of their pocket money, and he’d taught Kiki all his tricks. She’d fill her pockets with the money of the poor duped souls she played, and I’d win cash laying down poker hands. In between, we found motels and shabby rooms to rent and fucked until the bed springs broke. One day we were filling up the bike at the gas station and Kiki walked inside and bought herself a straw hat to shield her from the sun. I knew she was taking off again. She walked over, kissed me good-bye and headed to the highway without looking back. Neither of us had any idea what love was. We’d walked away from each other as easily as two strangers.

“Are you going to head over to Rotten Apples tonight for some brewskies and poker?” Dane asked.

“Might as well. You want to go?”

“Yep. Think we’ll see her?”

“See who?”

“The girl, the magic genie with the blue eyes and the amazing tits.”

“A girl like that doesn’t belong in a place like Rotten Apples any more than she belongs in this town.” I headed back to my house. “We’ll head out in a couple hours.”

Chapter 5

Tashlyn

I’d nearly missed the dented welcome sign as I crossed into Blackthorn Ridge. Just as Everly had promised, a sharp left and a two block stroll landed me directly in front of Gregor’s Market. The storefront looked more like a quaint old house, complete with a porch and blue bench to sit on. The only things to give away that it was a store and not a cozy home were the advertisements in the window. Today’s special, apparently, was Jane Yarden’s homemade boysenberry pie. The thought of fresh fruit pie only intensified my hunger pangs.

Everly came running out onto the porch. She had a smile that was so incredible, it made the scars seem insignificant. “You made it.” She raced down the steps and took hold of my duffle. “I worried you’d gotten lost. I’ve got a sandwich waiting for you.”

I followed her up the steps.

The inside of the store reminded me of the tiny market a mile outside of The Grog. Aunt Carly was pretty militant about us eating produce, eggs and bread made and grown locally by our neighbors, but occasionally, even she had a craving for potato chips and a frozen burrito. Of course, she’d lament for a week about her fall from grace, but it was still worth it.

A big man with an extraordinarily friendly face was standing behind the counter. He looked up and smiled. “So, your friend made it, huh, Ever? Landon Gregor, and welcome to Blackthorn Ridge.” He reached out a giant, slightly shaky hand. I shook it.

“Tashlyn Younglove, but, please, call me Tash.”

His brows raised in surprise as I told him my last name. I was used to the reaction, although his seemed a little stronger than most.

“Tash Younglove,” he said with a tilt of his head. He had snow white hair and blue eyes that sort of twinkled from behind his round cheeks. I hadn’t imagined the shake in his hand. I wondered if it was Parkinson’s or some other malady. “Both names are certainly original. I think I’ve only heard Younglove one other time.” He seemed to ponder that probability for a second and then his wide smile returned. “Well, I know Everly made you a sandwich.” He glanced at my duffle bag. “You look like a hungry, weary traveler. Are you just passing through?”

Everly huffed. “Uncle, I told you she’s staying here. I’ve invited her to stay with me.”

“Guess I wasn’t listening well. I thought she was only here a few days.” He looked at me as if he couldn’t figure out why the heck I would be staying in his town. It was the same reaction that I’d gotten from Jem Wolfe. I was beginning to wonder if the townsfolk were just really particular about letting strangers live in their town.

“That’s what we term as selective hearing, Uncle.” Everly motioned for me to follow her.

“Nice meeting you.” I nodded toward her uncle.

“You too. Enjoy your sandwich.”

Everly led me to three small round tables in a corner behind a pyramid shaped display of granola bars and snack foods. Everly tilted her head toward the geometric tower of boxes. “Impressive, huh? I was bored, so I got creative with the Nature’s Bounty snack food boxes.”

“Wow.” I reached down for a box at the bottom. “Oh, look, these are my favorites.”

She gasped.

I laughed. “Just kidding.”

“You got me. The good news is that we’ve been kind of slow today, so my uncle is going to let me have the evening off. That way we can walk out together and get you settled in at home.” She pointed to a table that had a brown wrapped sandwich and a drink. “I took a chance and picked cream soda.”

“Perfect. Thanks again for everything, Everly. And thanks for making me feel so welcome. That seems a little hard to come by out here.”

“Are you kidding? I should be thanking you. I’m thrilled to have someone new to talk to.” The front door opened just as she pulled out a chair for me to sit. Her gaze shot to the front of the store, and her bottom lip rolled as if she had sucked on a lemon. “Yuck, I hate it when those guys come in.”