His gaze drifts toward the window for a moment. He’s been quiet since I brought it up, but now he speaks, his voice gravelly. “Yeah. I do.”
“There were certainly rumors about her leaving,” Maggie says. “People speculated. Some said she had a boyfriend she met in the city. I think she could’ve just…wanted out. She wasn’t happy with JP. We all saw it.”
Dan rises from his chair, his body language still conveying tension. “I think I’ll head to bed early,” he says, not looking at either of us. “Long day tomorrow.”
As he disappears toward the hall, I turn to Maggie. “Do you think Leah is still out there somewhere? Alive?”
“I don’t know, darlin’. I really don’t know.”
forty-two
Cursed
Chase texts me after everyone is asleep, a random question that has me smiling at my phone.
Chase:Want to go for a ride?
I should say no, I know that. Nothing has changed since the last time we spoke. I still don’t know if I deserve someone like him. And yet I can’t stop my fingers from typing that three-letter response.
Me:Yes.
Although I’m more than willing to sneak out, I’ve learned my lesson when it comes to making the Shipleys worry, so I gently nudge my cousin awake to let her know I’m going out to meet Chase.
“Mmm’kay,” Jasmine mumbles, half asleep. “Just keep your phone on you.” She yawns, more alert now. “And since we’re talking again, I expectallthe details about how Chase happened.”
I stifle a sigh. It was only a matter of time before she realized I owe her some answers about that.
I slip out the front door and hurry to the end of the driveway, where Chase and his motorcycle wait at the usual spot. He grins when he sees me and hands me the spare helmet.
“Where are we going?” I ask, shivering in the cold night air.
“Nowhere in particular. Just figured I’d steal you away for a while.” His voice roughens. “I miss you.”
Chase isn’t a sentimental guy, so that’s probably the nicest thing he’s ever said to me. And damned if it doesn’t make my heart soar.
I climb on behind him, holding on tight as he takes off down the empty road. For a few blissful moments, all I hear is the rumble of the engine and all I feel is the warmth of his body through his jacket.
When he finally pulls over at a lookout point outside of Starling, the view is endless, stars spilling across the night sky in every direction. We get off the bike, and I follow him to the edge of the lookout, where we can see the town lights twinkling below.
“So,” he says, leaning against the railing, “you know none of this is on you, right? None of what he did?”
“Tell that to everyone else.”
“I don’t care about everyone else. They’re wrong. You’re not your dad. I don’t want you beating yourself up over his mistakes.”
I hide my smile. Chase always seems to know exactly what to say to make me feel lighter. “Thanks. It helps.”
“What does?”
“Having someone who doesn’t look at me like I’m cursed or something.”
“Yeah, well, we’re all cursed in some way, aren’t we?”
“Are we? Okay. What’syourcurse?”
He stares at the horizon, his expression becoming serious. “This town. It’s too damn small. Feels like a trap. I can’t wait to leave.”
“So it’s really happening? Your big road trip?”
