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Four

“Tell me what’s wrong?”

Pretty sure if I actually did that, Charlee would have me committed.

“What could be wrong? I finally found someone reliable to take some shifts. We’re about to learn how to line dance.” I lifted my Surfside, the perfect summer drink. “Life is good.”

Charlee’s eyes narrowed.

We were at her friend’s bar, a staple now in Kitchi Falls, kicking back for what should be a fun girls’ night. Even better, it was Wednesday line dancing, something I’d been wanting to do but couldn’t before I hired help. Boots and Brews offered lessons an hour before those who knew what they were doing kicked up their boots and showed everyone how it was done. But it was really, really hard to think about any of that when my entire world had changed three days ago.

Three days of research. Of questioning. Of doing everything but sharing what had happened since no one—not even Nolan or my own parents—would believe me. I’d taken a picture of the two tiny holes, barely pin-prinks, in my neck. But still … I could hardly believe it myself.

Only problem with that?

It had happened.

When I stopped freaking out, I remembered how Riven made me feel. Alive. Everything a book hero was supposed to make you feel.

But he wasn’t a book boyfriend. Or a dream.

“Earth to Lena?” Charlee nodded to the dance floor where we were headed after our drink. “Is it that?”

A few people gathered, some I knew and some I didn’t.

“What?”

“Seriously?” Charlee looked at me as if I knew what the hell she was talking about. “Nolan? And his date?”

My eyes flew to the edge of the dance floor. It was actually their third date, but who was counting? She was the exact opposite of me. Dirty blonde hair. Tall. Graceful. New to town but knew how to line dance, apparently. Probably knew all sorts of things.

“Lisa? She seems nice. Nolan likes her, I think.”

Charlee continued to stare at me.

“What?”

Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, downed her drink and grabbed my hand. “Come on, that thing is a glorified iced tea. Neck it, girl.”

“What the heck does that mean?”

“Chug it,” her friend Natalie came back from the bathroom to catch the end of our conversation. “Time to hit the dance floor.”

Two songs later, although I distracted myself enough to forget about the whole Stone Haven incident, the entire episode came flooding back to me.

“Be right back,” I said to the girls. “Ladies’ room.”

For once, I didn’t care about the line, or that there was no line for the men’s room. I didn’t really have to use it, anyway.

“Come here.”

The voice. The hand wrapping around my arm. It was as familiar as the face that stared back at me every morning. Nolan dragged me past the men’s room and toward the emergency exit. The alley at the back of the bar wasn’t very well lit, but I could see his expression clearly.

There was no use denying it.

He’d been asking me what was wrong since that night, and probably wouldn't relent until I told him. But I couldn’t tell him. Or anyone.

So I lied instead.