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Dammit. I’ll never get rid of this woody with those thoughts, and I’m scared if I move, she’ll see me. Still, I’ve got to get out of here.
I take one step, and of course, it’s the wrong one. A branch breaks, and I slide around the oak tree I’d been hugging, splashing in the shallow water at the base.
The girl behind me screams, and I squeeze my eyes shut, not moving from where my stomach is pressed to the tree. My feet are in the water, and I listen as she scampers into the brush.
“Who’s there?” Her voice is sharp. “What are you, some kind of Peeping Tom?”
Busted. I release the tree and take a careful step backwards, doing my best not to fall. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were here.”
When I hear her stomping in my direction, I turn carefully. Thankfully, she’s clothed now, but the dress she pulled on clings to her wet body in a way that makes my body tight. Her wet hair hangs in thick locks over her chest, and when our eyes meet, it’s a jolt to my insides.
Cass Dixon moved to Eureka to live with her aunt Carol at the beginning of the summer. I noticed her the first day she was in town, at the Pak-n-Save, and she stopped me in my tracks.
She’s the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen with long, dark hair and almond-shaped blue eyes. She’s tall for a girl, but she has an easy way, like a dancer.
“Hey, Cass.” I’m doing my best to be casual, but it’s the first time we’ve ever spoken.
“What are you doing out here, Alex Stone?” Her hands go to her hips, and she’s sassy. “Aren’t you supposed to be at a funeral?”
“I ran away.”
“How come?”
Shrugging, I look down, shame and guilt twisting together in a knot in my stomach. “I didn’t want to be there anymore. I wanted to remember my grandpa like he always was. Not like… that.”
Her full lips press together, and she nods, walking over to sit on a black log moldering away at the water’s edge. “Makes sense.”
Her feet are in the water, and I walk over to sit beside her. “Does it?”
We’re not looking at each other. We’re just sitting side by side, watching the tiny ripples of water rolling in and around the cove.
Her shoulders move up and down. “I guess. I’ve never lost anybody I can remember, but I think if I did, I wouldn’t want to see them dead.”
The word stings a little, but she’s right. “None of it felt right. The flowers and the music, even his clothes—it wasn’t anything he would’ve liked.”
Our feet move like white fish in the currents. The soft ripple of water surrounds us, and insect noises fill the air. It’s a comforting place, and being here feels safe, familiar. Sitting beside Cass feels familiar, even if we’ve never talked before. She’s easy, like an old soul I’ve always known.
“What was he like?” Her voice is a gentle whisper.
My hands are in my lap, and I think about the old man. “He liked to fish and tell stories. He built houses and made whiskey. He asked me what I thought about things.”
It sounds dumb, but with Aiden being the oldest, he always talks to Dad. Adam is the youngest, and everybody always talks to him. Pop was the one who made a point of talking to me, like it was important to him to know how I felt about things.
A slim hand covers mine, and my eyes flash to where she’s touching me. “I’m sorry he died.”
Glancing up, I look at her pretty face. “You have a really good voice.”
She smiles, full lips parting over straight white teeth, and a pinpoint dimple is at the corner of her mouth. “Thanks. I love to sing.”
“What was that song?”
“‘I Have a Dream.’ It’s from the Broadway musicalMamma Mia.” She tilts her head, taking her hand from mine. “Technically, it’s an Abba song, but I love Broadway best.”
“Have you ever been?”
She shakes her head. “Maybe one day I’ll go. I’d love to seeHamiltonorWickedor evenPhantomif it’s still there…”
Nodding, I’m not sure how to respond. I’ve never known anybody who knew so many shows. “Why are you living with your aunt?” Her brow furrows, and I quickly explain. “I was just wondering what happened to your parents.”
