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I’ll never forget that day in the library after Aria died. Taylor was huddled in a ball in the farthest corner, her face devoid of any of the radiance that normally animated her features.
For me, Whitby was a refuge from my mourning.
For Taylor, it’s a reminder of everything she lost.
She’s regained some of that glow, but the darkness is still there, muted now, but present all the same. Grief isn’t something that you leave behind, it’s something you learn to live with.
“I’ve never been to a music festival.”
Her eyes widen and she leans forward. “What? Seriously, you have to go.”
“You’ll have to give me tips. Let me know which ones are the best for a first-timer.” I angle in her direction.
“Absolutely. Oh!” She reaches out with her free hand, grabbing my arm. “You have to go to Electric Forest, it is incredible. It’s so much more than a music festival. The lights are amazing, the art is fantastic, it’s like exploring another world. But the best part is the vibes. Everyone is so lovely, and they take care of each other, it’s like you’re suddenly family with strangers.”
She doesn’t move back, her hand still on my arm.
I look down at where she’s touching me, and then our eyes lock.
Electric heat crackles around us. Lust shoots up my spine and spreads through my limbs, coating my body with a lazy warmth.
She swallows and pulls away, taking a larger sip of the drink in her hands.
I take my own hefty gulp. Is this a one-sided attraction? The aftereffects of my childhood crush painting the situation in bold strokes?
I clear my throat. “Do you miss your family when you’re gone?”
She sets her drink on the side table, the flickering candle beside it glinting light off the glass. “I come home a lot to visit. They’re... mostly supportive of my lifestyle.”
“Mostly?”
Her soft laughter curls through me. “They tease me all the time.”
“Why would they tease you?”
She waves a hand. “I know, right? I’m the Empress of Awesome. Of course Jake likes to call me the Overlord of Lame.”
I huff out a laugh. “How is Jake? What has he been up to?” I didn’t talk to Jake much in school since he’s a year younger than Taylor and me, but Whitby High was fairly small as far as high schools go. There were only about a hundred people in our graduating class.
“He works at Camp Aria with Finley.”
My brows lift. “Camp Aria? No more Fox Cottages, or is it an addition to the rental properties?” The Fox family has owned a bunch of short-term rental cabins right outside town for as long as I can remember. I haven’t spent much time back in town over the past few years, and Paul and Moira don’t share local gossip. Before my cousins went to college, they were always the ones who kept me apprised of the local gossip.
She shakes her head. “Nope, not an addition. Fox Cottages has been no more since last year.”
“How did that happen?”
She blows out a breath. “It’s kind of a long story.”
I motion to the dim room. “I’ve got time.”
The corner of her mouth quirks up. “Finley took over the property after Dad passed. She and Jake managed it by themselves for a while, but it wasn’t sustainable. The cabins were old and falling apart and basically bleeding money. Then, this big-time investor wanted to buy it. Oliver Nichols, have you heard of him?”
“No.”
“He’s actually dating Piper now, which is a whole different story, but anyway, he started pestering Finley to sell and buying up all the properties around ours. Finley refused because the property has been in our family forever, and it’s home, you know?”
I nod.
