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“Perfect.See, you don’t even need me.”Rosaliewas joking, but something jolted in her chest when she said the words out loud.Asudden cool gust of air whipped through the tent, ruffling her hair, kissing her cheeks.AndRosaliecould’ve sworn she heard a single whispered word echoing through the air.
Stay.
SheandCarrieslowly turned toward each other. “Um…”Carriefrowned slightly, her perfectly groomed brows knitting together. “Didyou hear something?”
Rosaliehesitated before nodding briefly. “Yeah.Didyou?”
Carrienodded. “Idid.And, um, actually…I’vebeen thinking about staying here to work on some music, maybe for a couple of weeks, andIcould’ve swornIheard a voice say ‘stay.’”
“You’rethinking of staying here?”
“Yeah.Italked toAutumnearlier, and she said the suite’s mine for as long asIwant it.There’sjust something about this place that’s got my creative juices flowing.”
“Thisplace is special,”Rosalieagreed quietly. “Ican’t explain it.”
“Noteverything in life needs an explanation.”
“Fairenough.”
“Areyou dying to get back to the city?”
Rosalieshook her head. “No.Inever would’ve thought of myself as a small town girlie, but…Ilike it here.It’scozy and peaceful and beautiful.”
“Itis.”
Theyfinished their meals and chatted some more about the town, about the songsCarriewas working on, about other work-related things.Thesun disappeared completely, and portable stand lights flickered to life.
WhenRosaliestepped out of the craft services tent, she wrapped her coat around herself and took a deep breath of fresh, crisp winter air.Andthen all of the air whooshed out of her lungs at the sight before her.
Themoon hung above the falls, luminous and full, casting an almost otherworldly glow on everything it touched.Thesetting had been beautiful before, but now, kissed by moon beams, it was transformed.Graywas now silver, black was now a velvety navy, and the falls themselves…well, she could see why they were calledGossamerFalls.
Rosaliestared at the thundering water, the pounding of it filling her ears and her heart.Transfixed, she moved closer, stepping carefully over the rocks.Shelet out a soft laugh as ice cold mist landed on her face, and a sense of peace and belonging unlike anything she’d ever experienced came over her.Shelooked up at the moon, struck by its beauty and wondering how onEarthshe’d never taken the time to appreciate it before.Thesound of the rushing water enveloped her like a hug, and it was as though the rest of the world had dropped away.
Arush of surprisingly warm, sweet hair gusted past, and she heard another whispering voice, this one louder than the one she’d heard in the tent.
Makeyour wish
Findyour love
“Iam losing my mind,” she said out loud, blinking rapidly.Ashiver worked its way down her spine, and she turned around, feeling the weight of someone’s eyes on her.Butthere was no one there.Crewmembers had started setting up for that night’s portion of the shoot, but no one was paying any attention to her.
Thewhisper returned, more insistent this time.
Stay
Makeyour wish
Findyour love
Aroundthe corner
Achill shot through her that had nothing to do with the cold.Aroundthe corner?Butthat couldn’t be the same…
“Yep, definitely losing my mind,” she said, her voice far less certain than it had been a minute ago.Sheinhaled a steadying breath and closed her eyes, and all she saw wasJack’shandsome face.Andso, she opened her mouth and whispered, “Iwish forJack.”
Sheopened her eyes and immediately glanced around, hoping no one was watching her make an absolute fool of herself.God, this place must’ve really been getting to her if she was making wishes for men who she wasn’t even sure wanted her for anything beyond a good time.
Agust of air swirled around her, warmer than anything she’d felt in days, and her eyes stung with unshed tears.Tearsof hope, of longing, of loneliness, of fear.Ofdesperately wanting to belong to someone but being shackled to her past.Everythingshe’d held onto about her dad leaving, about relationships, about love and trust and vulnerability was no longer the shield she’d once needed.Nowit was like an anchor around her neck, dragging her down into a dark, lonely place.
