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Cade waves without looking back, and I’m left standing alone in the wintry pasture once more, mulling over his words. Hearing about Cade’s parents reminds me of how damn lucky I was to have such an awesome mom and dad. We lost Mom a long time ago in a car accident. I was still a teenager when it happened; it was before Cade even moved to Snowfall Ridge. My dad’s death was a little more recent, but still almost a decade ago now.
Fuck, I miss them.
I swallow back a surge of sadness and bury my hands in my pockets, heading toward the creek. But my mind is swimming with memories. They say time heals, and maybe it does, but it sure doesn’t heal everything. Some pain never completely goes away. I guess that’s why I prefer to keep my circle so small. I can do the math. Fewer people in your life means less heartbreak. And I’ll do just about anything to avoid going through that kind of hurt again.
2
Maeve
I lug my bags behind me, my heart thudding as I jostle my way through the crowded airport. Part of me can’t believe I’m really here. I’ve never been to Crave County before. It was always my brother who came to visit me at college in Cincinnati, never the other way around. But now I’m taking a leap of faith and moving into Cade’s mountain cabin. It’s pretty scary to be moving to a totally new place, but I already know that Crave County will be better than what I’m leaving behind.
My parents.
They’ve been controlling me for as long as I can remember, pushing me to do everything they want me to do. I’ve spent my whole life trying to follow their strict rules and stay on their good side. They forced me to major in finance even though I didn’t want to, and I tried my best to keep up with the work. I didn’t want to let my parents down, despite everything they’ve done. But eventually, I just couldn’t handle the pressure anymore.
So now I’m officially a college dropout.
A college dropout with nothing in the world but a couple of bags.
And an awesome older brother, I remind myself.
The waiting area is full of onlookers holding banners or waving as my fellow passengers and I drift toward them. Cade is easy to spot. He’s the tallest guy in the room, hulking over everybody else, his hands clasping a sign.
Welcome home Maeve
I feel emotion clog my throat, tears pricking my eyes at the word “home”. Dragging my bags behind me, I race toward my brother as fast as I can and hug him tight, grinning against his chest.
Sometimes I still feel like pinching myself. I didn’t even know I had a brother until I was in my teens and found Cade’s birth certificate in the back of my parents’ closet. They told me he was a bad influence, a bad person, a bad brother. But I was still so desperate to find him. I didn’t succeed until I was in college when I finally tracked him down in an obscure online newspaper archive. He posted an ad selling firewood in the Crave County Gazette, and it included his full name and address. I’ll never forget the way my heart soared when I saw his information laid out in black and white after all my years of searching. I wrote him a letter, and he replied. He didn’t even know I existed, but he was determined to make up for lost time and be the best older brother he could be. He promised. And he’s lived up to that promise ever since.
“It’s so good to see you,” I tell him
“It’s good to see you too, kiddo,” he says, ruffling my hair.
I roll my eyes, trying to hold back my smile. “Who are you calling kiddo? I’m twenty years old!”
“Well, I’ll be calling you kiddo until you can drink.”
I raise a sardonic eyebrow. “If you call me ‘kiddo’, I’ll call you ‘old man’.”
Cade chuckles, running a hand through his beard. “I guess I can’t argue with that. Come on, kiddo, let’s get out of here. Give me your bags.”
I hand him my luggage. “Thanks, old man.”
He grunts, lifting my bags with ease as we head toward the exit doors of the airport. “Is this all the stuff you brought with you?”
I nod. “I couldn’t bring everything. A lot of it is still at Mom and Dad’s house, and I couldn’t risk going back to get it. They’d probably kidnap me and lock me in the basement if they knew I’d dropped out of college and decided to move in with you.”
Cade sighs. “Probably. But don’t worry, Maeve. You never have to see them again if you don’t want to. And I’m sure we can replace all the stuff you weren’t able to bring.”
I shrug as we head out into the parking lot, the frozen November air whipping against us as we walk. “I don’t mind. I like the idea of a fresh start. Don’t want to bring too much baggage with me.”
“Sounds wise.”
Cade leads me to a large pickup truck, and I jump up into the passenger seat. The truck smells like my brother—like a wild pine forest—and I smile as he pulls out of the parking lot, beginning the drive back to his cabin.
I stare out at Crave County as we drive, drinking in the sight of my new home. I’ve never seen such a beautiful place. Snow-capped mountains rise like cathedrals around us, streaked with tumbling waterfalls and bright blue mountain lakes. Rich, green forests cover the mountains, and silvery rivers sparkle in the afternoon sunshine. Eventually, we reach a quaint little mountain town lined with pretty, old buildings and golden-leaved trees.
“This is Winterdale,” Cade says as we drive through the town’s main street.
