She let out a grunt of frustration and slammed the side of her fist against the door.
“What the hell?” a voice said from inside.
Daphne heard footsteps, then rushed to wipe under her eyes, which were puffy, dark-circled messes anyway.
“Why is this door open?” the same voice said, closer now. “I thought I—” The person cut themself off, then Daphne heard what sounded like a very heavy bag or box being dragged across the floor, followed by a…meow?
“I know, Bianca, calm the hell down,” the person said, and Daphne was fully confused now.
The door drifted open effortlessly, revealing a petite woman with lavender tips in her dark hair, perfect winged eyeliner, ripped black jeans, and black boots that could probably blow a hole in a wall after one solid kick. Colorful tattoos spiraled down both of her arms, and she smelled faintly of coffee.
“Hi,” Daphne said, then cleared her throat when her words came out a bit tear-logged. “Sorry, I couldn’t get the door open.”
The woman pursed her mouth, then looked Daphne up and down. From the way her jaw tightened and her nostrils flared a little, her gaze was more scrutiny than friendly observation.
“I’m Daphne,” Daphne said.
The woman continued to stare at her, eyes slightly narrowed now.
“Daphne Love?” Daphne tried again. “Your roommate? And, um, teaching partner?”
The woman’s throat bobbed as she swallowed. “Right. I’m April Evans.”
“It’s lovely to meet you,” Daphne said.
“Is it?” April said.
Daphne opened her mouth but closed it again without saying anything. The woman didn’t move, remaining in the doorway with her eyebrows lifted and her breathing a bit heavy for a casual meeting.
“April Evans?” April said again, her inflection rising on the end this time like she was asking a question. “From Clover Lake?”
Daphne wasn’t sure what the right answer was here. She’d never been the most socially capable person, spending most of her childhood either hiding her true feelings about almost everything or denying them if they happened to slip into the light. Vivian hadbeen her only solid friend in college, and even that, it seemed, she was continuously screwing up.
Then Elena…
She shook her head. Couldn’t think about Elena right now, absolutely not. She focused, tried to figure out how this tiny, beautiful woman wanted her to respond.
She settled on something simple.
“Yes,” she said.
April tilted her head. “Yes? That’s it?”
Daphne blinked, and…oh no…please, no…she felt tears starting to swell up her throat. She swallowed repeatedly, shoving them back down again until she felt steady enough to talk.
“I’m…I’m sure Mia told me your name,” she said carefully. “I’m sorry if I forgot.”
April blinked, clearly unsatisfied. She looked a little pale, and her jaw was still like a vise. Daphne could hear her teeth grinding.
“Right. Whatever,” April said, then opened the door all the way. “Come in, I guess.”
“Thank you,” Daphne said, stepping into the cabin. She still felt a little shaky—a newborn deer on spindly legs—but at least she was inside now, at her home for the summer.
The space was small but airy, a single room with knotted pine floors, walls, and ceiling. Two full-size beds sat on opposite sides of the room, a large dark green dresser in between. The linens were white and crisp, with green plaid blankets folded at the foot of each mattress. A large picture window to the right of the beds filled the room with bright light. There was a small closet to the left, along with a bathroom, and Daphne could see a white porcelain bowl sink and tub shower with a green-and-navy plaid curtain.
She also saw a complete and total mess.
Everywhere.
