CHAPTERSIX
Jessica zipped up her black leather jacket just as the doorbell rang. It was eight thirty on Thursday night, and her sister—as usual—was right on time. “It’s open,” she called.
The door swung open, and Nicole stepped inside. “I’m so stoked for tonight. If it’s as much fun as I’ve heard, we may have to make this a new annual tradition.”
Jessica smiled at her sister’s enthusiasm. When they were growing up, their parents had gone overboard on every holiday, but somehow Halloween had taken on special significance for the Flynns. Maybe it was their slightly warped sense of humor, but they’d always enjoyed scaring each other, and the annual Halloween party was a big friggin’ deal.
So when Off-the-Grid Adventures announced their new haunted zip-line tour this year? Yeah, they pretty much had to come. Even if it meant seeing Mark again so soon after “the kiss they’d never speak of again.”
“Why didn’t Brennan and Patrick come?” Jessica asked.
“Bren has some live thing on YouTube tonight, and Patrick’s working,” Nicole said, walking over to the mirror in the hallway to check her lipstick.
Jessica’s older brother was a YouTuber, which meant he earned a living—and a whopping good one at that—making videos to post on YouTube. His husband, Patrick, owned the art gallery downtown. And yes, both her older brother and her younger sister had gotten married before Jessica.
And no, she wasn’t bitter about it at all. Or not much anyway.
“All right then. Let’s go get scared shitless.” Jessica smiled as she led the way toward the front door.
“Are you limping?” her sister asked.
“I did something to my knee a few weeks ago. It keeps hurting off and on.”
“And let me guess, you haven’t been to the doctor,” Nicole said.
Jessica hung her head guiltily. But seriously, as long as she could still walk on it, surely it would get better sooner or later.
“Your mom is a nurse, and yet you still stubbornly refuse to go to the doctor for anything!” Nicole elbowed her playfully as they headed out to the car.
“That’s not true. I went last week after I had the flu to make sure I was germ-free.”
“So that you could go back to work sooner than you should have. I’ll drive,” Nicole said, clicking the lock on her car. “I have better music.”
“You havecountrymusic, which you know I hate.” Jessica climbed into the passenger side of Nicole’s Acura.
“Not my fault you have horrible taste in music.” Her sister cranked the engine with a grin, and as Keith Urban began to blast from the speakers, she turned the car toward the outskirts of town, where Off-the-Grid was located. As they passed the spa, Nicole asked, “So have you done anything with the new land yet?”
“Not yet. I’m meeting with a few builders this week to get things moving.”
“I get to stay at the nicest cabin free of charge, right?” Nicole asked.
“As long as you don’t abuse your little-sister privileges,” Jessica answered.
“I would never,” Nicole answered, with a look that said she planned to do just that.
They pulled up at Off-the-Grid, and Nicole parked in one of the empty spaces beside the house. A swarm of hyper butterflies took flight in Jessica’s stomach, partly in anticipation of the haunted zip-line but mostly because of Mark, dammit.
Why, oh why, had she kissed him yesterday?
“This is going to be so awesome,” Nicole said as she climbed out of the car.
“Definitely.” They walked inside the office, where Trent stood behind the desk, busily texting on his cell phone. And then the brown dog from yesterday walked out from behind the desk, tail wagging, and Jessica felt a big smile cover her face. She crouched down. “Aww, you’re still here.”
Mark hadn’t taken her to the shelter after all.
“No microchip,” Trent said. “Mark left her description at the shelter and the vet in case anyone comes looking for her though.”
“That’s smart,” Jessica said, but something told her this dog didn’t have a family out there looking for her. She had that same lost, haunted look in her eyes Mark had had as a teenager. She might be good for him.
