Prologue
The whirl of the Greyhound’s wheels slowed, and instantly, Ella Santiago jolted awake.
An automated voice boomed over the bus’s sound system.“Next stop, Malibu.If this is your stop, please…”
Ella tuned out the message.Having heard it several times over the past twelve hours at every stop since Napa, she could recite it from memory.Though she had slept most of the way, she was shocked at how totally exhausted she felt.She supposed it was because her sleep had been disrupted by that message repeating every few hours as the bus rolled to a stop at all of the destinations along the way.
Catching a glimpse of herself in her window, Ella grimaced.She looked exactly like what she was: a girl running scared.Her makeup, so carefully applied the night before, was long gone.The sloppy bun she pulled her hair into during the night was even sloppier now.Pulling the scrunchie out, she finger-combed her long, black hair.It was so painfully straight that even after hours of being twisted into a bun, it fell smoothly down her back, not a curl in sight.She considered trying to repair her makeup but opted for a quick swipe with her fingers to remove most of the black smudges under her eyes.Her only nod to vanity was applying some lip gloss.Giving herself a second look in the window, she called it good.Honestly, that was all she had in her.The past twenty-four hours had taken more out of her than the past nineteen years combined.
Within minutes, the motor coach pulled to a stop inside a bus parking lot.Ella gathered her duffle bag and mentally prepared herself for what was to come.She had strategically chosen the front seat of the bus so she could be the first person to exit.While she stood at the top of the bus steps and waited for the driver to open the doors, she replayed the script in her head that she had been editing in her mind throughout the night.She had added and deleted so many words that she hardly remembered her original version.No matter how many changes she made, the message remained the same.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Ella scrunched down so she could look out the door windows.She immediately spotted Ben.As always, at the sight of him, a wave of peace instantly rolled over her, dousing some of her panic.The second the driver released the bus doors, Ella sprinted down the steps, shuffling her bag over her shoulder.
At that moment, Ben spotted Ella, and a huge grin split his face.He began quickly walking toward her, arms outstretched.
The joy of seeing Ben quickly paled as the heavy smells of gasoline, exhaust, and hot rubber tires assailed Ella.The nausea that had tormented her most of the day before suddenly roared back to life.Just as Ella reached Ben, she pulled back.She opened her mouth to say she was going to be sick when the remnants of the powdered donuts she devoured hours earlier spewed from the back of her throat.Trying to avoid raining vomit all over Ben’s chest, Ella bent over and puked all over his shiny white sneakers instead.Her last thought before praying for a hole to open up and swallow her whole from embarrassment was,Will life—and those sneakers—ever be the same again?
Chapter 1
Two Months Earlier
The Depot Café
Napa, California
Ella heard the bell over the door jingle, announcing another new round of customers.Glancing toward it, she saw a crew of twenty-something guys file in.The diner had been popping since she had opened at six, and the only table large enough to accommodate them was in her section.Great,she mumbled.Just what she needed: A huge table to turn at the end of her shift.Glancing at her phone, Ella saw she had thirty minutes left until 11:00, when she had to leave for her other job.There was little chance she would get this gang in and out before she had to go.
Ella sighed, mentally stomping her foot.She hated leaving things half done.It went against her grain.That included having to hand off customers mid-meal.She watched her younger sister Sophie seat them at her open table.Then, quickly grabbing a fresh pot of coffee, Ella headed their way, determined to get them in and out as fast as possible.She whirled and weaved her way around the counter to where the group of five guys had been seated and greeted them.“Welcome to The Depot.Who wants coffee?”
All five of them looked up at her with bloodshot eyes, sporting the Napa morning-after look.
“For all that is holy, fill this cup and keep it coming,” one of them groaned.The others nodded in agreement as she began filling mugs.They sucked down the steaming black coffee like their lives depended on it.At that moment, it probably felt like it did.Hangovers were commonplace here.After a little grease and a little hair of the dog, these guys would be good to go for another round of winery roulette.
Giving them a knowing look, Ella asked, “Anybody here need a Bloody Mary?If so, I just need to see some ID.”
All five nodded yes as they began to fish their wallets from their back pockets.After checking their licenses, Ella pointed to the plastic menus on the table.“Today’s special is red chile huevos rancheros.That comes with biscuits, breakfast potatoes, a choice of bacon or sausage, and fruit.Take a look at the menu.I’ll be right back.”
Walking over to the small bar area at the front of the diner, Ella handed the drink order to her father.She was not old enough to legally serve alcohol, so her father made the drinks and delivered them to the table.She headed to the kitchen to pick up another large order that was ready.
Meanwhile, across the diner, Benjamin Carrington slid into the only empty chair at the large round table with the guys and tossed a bottle of ibuprofen in the middle of it.As the only one of the bunch not currently hanging hard, he had run over to the nearest Jefferson Market as an act of mercy.He chuckled as all five of his best college buddies played snatch and grab with the bottle and then downed the pills as quickly as possible.
“Wow, slow down, dudes.”Ben teased.“No one is going to die from a hangover.”
Jack, who was resting his head on the table, raised up slightly and gave Ben a look that said death was definitely a possibility, before dropping his head back down with a groan.
“Have you ordered yet?”Ben could see they had managed to get coffee and the now almost empty Bloodys.
Davy shook his head.“No, we haven’t.Just ordered drinks.Our waitress will be right back.”
Brooksie, who until that moment had looked like he was at death’s door, perked up.“Dude, you missed it.The babe that seated us was super-hot.Like top shelf, smoking hot.”Pointing a finger at his friends, he added, “And, FYI, all of you turds back off.She is mine.I call dibs.”
Madison rolled his eyes.“Seriously, bro?You can’t call dibs on a woman.What are you, a sophomore calling shotgun in his buddy’s car?Have some respect.”
Ben had yet to see the woman his friends were talking about, but he agreed it was disrespectful to call dibs on a female as if she had no say in the matter.Before he could put in his two cents on the issue, Jack sat up.With his eyes closed and his head in his hands, Jack croaked, “Sorry, hate to break it to you, Brooksie, but I saw her first.Why would she want you when she can have me?”
“Because that woman is the future Mrs.Jefferson Brooks,” Brooksie fired back with such conviction that if Ben had not known what a player his friend was, he would have believed him.
The whole table roared with laughter.“Your future wife, really?I thought we met her last night.I distinctly remember you telling us to keep our distance from the blonde at dinner as she was your future wife,” quipped Liam.
