My chest feels lighter as I walk back to the front desk. Apart of me feels like I’ve been carrying Julia’s hurt along with my own. But I can’t help but feel a spark of hope, too. Maybe I can’t fix things for Julia, but I can be someone who shows up.
The first thing I do when I sit at the front desk is take out my phone and dial Colt’s number. It rings twice, but when he finally picks up, I smile. “Hey.”
“Hi, Em. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Can I talk to Mi really quick? I just want to hear his voice.”
CHAPTER 13
When Henry suggested our next location scouting adventure be somewhere in the woods, I knew I wanted to take him to the creek. It was a big part of my childhood and an even bigger part of the life I’d slowly built for myself in Honey Grove. It was the perfect place to start peeling back the layers.
My car tires crunch against the dirt road as I weave in and out of the potholes marking the entrance. You have to squint to see the small clearing, which is covertly shrouded by a dense wall of trees, concealing the perfect hideout.
Before I pull onto the narrow dirt path, I pull my car to the side of the road behind Henry’s Prius. The compact silver car looks out of place—much like the man leaning against its hood, clad in cargo shorts and hiking boots. My cheeks twist up in a smile as I shake my head. I should start giving Henry a dress code for these outings.
There’s a flutter deep inside of my chest when he looks at me through the glass windshield. I swallow that feeling and poke my head out of the window. “Hop in my car and I’ll drive us back there. I’m not sure if your car will make it.”
When Henry told me he wanted to drive separately, anauseating wave of emotions washed over me. At first, my insides twisted into a tight knot, and my heart felt like it was in my stomach. Then, I felt that knot slowly unravel into pure relief. I needed the extra space to decide my next move. Still, disappointment and rejection were at the forefront of my mind—two emotions that showed I cared.
He nods and moves to the passenger seat. When the door clicks open, a comforting blend of sweetness and earthiness assaults my nostrils. Unease crawls across my skin, and my jaw locks into place.
I push the long braid resting on my shoulder to my back and nervously tug my gym shorts down as they threaten to reveal more milky white skin. “Hey.”
“Hi,Pajarito,” he chirps, his voice filling my car. The nickname provides me with a new level of comfort and eases some of the tension on my shoulders. I ease into the driver’s seat and turn the car down the dirt path.
Silence fills any uncertainty lurking from the last time we spoke. An empty feeling crawls up my spine.
I clear my throat and grip the steering wheel until my knuckles turn white. “I think you’re going to love this place.” I keep my eyes trained on the uneven path, trying to dodge big holes that could easily cause a flat or a busted muffler.
“How did you say you discovered this place again?” he asks. The question jostles my memory with a sharp slice of nostalgia.
“Wren’s boyfriend and her brother found this place when we were kids. They were out riding their four-wheelers one day and stumbled across an old path that led here. It started as their place, but much like an annoying younger sibling and her friend, we infiltrated it and made it our own. We all used to sneak out here every summer to swim or have fires. Once we got older, it turned into a party spot for us and our friends. I’ve experienced so many firsts here, from my firstbeer to my first kiss,” I say, the last memory feeling thick on my tongue.
“This place is—" I pause, feeling the memories shift inside the box I packed them away in. “Itwaslike an escape. Our own little paradise where we could just be kids.”
A fond coziness settles over me, letting the old memories provide comfort where so much pain existed. The nostalgia dulls the nervous energy spilling, and I can’t hear the pounding of my own pulse in my ears anymore.
Sensing a shift in Henry as well, I glance over at him to see he’s already watching me. “What?” I ask, trying to shake the feeling of those eyes.
“Nothing.” He smiles to himself. “I like seeing you like this.”
I open my mouth to reply, but my attention is quickly pulled to the dirt path, which is coming to an end. The trees part, revealing the creek in all its glory. Sunlight coats the thick shrubbery surrounding a simple fire pit and another narrow path to the babbling brook on the other side. The quiet and serene rush of water weaves into the air, creating the perfect symphony.
My heart clenches as I park and kill the engine. I turn to Henry again and his eyes are still on me, glazed over with deep admiration. “Well? What do you think?”
“Hermosa,” Henry answers, his eyes locked onto mine.
My breath hitches. I reach for the door handle and pop it open, desperate to create some space between us. “It’s even better up close. Let’s go explore,” I suggest, stepping out of the car. Fresh air rushes into my lungs and I greedily take it in.
Henry follows, the sound of his door shutting echoing off the trees. “You were right. This place is great. I can see why you liked it so much as a kid.”
I wrap my arms around myself and let the space close inaround me. “Do you think it’s a good inspiration for your book?”
He lets out a weak laugh and steps next to me. His hand reaches behind his neck and scratches the exposed part of his neck. “I’m not sure. I’m working on the scene where the killer is chasing the protagonist in the woods. This space doesn’t feel ominous enough. It feels more like home.”
I nod and let my eyes dance around the clearing, looking for any place to settle except for Henry’s face. “I’m sorry. We can try somewhere else.”
“No, it’s fine. I—thank you for bringing me here. I can tell this place means a lot to you.”
