Page 1 of Rumor Has It

PROLOGUE

I glance over at my phone as it dances across my nightstand for the hundredth time. I love these people more than I can ever explain, but if Maisyn and Ridge don’t stop blowing up my cell; I’m going to hurt one of them.

I have three best friends: Maisyn, Ridge, and Boone. Maisyn’s my cousin, but more like my sister, and my only best girlfriend. Ridge is my brother from another mother, and my number two. I think he’d be thrilled to know I call him my number two because, well, he’s a guy, and they find it funny.

And then there’s Boone. Well, there was Boone. We become fast friends early in life, when his dad would bring his car to our shop for work. We were inseparable, and eventually, our relationship grew.

I never meant to fall in love with him, and if that had been my biggest taboo, I might have made it out in one piece. Instead, I’ve never been the same since he strolled into my life.

Until I pushed him away, that is.

I snatch my phone up, pressing the button a little more aggressively than I should. “For the love of all that’s holy, what do you want from me?”

“You’re a little scary-sexy when you get like this, ya know. It’s making my brain and hormones argue.” Ridge sniggers. He’s been one of my best friends since high school when he started working at my family’s garage. Ridge’s been by my side through every triumph and heartbreak.

I bury my face in my pillow, muffling my voice. “Why are you such a guy?”

“When I was born, I was told to grow a pair, and they were so big, they went south on me.” He snorts, and I can’t stop myself from giggling.

“Seriously? You’re the oddest human ever.”

“I know this, but if you want to keep me pure, you can’t tell anyone.”

I flop over, letting the light break into my blanket fortress. “Whatever, it’s a deal. Now, leave me alone.”

“Mack, you’re the one who decided to come home and face your demons down. I’m only here to hand your ass to you when you start droning on about how you ‘can’t do it’.” Ridge is right, which makes me hate him more. And love him more than I hate him.

I crawl out of the self-imposed confines of my bed. “Fine! But when this thing implodes my very existence, you have no one to blame but yourself!”

“I would, but then you wouldn’t get the chance to relive your teenage angst and regret all those amazing choices you made back then.” He’s right, but this is more than I care to face at five a.m.

As I stumble into the kitchen, taking out my favorite travel coffee mug, filling it to the brim. “Automated coffee makers are the shizz.”

“You need more than java to roll back up in this place after all these years. Like, people are gonna be shook!”

“Don’t say shook.” A sharp pang pierces my lower belly, screaming at me to back out, now. “No one hates the thoughts of me going home more than I do; I promise you that, Ridge.”

“I know, Mack, but I can say this with full appreciation—it’s what you need to do.” Ridge might just be the only person in this world who not only can appreciate what I did, but what I went through.

“I’m not so sure that’s true.” He’s told me multiple times over the years, he understood why I left, but I know it was lip service; he would’ve stayed. Leaving wasn’t something I thought I could do, but I knew I had to try.

“Your dad and grandpa are thrilled you’re coming home,” Ridge counters, bringing me to the edge of reason.

Leaving my dad and grandpa wasn’t easy, but after the years of torment I lived with there, I wasn’t going to subject anyone else to it. I’m also not going to pretend other people haven’t been through the same shit and stayed.

It wasn’t for me.

I was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks; grease under my nails, dirty bibs, ball cap and ponytail. I could tear down a car quicker than most men by the time I was a thirteen.

I’m not ashamed of who I am, but after years of being belittled, I couldn’t handle becoming the talk of the town. I wasn’t part of the ‘cool’ crowd, and I didn’t own the latest CD.

I watched my family work on every vehicle in our town at one point or another. Still, we weren’t rich and to some, that made me different than them. I was different than most.

But then… Boone happened.

Boone was more than my best friend, although we didn’t start that way. He treated me differently because he knew who I was. He had this uncanny knack for looking past what everyone else saw and found the true me.

It was so good when it was just us. But once the rest of the world noticed, all hell broke loose. People talk. It’s a small town, and the gossip is rampant, and not just about me.