And the truth was she cheated on me. With more than one guy.
“Actually,” Mason says and fishes the keys out of his pocket. “Go cool down the car. I’m sure it’s a fucking oven having been in the sun all morning.”
I catch the keys he tosses me, thankful for an exit plan.
No, I don’t have feelings for Lisa anymore, but just one look at her face reminds me why I’ve promised myself not to give my heart away.
I won’t make that mistake again.
Chapter Seven
JOSIE
Golden light from the setting sun reflects off the glassy surface of Silver Lake. After checking in the rearview mirror to make sure no one was close behind me, I let off the gas, slowing down so I can take a bit of a longer look at the water.
“Hey,” I say quietly and give Everly a gentle shake. How she fell asleep is beyond me. The damn cat has been yowling nonstop since we left Indianapolis. “We’re almost there.”
She straightens up, pushing her hair out of her face and blinks, looking around. “Oh wow. We are.”
“What? You didn’t believe me?”
“It went by faster than I thought.”
“Yeah, it would if you slept through most of the drive. Some traveling companion you are,” I scoff, giving Everly the side-eye.
Used to my sarcasm, she just rolls her eyes and pulls her phone from her bag using the camera as a mirror to fix her hair.
“I forgot how pretty the lake is,” I note as we go around a bend, following along with the shoreline for half a mile or so. “We’ll have time to go on the nature paths around the lake this time too.” Usually, when we come to visit Aunt Kim, we get two or three days at best before having to rush back to our busy lives. I’ll admit not having a solid plan in place almost makes me nervous. I like knowing what’s going to happen next so I can prepare. It’s been so long since we had time off like this to just relax, it’s like I don’t know what to do.
“Are you okay back there, Meow-meow?” Everly twists in her seat, reaching back and sticking her fingers through the slots in the cat carrier. Mr. Meowster, who had finally fallen asleep, wakes back up and starts meowing again. “Oops,” Everly mumbles and turns back around. It’s another fifteen minutes until we get to Aunt Kim’s house, and I’m about ready to denounce cats and claim to be a dog person for life by the time we get there.
My heart jumps in my chest when the old farmhouse comes into view. Right away, we notice that it hasn’t been kept up very well since the last time we’ve been here. The lawn is in major need of mowing, the usually pristinely kept flowerbeds are full of weeds, and the roof of one of the barns sustained pretty bad wind damage.
I can’t explain it, but this place has always felt like home. Louisa and our mother hated coming here. Silver Ridge is a small town with little to do. Dad, feeling obligated to come see his older sister every once in a while, never complained, but if you paid attention, you could catch him grumbling under his breath about this place as well.
Elijah and I were the only ones who loved it. We were both outdoorsy children and playing in the woods appealed to the both of us. I was closer with my brother for most of my childhood, but as soon as I saw those two pink lines, I was forced to stop being a child.
And then I was so very grateful for my pragmatic older sister.
“This place could use some work,” I tell Everly as I put the Jeep in park. “Good thing we’re here. Papa told me that Aunt Kim’s health isn’t the best, so picking up the slack will not only be helpful but is the least we can do for her letting us come crash.”
“Where are the horses?” She’s practically bouncing in her seat looking for them, and completely ignored everything I just said.
“Probably in the barn. It’s about time for them to get dinner.”
Everly’s face lights up as she madly undoes her seatbelt and tries to open her door before the Jeep is even unlocked. Call me lame, but it brings tears to my eyes to see her so happy and excited.
“Should we go to the barn then?” She unlocks her door and opens it, hesitating only for a second to look at me.
“Let’s try the house first. Mr. Meowster probably needs a litter box break.”
“Fine.”
I grab my purse, the cat, and get out, going up the old wooden steps of the porch. They’re in need of repair too, with weeds growing up through cracks in the wood. If Aunt Kim is having a hard time moving around like Dad said she is, then this is dangerous for her.