Crispin's eyes dart to mine and then narrow as if he is angry with the bikers holding guns on him, but seeing me has somehow decidedly ticked him off more."Where did you find them?" One man holding a gun pointed at Ridge's chest asks, not looking back to see us.Knuckles grunts. "They hadn't even made it in the building. They were sneaking around the trees."I tighten my lips, not letting myself argue with his assessment because it sounds like an excellent lie to me. If Knuckles feels the need to lie to the head honcho biker, I trust his judgment.Katy, not disturbed by any of it, walks right past the bikers and stands next to Crispin and Ridge, leaving me to jog and catch up to them. "See you later, boys!" She waves before getting into the back of the Escalade unprompted.Crispin shakes his head at me but says nothing until I squeak out an I'm sorry."What did I say about Katy?" he says before closing the door on the Escalade and then getting in the front seat without wai
"What?" I jump off the couch, startling Hush, who barks once. When you call a family member from the hospital, the first thing out of your mouth should be, "I'm in the hospital." How bad is his injury that he would not tell me?"Don't freak out like I know you will. It was a minor accident and I'll be fine.""Do you promise?" My brother and my idea of fine are greatly different. Dalton has always been too macho for his own good. In his opinion, he's fine as long as he's still breathing. He can lack three of his limbs. I want fine to mean he's healthy and will come home looking the same as he did the last time I saw him."Stella, I need to call Mom and Dad, but don't worry. I'll be home soon and you can take care of me." What? How injured is he that he'll need me to take care of him? And how will he handle it when he finds out I'm practically living with Crispin?I laugh nervously into the phone and give my brother a quick goodbye. There's less than four minutes to sit on the co
"Elizabeth?" I question, not trusting the face I see as she steps into the room, her features lit by the moonlight with a knife raised close to her head. What would my one-time best friend be doing in my house with a knife? Is Ben with her? Have the two of them come together to get Hush, and if so, why don't they just take her and run? What the hell is happening?"Where's your brother?" she asks, taking a swipe at Hush again when she comes at her for another bite."Iraq. What are you doing?""Word on the street is he's back. Taken a bullet to the gut. I came to finish the job.""For my brother?" I try seeing around her body to look for a way out, but she blocks the door to the room."That way I can take everything from you, Stella.""From Ben?"I can't make out her features, but I swear Elizabeth rolls her eyes at my question as if the answer should be obvious. "Perfect little Stella. Always had the guy, got the good grades. You know what it was like being your friend and
The problem at this point isn't admitting I messed up — that's obvious — but now I face the consequences of my rash actions after my brother's phone call. When I needed him, Crispin saved my life. Multiple times. Elizabeth came wielding a knife and Crispin was still here to save me, but I can't bring myself to apologize. What can I say to make up for the biggest mistake of my life since becoming a true adult? There aren't words enough to express how much I regret everything.I can't go to the grocery store and find a card for the situation. Although it is Pelican Bay, and if these things happen as often as they led me to believe, maybe they have a special selection.I've spent the last day gorging myself on fake ice cream and not walking Hush any farther than the backyard, and I still haven't come up with an answer.Harley is the only person who has visited, but she has work to do and I can't expect her to always be around when I have a crisis in my life. I've been so full of the
If that was the worst of her suggestions, I can handle it. I deserve to grovel. Hell, I'll make a whole crow pie if it means I can get back together with Crispin. "How?"Pearl was quiet for a moment. "Oh damn," she said. "I can't think on an empty stomach."Her eyes lower, looking at the cookies, and I hurry to pop off the lid and pass them across the table to her. I'd even sacrifice Anessa's chocolate chip cookies if it helps her come up with a way for me to win Crispin back. No sacrifice is too great.She pushes the container away. "No, no, this won't do. Can you heat them up a bit?""You want your cookies warm?"Pearl smirks as if in a private joke with herself. "Now is not the time to question my methods, Stella.""Right." I grab the cookies and make my way for the microwave. Pearl's been giving advice to young hearts for decades. It's not my place to question how she wants to do it now. I am only happy she would at all."Does he like your dog?""Who, Crispin?"Pe
Once inside Crispin turns and looks me in the eyes without speaking, a quick reminder this is my show and I still haven't eaten crow. Figuratively, of course."I'm sorry." My hands get nervous. I don't know what to do with them and I knock one on the table hurting my knuckle. But I do my best to keep my face calm so Crispin doesn't notice. They raise and lower in the air as I speak, becoming hazards to anyone who dares get close. "I freaked out because I've never been on a stakeout before or kidnapped or even seen a gun in actual life. This stuff doesn't happen to people," I pause picturing all the times Katy wasn't the least bit nervous. "Okay, this stuff doesn't happen to me." People in this town have their own issues.Nice normal people are gun shy, but as I've learned over the last two days of being alone, what good is normal if your friends are weird?"So you don't think the town is cursed?" Crispin asks with a straight face.My hands start again. "Oh no, it is, but it's g
"NO, you have to eat the extra cookie," Tabitha says, placing the second on my plate after I turn it away.The bakery is bright, letting the setting sun through all the windows, and the smell of fresh-baked chocolate temps me further. "Why do I have to eat more cookies?""To make up for the fact you didn't eat here for days. It's been almost a week.""Don't argue with her logic," Katy says, turning the page in the magazine while she sits at the table across from me reading. "Tabitha can out-logic anyone. She wears you down eventually."I guess in that case I don't want to offend anyone, so I pop a bite of cookie in my mouth enjoying delicious gooey goodness.It's crazy how much can change in a matter of a few days. Hush and I are back at Crispin's house and we worked hard all day after our reunion to remove evidence of Hush having even stepped foot inside my brother's home. He would never know his canine niece had spent almost a week there.Not just my issues with Crispin h
Katy shushes me as if I've yelled my own name, and I turn, shock coloring my emotions, as Ben stands on the sidewalk next to his car parked in the middle of the street. Oh, shit.He's wearing a pair of black pants and a suit jacket, looking like he made the lengthy drive up here after leaving work. I turn back, trying to ignore him and hoping with the adrenaline I'm hallucinating. It could be a heart attack. I swear I once read an article that said ex-boyfriend hallucinations were a sign of something.My attempt to ignore him does no good. "I see you!" he yells, walking closer to my bush where I refuse to stand up and blow our cover. "I drove all the way here from New York and you will talk to me."He has to be kidding me. What about this situation looks normal? Like I want to sit down and have a chat? I turn, yelling "shh" at him and put my finger to my lips, trying to warn him to shut the hell up, but he keeps walking closer.I wave with my hand hoping he'll see it and get th