by Amy Patrick
“What? Never been to Sonic? You haven’t lived, city girl. Welcome to civilization. I recommend the bacon cheeseburger or the chicken strips. And you’ve got to have a cherry lime-aid.”
I wrinkled my nose. “That sounds gross.”
He laughed. “Oh no. You want to be a small town girl, you’ve got to adapt your palate. Cherry lime-aid is like the champagne of Deep River. And you’re going to love it. Trust me, it’s delicious.”
“Okay then. I’ll have one of those. And the chicken strips.”
Asher grinned his approval and pushed the button, giving our orders to the squawky voice on the other end.
As we sat and waited for our food, I watched groups of teenagers arrive in their cars, get out, mingle and flirt. Several of the boys looked freshly showered, with wet hair and DRHS football t-shirts on. A girl pointed in our direction, and her friend looked up, wide-eyed with surprise. Then she strutted over and knocked on the hood of Big Red before going to Asher’s window.
He rolled it down. “Hey Bon-bon. What’s up?”
“Asher McCord—I can’t believe you missed the playoff game tonight. Where were you?”
Her eyes darted to me, making a quick assessment before returning to Asher’s face, where they clearly preferred to focus.
“Out of town. Just got back.” He leaned back in his seat. “Bonnie, this is Ava. Ava—Bonnie.”
I lifted a hand in a wave. “Hi.”
She gave me the least friendly, perfunctory smile I’d ever seen. “Hi.” Then back to Asher. “Katelynn was asking about you today. She should be here any minute.” She tossed a glance to me. “Katelynn’s his girlfriend.”
Asher’s open expression shut down. “Ex-girlfriend. Listen Bon, great to see you, but our food’s coming. I’ll catch you later.”
She blinked and stayed in place for a moment. Then realizing she’d been dismissed, she sniffed and whirled away, heading back toward her friends on the other side of the patio area that centered the two parking lanes. Reaching them, she spoke quickly and enthusiastically, gesturing in our direction. The others turned and stared.
Suddenly feeling conspicuous and very out of place, I looked away from the group and focused on the waitress hooking a tray onto the window of Asher’s truck. He paid her, thanked her, then lifted two tall styrofoam cups and offered one to me.
“Your cherry lime-aid, miss. Tell me this isn’t Heaven in a cup,” he challenged with an adorable smile.
He obviously hadn’t noticed Bonnie’s live-up-to-the-minute breaking news report across the drive-in or the way the other kids were watching us now. Either that or he didn’t care. I did. I couldn’t help myself. Under their scrutiny I felt like an alien or a zoo animal trapped in my tiny habitat.
I forced a return smile for Asher and took a sip of the red liquid through my straw, nodding and declaring it good. But in all honesty, it tasted sour. Maybe it wasn’t the drink but the discomfort of being a stranger in a new place. Maybe it was the realization that as much as I loved the quaintness of this town and longed to fit in, I never would.
My fantasy of living in a place like this, living in peace, growing my little garden, knowing and being known, was exactly that—a fantasy. I wasn’t like Asher’s ex-girlfriend. I wasn’t like these people. I couldn’t be one of them, no matter how much I might want to.
When we’d finished eating, Asher pulled the truck back onto Main Street and headed out of town in the direction of his family’s farm. It also happened to be the direction of Altum.
“I can’t wait for you to meet Momma and Granddaddy,” he said. “They are gonna love you.”
“Yeah... about that. I think it might have to wait. I need to talk to Ryann. I’m pretty sure I’ll just spend the night with her.”
His head whipped around in surprise. “Really? They’ve already got a room ready for you. I called them from the last rest stop we made.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet. But yeah... I really think it’s best if I stay with her tonight.”
He shrugged. “Okay, if that’s what you want. But your suitcase—you know the one from the trunk of your Corvette? It’s already at my house. Momma loves your clothes, by the way.” He winked. “She peeked.”
“Oh good. I’d actually forgotten about that. I have clothes—yay! So I’ll see you tomorrow then... maybe.”
“Oh, there’s no maybe about it. I’ll let you get away from me tonight, reluctantly, but I’ll be back to get you tomorrow. You have to come to our annual Pecan Pickin’ Party.”
I couldn’t help but grin, despite the encroaching sadness at the thought of leaving him. “What’s that?”
“Well, we have a grove of pecan trees. They line our whole driveway from the county route all the way up to the house. Every year our friends and neighbors come over one Saturday during the season, and we hand out buckets to anyone who wants one. Everybody picks up the pecans that have fallen until their buckets are so heavy they can barely lift them. Then they take them home to eat or bake into pies or whatever.”
“I love pecans.”
“Me too, which is amazing considering how many I’ve eaten in my lifetime. It’s a wonder I haven’t turned into a walking breathing nut.”
I laughed and held up a finger before he caught his mistake.
“I guess that’s up for debate, huh?” He laughed. “Well, anyway, you’re gonna love it. It’s a good time. Momma makes homemade bread and pots of chili, and everybody stays and has a meal out on the picnic tables under the trees.”
I sighed deeply, picturing the idyllic domestic scene. “It sounds nice.”
He grinned and grabbed my hand, bringing my knuckles to his lips for a kiss. “It is. And it’ll be even better with you there this year. You’ll get to meet pretty much everybody who’s important in my life.”
Ooof. There went the warm feeling in my middle, replaced instantly by a heavy cold stone. I couldn’t go to a Pecan Picking Party or any other event involving his family and friends. Not if I was going to erase his memories of me and disappear. One snotty little girl at the Sonic was one thing—all the important people in his life—that was another thing entirely.
I was quiet for the rest of our drive out to Ryann’s house. My fingers clenched Asher’s until he must have wondered what was wrong with me. With every mile closer we drew to the log house in the woods, my heart gained weight. By the time we arrived, it weighed a hundred pounds all by itself. I was struggling to hold back tears. This was it. Our trip was done. I had to say good-bye to him tonight—forever.
The truck rolled down the gravel driveway and around the curve, bringing the house into view. The front porch light was on, and Ryann’s new car was there in the circular drive. Asher put the truck into park and reached for the keys as if to turn it off.
“Want me to walk you in?”
I shook my head. “No. I’ll just get out here. I don’t have any bags or anything to carry in.”
“Right.” He nodded. Then he turned off the ignition and shifted in his seat to face me. “Well then I guess this is the part where you feel so grateful for the ride home, you give me a mind-erasing goodnight kiss.”
Momentarily horrified, my eyes flew open wide. Then I realized he was kidding about the mind-erasing part. Of course. He didn’t know about my terrible gift. I stared at him for long, greedy moments, drinking in all the beautiful details of his face.
“I am grateful,” I whispered. “For everything.”
“It was my pleasure,” he whispered back.
Then he leaned in and kissed me. His mouth was gentle as it worked over mine, coaxing me to give in to the intoxicating sensations he never failed to evoke. As he deepened the kiss, I sagged against him, filled with pleasure and despair. How was I going to live without this for the rest of my life?
Asher pulled back, keeping eye contact, holding me in place with those incredible turquoise eyes of his.
“Uh oh. It didn’t work,” he murmured. “There is nothing...” A soft kiss
. “...that could ever...” Another one. “...make me forget you. Not as long as I live.”
His lips met mine one more time before he sat back with a smile then got out to come around and open my door for me. I waited, fighting with all my strength not to cry, dying inside by the minute.
Why, why, why was this happening? Why did the universe throw this perfect, amazing guy in my path when there was no way for me to keep him?
I slid from the seat, and Asher’s big hands caught me, settling at my waist. Gliding my hands from his wrists up his forearms to his biceps, I relished the feel of his skin under my fingertips this one last time. This was it. I had to do it.
“Asher.”
“Yeah?” he said as he stared down into my eyes. His voice was husky, and I could tell from the look he was giving me he was about to kiss me again. I couldn’t let that happen. If my heart opened to him even one more inch, I might lose my nerve and not do what I needed to.
Heart pounding in my ears, I swallowed, took a breath, and began. “That day... that day at the grocery store when you saw my car and noticed the license plate... you walked over and knocked on the window...” I paused and took another shaky breath. “... but I didn’t roll it down. I backed out of the spot and drove away.”
He cocked his head to the side and blinked a couple of times. “What are you...”
I forged ahead, interrupting him. “You never saw me up on the electrical tower. You never pulled me out of my smashed car. When you drove to New York City recently, it was only because you wanted to see the parade and the city. It had nothing to do with me, and you never even saw me there. We didn’t make that drive home together. We didn’t camp together and sleep in each other’s arms last night.” I was struggling to even finish sentences toward the end, my voice breaking. “You don’t... know me at all. We never met.”
For a long moment, he stared at me with a blank expression. Then his eyes narrowed, crinkling at the corners. The sides of his lips raised. “What the hell are you talking about, crazy girl? I think that cherry lime-aid went right to your brain and froze something up there.” He laughed.
My jaw literally dropped open.
“If you think pleading temporary insanity is going to get you out of meeting my family, think again. I’ll be back to pick you up tomorrow at noon.” He gave me a quick kiss on the top of the head. “Tell Ryann I said hi.”
Stunned, I turned and staggered toward Ryann’s porch. At her door, I looked back and watched Asher walk around the front of his truck, open the door, and slide in behind the wheel. He started the engine and rolled down the passenger side window.
“Sleep tight, city girl.” Then he pressed his lips to his fingertips and held them out to me before driving away.
Holy crap. What just happened?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Free Now
“I still can’t believe you’re involved with Asher.”
Ryann and I sat in her kitchen, tall glasses of sweet tea in front of us on the old farmhouse table. She’d greeted me at the door, relieved, she said, to see me since no one had heard from me in a while. She’d been doing homework at the house because Lad had a Light Council meeting and she took the opportunity to visit her parents. She was planning to head to Altum for the night soon.
“I can’t believe it either,” I said, tracing a pattern in the beads of condensation on the outside of the glass. What I really couldn’t believe was that my glamour hadn’t worked on him. What did it mean? “It all kind of... happened. I can’t really explain it.”
She smiled and took a sip from her tea. “Some things are just meant to be—you can’t fight them. Lad and I tried. I broke up with him once because I thought I was doing the best thing for him. He did the same thing, sending me away because he was trying to protect me. But in the end, nothing could stop us from being together. If it’s meant to happen, it will.”
I shook my head. “It shouldn’t happen with Asher.”
“Why? Because he’s human?”
“That and... he’s too nice for me. He’s a good guy. I mean a really good guy.”
Her expression quirked in confusion. “And you can’t be with a good guy?”
Shaking my head again, I swallowed a lump in my throat. “You know what I did to Lad—and to you. I almost ruined your relationship. I’ve done things equally as bad—worse maybe.”
“Yes. And we forgave you because you were sorry and you did your best to make things right. Just because you’ve done bad things doesn’t mean you’re permanently damaged and condemned to be alone forever—or to be with some guy who treats you badly or something. You’ve changed, Ava. You want to do the right thing and make better choices. You deserve a second chance. You deserve good things in life. But me telling you that isn’t going to make a difference, is it? I said it on the day of your wreck, and I’ll say it again. You have to forgive yourself before you’ll be able to move on from your past and accept the happiness that’s waiting for you in your future.”
For some reason, Ryann’s words caused my eyes to fill up and my mouth to tremble. I drowned the uncomfortable reaction in a big swallow of sweet tea.
“What was it like... to find out... everything, after growing up in the human world?”
Ryann gave me a knowing smile. “It was a shock, but Asher can take it. I’ve known him since I was in kindergarten. He’s about the most accepting person I’ve ever met. He’s never seemed to see skin color or social class at all when it comes to choosing friends. And he’s got the calmest, steadiest outlook on life. When we were in the tenth grade, a meteorite hit out near Coffeeville. There were all kinds of rumors about aliens—you know how people are. Some people were scared, but Asher was the first one out on the site, ready to introduce himself to our extra-planetary visitors. Believe me, if anyone can handle this, it’s him.”
I nodded, hearing it all but afraid to believe it.
Seeing that I wasn’t going to respond, Ryann pushed back from the table. “I think we should go tell Lad what you’ve learned about Audun’s plans. His council meeting should be over by now. Ready to go to Altum?”
* * *
When I’d left this place a week ago, I’d never expected to return. Now I was standing in the heart of Altum, looking at the most fantastic production operation I could possibly have imagined.
“We’re back in business.” Ryann smiled and gestured to the roomful of Elven people working behind her.
I was sure it was quite different from what the factory in town had looked like. Huge copper pots stood over fires, steam rising from their open tops. Further down the line, Elves worked together using a pulley system and large funnels to pour the freshly brewed tea into glass bottles. Others affixed caps and labels and loaded the bottles into crates.
“Pretty soon we’ll be up to the level of production where we were before the explosion. And there’s plenty of room here to expand if we want to. The location is secure, the people of the Light Court understand how important it is and are willing to pitch in, and now we don’t even have to transport the saol water off-site. We just have to bring the tea bags and bottles here. Other than the job loss in Deep River, this is actually better.”
“How many humans were left unemployed?” I asked. One more thing to feel guilty about.
“Around two hundred. But I’ve signed a contract with a distributor to take the tea worldwide, and I’ll be able to employ some of them in my business office and advertising department and as delivery drivers. I’m using the insurance money to help the rest retrain and look for new jobs.”
“That’s great.” I looked past her toward a figure approaching in the distance. “Lad’s coming.”
Though I’d been welcomed to attend their wedding and invited to stay in Altum, though Ryann stressed I’d been forgiven, I still felt weird about seeing him again. The memory of what I’d done to him was still too fresh in my mind. Probably because I’d repeated my crimes in Nashville and New York. Had I really changed? Did I
really deserve another chance? It didn’t feel like it.
When Lad reached us, he wrapped his arms around Ryann and kissed her then turned to me with an outstretched hand. “Ava—welcome back. I’m glad you reconsidered and decided to stay with us.”
“Oh—no. I’m not. I mean, I’m only here long enough to fill you in on what I learned about S and what Audun’s planning to do with it.”
“I see.” He frowned. “Where’s Culley?”
Lad’s tone was dark, and I knew why. He was infuriated with Culley for what he’d done to Ryann—he’d sworn to make him pay for it someday. Maybe he thought I wouldn’t stay because Culley and I were together for real now.
“Back in New York. I... left him.” He’d given me no choice with his abrupt confession—not to mention the way he’d pushed me at Asher. “Apparently, he was in on it from the start. He told me. He took something from the saol water distillery here—it’s in the drug Audun plans to use to enslave and destroy the humans.”
Lad and Ryann looked at each other, clearly dismayed.
“Remember the saol—the drink you tasted during the wedding ceremony?” he asked her.
She nodded. “Yes, one sip just about laid me out for the night.”
“It’s highly intoxicating and extremely habit-forming. Even more so when it’s boiled down to crystal form—our people used to administer it for pain relief in case of traumatic accidents or in ancient times to help those injured in battle. But we stopped using it because a mere speck of it is enough to produce intoxication and addiction. That must be what he took—that’s what he was doing in the saol water room the night we fought. He wasn’t following me. I just happened to be there when he was trying to sneak away with his contraband.” He groaned. “We showed him the saol-making process. He could help the Dark Elves replicate it for themselves.”
I nodded sadly. “I had begun to think there was some hope for Culley. He intervened for me with his father—he protected me. I think there’s good in him, but he’s trying so hard to please Audun he’s blinded to the harm he’s causing.”
