When Caleb had first arrived in Timber Falls, Nora had felt sorry for him. What mother wouldn’t? That didn’t mean she wanted her child to befriend him. He had this air about him that made him even a little scary. She had caught him on more than one occasion watching her in a way that gave her chills. And then there were the times when he was younger that she had walked into her room only to see him sifting through her panty drawer. She scolded him of course, but to her surprise, it was she who was embarrassed, not him. He stood back with that smug grin, shrugged his shoulders like he didn’t even care that he had just been caught red-handed. She told herself the next time it happened, she would call his mother. When she told Anna the story, Anna said she too had had odd experiences with Caleb, like the time she finished her shower and entered her room to see her door slightly cracked.
“I saw his little black eyes looking in at me,” Anna had said. “Scared me to death. I just stood there a minute in shock before slamming the door in his face and telling him to beat it. Thank god I had my towel on.”
As the years went on, Nora never got more comfortable with Caleb, but she adjusted to the fact that he wasn’t going anywhere. Whenever she would say something to Ethan, he would just roll his eyes and tell her he wasn’t that bad.
Maybe he wasn’t. But then, maybe he was, and both J.R. and Ethan were blinded to it.
She pulled into Timber Falls Timber Company driving faster than the suggested ten miles per hour. She screeched into a parking space just outside the west building’s entrance. Her husband’s office was the corner window, three stories up from where she parked. She couldn’t wait for the elevator. The adrenaline pumped through her veins in such velocity that she ran the stairs two at a time. She caught her breath just as she zipped past his secretary and threw his door open.
Her mouth was open, his name escaping her lips before she had a chance to take in the scene before her. Her husband was there, as he’d said he would be. But he wasn’t alone. He sat with his back to her, still dressed in the same clothes she’d seen him leave in. But on his shoulder was fine blonde hair spilling down his back, as his arm draped around the back of her chair, holding her close to him.
They both startled at the sound of her entrance. There were tears in her friend’s eyes. She could see her obvious sadness, but there was something else she hadn’t seen before. Guilt.
“Anna?” Nora could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She hadn’t caught her husband cheating. He wasn’t kissing her best friend behind closed doors. No, he was just comforting a mother who was missing a child.
But then, why didn’t Nick comfort Nora in the same way? Why didn’t he hold her when she cried for their missing son? The answer was so clear, it had always been there. Nick had never loved Nora the way he had always loved Anna.
Anna stood quickly, though Nick stayed planted in his seat. He watched the way his wife’s eyes jumped back and forth between them and the conclusions she was coming to.
“What are you doing here, Anna?” Nora asked calmly, though she felt anything but.
Anna was shaking her head. Her words stumbled as she searched for the right words to say. “We were just talking, Nora. I was upset… And Jameson wasn’t… and I just thought I could talk to Nick.”
Nora eyed her oldest friend. “You mean you were looking for comfort from my husband, rather than coming to me?”
Anna bit her lip as tears started to form in her eyes. Nick stood then and walked to his wife. He needed to do damage control. Now was not the time to tell Nora what he and Anna had been doing. That he felt comfort in her best friend and leaned on her in a way he couldn’t with his wife. That he longed to hold Anna while they suffered rather than hold his wife. He could see in Nora’s eyes that she had already discovered all of this for herself in the mere seconds that she was here. Which led him to the gut-wrenching question of what had gotten his wife out of bed.
“What do you know, Nora?” Nick asked as he moved toward her.
Her eyes flickered between his and Anna’s before landing on him, bringing her back to why she was there in the first place. “They found J.R.’s car.”
Anna’s hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. Nick swore as he fought the urge to reach for Anna. Instead, he took his wife’s hand. It felt limp and lifeless in his as she didn’t respond to his feigned affection. “Nora, oh, my god. Are the boys okay?” he asked, repeating the same line she had given Jameson.
She shook her head. “It’s just the car, Nick. Jameson called me at home. He was looking for you two…” Her voice trailed off, and instantly Nick was hit with remorse that his sweet and innocent wife had been left to answer that call alone.
“Oh, Nora,” he sighed as she slipped her fingers from his grasp. “Where is the car?”
“Oracle Point.”
“What?” Anna cried. “Why?”
Nora couldn’t look at her best friend when she answered. “I don’t know. But your husband is there now, and I’m going, too.”
Both Nick and Anna felt the intended infliction Nora had thrown at her. But now was not the time for explanations or excuses. Anna grabbed her coat. “I’m coming with you.”
Nick led the girls out of his office and into Nora’s sedan, where she instinctively took the passenger seat and Anna slid in behind Nick, who was driving.
“Someone should call Kate,” Anna said as she buckled up.
Nora felt guilty that she had only thought of herself and of Nick when she had gotten the news. Of course she should have reached out to Kate. Just another way that Anna was a better person than she was.
“Let’s just get up there and see what’s going on,” Nick said as he pulled out of the parking lot. “I can always find a payphone and call her.”
“Jameson has the car phone,” Nora added, looking out the window. “Which he had asked me to tell you to call him on, Anna, if I was to find you.”
“Thank you,” Anna said softly. Her heart hurt for more reasons than she could explain. But right now, the only thing that mattered to her was finding her son. If his car was at Oracle Point, it only meant he wasn’t far from there. She knew in her gut that J.R. hadn’t left. That maybe Jameson was right all along and that the boys only needed to blow off some steam. Had her son been camping in the woods all this time she had feared he was gone, or worse, dead? Slowly, her fears began to turn to anger, which then turned back to fear. If she was furious that her son was out meandering in the woods without letting her know, she could only imagine what Jameson was feeling. She needed to get to her son before her husband did something he would regret.
They sat the rest of the trip in silence. Nick didn’t dare look back at Anna or extend his hand to his wife. He was lost in his own mind of what-ifs. When he traveled up the steep gravel road and onto the landing of Oracle Point, he was more than a little surprised to see the flurry of activity in front of him. Multiple police cars, K9 dogs, Chief Tourney, as well as the county sheriff.
Anna’s reasoning that they had been camping in the woods began to disappear as she looked around at the activity before her. There was her husband standing next to the chief. His back was turned to her, but she could see the way his shoulders slumped.
Nora shut the door behind her, not waiting for her friend or her husband as she broke out in a run to get to the chief and any news that her son had been found and they were bringing him to her soon. But her steps faltered almost as though her legs were made of stone and could no longer move. She fell to her knees, her jeans soaking through the mud. It was the chief who saw her first, turning toward her, and in his hands was her son’s favorite hat.
Three weeks earlier
It was Chinese night, and Ethan’s turn to pick up for the family. He placed his order at the counter, their usual to go. Mr. Chung smiled at him and wished his family well as he congratulated him on last Friday’s win. He reached into the jar of fortune cookies by the register and handed one to Ethan.
“I think this one is just for you.”<
br />
Ethan took it with a smile and thanked the old man before turning to take a seat while he waited for his food to cook. And that’s when he saw her. Sitting in the waiting area, one leg tucked under the other as she twirled a loose string from the bottom of her flannel shirt. He smiled to himself as he took up the empty seat beside her. She was just a sophomore, but there was something about Lila Tourney that intrigued him. Maybe it was the way her nose scrunched up in frustration as she pulled on the yarn, not caring what others would think of the face she was making. Or maybe it was the way she walked in the halls at school. She had this briskness about her that made her look a little tough, like she wasn’t there to put up with anyone’s shit. He thought it was kind of hot. And maybe, to be honest, it was because she wasn’t a cheerleader.
“Hey, Shotgun,” he quipped when he sat down beside her.
She startled a little at the sound of his voice and then at the nearness of his body to hers. She looked up to see the teasing in his eyes and then felt sorely disappointed—he must have thought she was someone else. “Sorry,” she said with a shake of her head. “That’s not me.”
When he shifted in his seat to rest his elbows on his knees, she could smell the scent of Ivory soap on his skin and see the dampness of his hair under his Falcons hat. He must have just showered after practice.
He laughed. “No, I mean you. I don’t often see a girl shoot back a full beer in a few gulps.”
Her face blushed at the mention of the party she had seen him at a couple of weeks ago. She could still taste the bitterness of the beer in her belly; it brought a weird sensation up her throat. She groaned. “Don’t remind me.” But she was thrilled that he remembered.
“Picking up dinner?” he asked. He liked the way she turned her body toward him. She sure didn’t look that much younger than him.
She tucked a strand of fallen hair behind her ear. “Yeah, my dad has odd hours some days and isn’t the best cook.” Though he had tried many, many times, something she was proud of him for. But he often ended up burning, undercooking, or somehow ruining the meal. Their top drawer in the kitchen overflowed with take-out menus.
Ethan cocked his head toward her. “I forgot about that. It’s just you and your dad, isn’t it? I see the chief around but never really think about—you know, his wife. Sorry, is it hard to talk about?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I never knew my mom, so it’s not like I’m sad.”
“You can still miss her, even if you never met her. I couldn’t imagine not having one of my parents around. I don’t think I could handle it being just me and my dad or—oh, god, me and my mom. She’d probably never let me leave the house.” He scrunched up his face, and it made her laugh.
“A little overprotective, huh?” she said. “Imagine living with the chief of police.”
His shoulders shook when he laughed. “You got me there.”
She smiled. “He’s not so bad, actually. He’s pretty cool considering. What are you doing?” she asked as she watched him rip into the clear wrapper. “Don’t you know the fortune cookie etiquette?”
He cocked a brow at her as he snapped the cookie in half. “Fortune cookie etiquette?”
“Yes,” she exclaimed. “You can’t eat the cookie until after you finish your dinner. And you can’t read the fortune…oh, now you’ve ruined it.” She laughed as he pulled the piece of paper from the cookie and turned it over.
“Be patient,” he read. “Good things are coming in your future.”
“That’s a good one,” she said and then shrugged one shoulder. “Too bad it won’t come true now. You just tested fate.”
He jabbed her in the side with his elbow. He was starting to like this girl. “You don’t think good things are coming in my future?”
“I’m sorry, Ethan,” she said solemnly, trying not to smile. “Your future is now doomed.”
He stared at her trying to make sense of what he was feeling. Her cheeks turned pink and felt hot under his gaze. She didn’t know why he was looking at her that way.
“Lila!” Her name was called out from the counter.
“That’s my dinner,” she said as she stood. He didn’t want her to go, but didn’t know if it was wise to keep talking to her this way.
She grabbed the plastic bag and swung it onto her wrist. “Stay away from danger, Ethan,” she teased as she pushed through the door.
He was still thinking about her on the drive home. He couldn’t help but smile as he thought about the easy banter between them. But not only was she too young for him, she was also the chief of police’s daughter. Rex Tourney would never allow his daughter to date an older guy. Lila was right; his future was doomed.
He pulled up to a red light, adjusting the station on the radio when something just ahead of him caught his eye. It was his dad’s truck. But what was strange about that was where it was parked. Tucked near a tree where it hoped not to be seen in a motel parking lot. Ethan felt a knot in his belly as he tried to reason why his father would need to leave his car at a motel. Had it broken down and he’d had to ditch it and have his mom pick him up? Had it been stolen? Jesus, could someone have actually taken his dad’s truck?
Just then, as though he was being summoned, Nick Young opened the door to room seventeen. Ethan began to sweat as his brain tried to rationalize why his father would be there. The light turned green but Ethan was frozen in place as he watched his father remove the keys from his front pant pocket, a fucking smile plastered to his face.
The car behind him honked, but Ethan couldn’t move. His father jumped in his truck and started the engine, reversing away from the parking spot. And that’s when Ethan saw her. Her blonde hair glowed from the exterior light fixture just above the door she was exiting. Her head was turned away from him, but he knew who it was. He didn’t have to see her face to know it was Anna Hudson. His best friend’s mom. Ethan gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. He had an urge to throw his stick into drive and run through room seventeen.
The car behind him blared his horn again, catching Ethan’s attention, and the attention of his father, as he pulled his car to exit the motel parking lot. Nick’s smile faded from his lips as he caught the eye of his son. But it was too late for excuses. Ethan could see clearly what was happening, and Nick knew he would have to confront him about it. But not at home. If he could just get Ethan alone, away from Nora, and explain. To his relief, Ethan never came down for dinner. He told his mom he didn’t feel good and went to bed. It wasn’t a lie. Ethan had never felt so sick.
Nick had no choice but to track down his son after practice the next day. The team was just finishing up their last drill as Nick sat on the bleachers. Ethan knew he was there, but refused to meet his eyes. He was still sickened by what he had seen yesterday, and if his dad was here to lie his way out of it, he didn’t want to hear it. It was hard looking at J.R. all day knowing what he knew. If J.R. knew their parents were fucking around, he sure didn’t show it.
It left Ethan in a sour mood. He wanted to be left alone and spent lunch in the library going over tomorrow’s ethics test. But he couldn’t concentrate. He ended up doodling on a scratch piece of paper until the bell for the next period rang. When Caleb came up behind him and swung an arm around his neck, he reared back on instinct and slugged him in the stomach.
“Whoa.” Caleb laughed. “What’s got your panties in a bunch?”
“Fuck off, Caleb,” he muttered as he walked away. J.R. spun around and caught up with his best friend. He grabbed him by the arm and ducked as Ethan swung around, ready to strike again. “Whoa, whoa, buddy. It’s me.”
Ethan took a deep breath to calm down. It didn’t work. He couldn’t look at J.R. right then, not with the knowledge he had.
“What’s going on, man? You’re not like yourself today.”
Ethan shook his head. “I’m fine,” he lied. “Just stressed about tomorrow’s test.” He took a step back. “I’ll catch up with you at prac
tice.” He knew his friends didn’t deserve his wrath, but he also knew he couldn’t tell them what was bothering him. He left them, the boys and Grace and Avery watching him with great disdain as he pulled away from them. When he turned around, he ran smack into Lila.
She held up a hand to his chest to steady him. Her smile was large and inviting, and it was just what he needed at that moment.
“I need to get out of here,” he said breathlessly, looking only at her and not the two girls standing next to her. “Want to go for a drive?”
Her face twisted in confusion. He could see she was contemplating what he was asking her, and he wouldn’t pressure her. He just couldn’t be in these halls right now, and he didn’t really want to be alone. He just needed to be with someone who didn’t know him well enough to know when he was lying.
“Sure,” she said hesitantly, looking at her friends for encouragement. They smiled eagerly at her and her voice got stronger. “Sure, yes. I’ll go for a drive with you.”
“Great.” He took her by the hand, aware that his friends were still watching him as they walked out of the building.
He pulled the car out of the school parking lot and turned in the direction of Oak Hill highway. He didn’t know what he was doing or where he was going, but he just needed to be on the open road. Lila sat silently next to him, still not sure why he had invited her to go. But he looked different today than he had last night, and not in a good way. It made her edgy and nervous. She lifted his CD case into her lap and started flipping through the pages until she found a band she liked and slid it into the player. The beat surrounded them. He turned up the volume, a small smile finally fluttering across his face.
“Good choice,” he said.
She began to relax when she saw that he was, too. She rested her head against the back of the seat and looked out the window as the burnt orange and auburn leaved trees flew past them.
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