“What?” Alarmed, Ellie reached out to touch her friend’s shoulder. When Sarah turned, Ellie found herself staring at a monster’s face. Ellie jumped and stifled a scream.
“Got you!” Sarah roared with laughter. “I was waiting to scare you tonight, but when I saw you pull up, I couldn’t help myself.”
Ellie felt herself turning red. She folded her arms and watched Sarah remove the cheap rubber mask.
“Very funny.”
“Come on, you were scared. Admit it.”
“It’s summer, for crying out loud. Last time I checked, Halloween isn’t for months.”
Sarah untied her apron. “Just getting you ready for tonight. Or did you forget it’s my turn to tell the campfire story?”
Ellie rolled her eyes and rounded the counter. “With friends like you, who needs enemies?”
“You know I love you, girl.” Sarah threw the mask and apron next to her keys at the base of the cash register. “You don’t mind if we wait for Bethany to get here, do you? I’m not supposed to leave until her shift starts.”
“No big deal.” Ellie took a moment to inspect the ice cream flavors.
“See anything you like?” Sarah reached for the scooper.
“I’m saving myself for S’mores. You can keep your campfire story, but you can’t have a camping trip without S’mores.”
The bell rang again as the door opened, and another girl wearing a Braxton’s apron entered.
“Hi, Bethany.” Sarah hastily grabbed her things, and they left the store and climbed into the van. Boomer, who had sprawled out lazily over the backseat, jumped to attention. “Where to now?”
“S’mores, remember? We need ingredients—marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.” She licked her lips in anticipation.
“Peanut butter too.”
Ellie made a face. “Who puts peanut butter on a S’more?”
“Mark my words, Ellie Sullivan—one day you’ll see sense.”
They laughed, and Ellie started the car. Once they reached the grocery store, Ellie grabbed a cart and the pair searched out the baking aisle.
Sarah dumped a box of graham crackers in the cart. “You never answered my texts, by the way. How was it?”
Ellie let out a frustrated sigh. “Do we have to talk about this now?”
“It’s more entertaining than listening to you try to make up your mind about college for the hundredth time.”
Ellie groaned. “Tell me about it. I still haven’t made my mind up. It’ll probably kill Dad, but I really want to go to UK.”
“Even though your scholarship money won’t cover UK’s tuition?”
Ellie selected some chocolate bars, checking to make sure she picked the kind with the best price. “Right. My UK scholarship is much smaller than the one I received for community college.”
“I know what I’d do. You could finish college debt-free. That’s something I would…”
Sarah never finished. Ellie looked up from the marshmallows and studied her friend quizzically. Jeremy Doyle was grinning at her from the end of the aisle.
He greeted them with a wave. “Hi, Ellie. What’s going on?”
“Hello, Jeremy.” Ellie was glad Sarah was there for support.
“Glad I bumped into you here.” Jeremy wore his jersey and a pair of ripped jeans. “I know a guy behind the counter who never cards me. I can hook you up if you want the good stuff.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Even Ellie would admit Jeremy was attractive, but almost every other aspect of his personality was unbearable. She would rather go on one hundred dates with Winston Henderson than one with Jeremy Doyle. It was seemingly for that reason that Jeremy continually pursued her. The more unattainable she appeared, the harder he tried to get her attention.
Jeremy snatched a Hershey bar from her cart. “What’ve you got there? Look like S’mores ingredients to me. Going camping?”
“Yep.” Ellie kept her tone neutral. Sarah often said Jeremy’s infatuation was partially Ellie’s own fault for not discouraging him in stronger terms, but Ellie just didn’t have it in her. “I saw Malory last night at the arcade.” Maybe that would steer the subject away from her.
“Don’t worry about her.” Jeremy dropped the Hershey bar back into the cart. “We’re done. Speaking of which, why don’t you and I make a night of it sometime?”
“Maybe.” Ellie hoped the evasive answer wouldn’t set him off. Jeremy’s temper was legendary—on and off the football field. Ellie suspected he’d even struck Malory when they were dating, and while her suspicions were never confirmed, she wasn’t about to put herself in that position.
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed. “Is that a yes or a no?”
Sarah interrupted. “That’s a ‘not right now.’ We’re late enough as it is. We need to make camp before nightfall. Why don’t you continue this conversation the next time you run into Ellie?” She pulled Ellie away before Jeremy could respond.
“Thanks,” Ellie whispered once they were in the checkout line.
“I really don’t like that guy. And his brother is the biggest drug dealer in town.”
Ordinarily Ellie would try not to judge a book by its cover, but in this case she agreed. Hopefully, she’d be gone from Hazard before running into Jeremy Doyle again. College wasn’t that far away. “We’d better get a move on. It’ll be dark soon.”
The sun was just beginning to fade from the sky when Ellie returned home with Sarah. The evening air was warm and inviting, perfect for a night spent outdoors. They carried the folded tent and camping equipment toward the entrance to the woods with Boomer in tow.
The short hike down the old dirt path behind the barn passed by quickly. They’d played in those same woods so many times as children, and new memories seemed to emerge around every corner, reminding Ellie of their shared bond. Although neither wanted to mention it, both were aware their time together was drawing to a close. Soon Sarah would be heading north for college.
Finally they came to a small clearing surrounded by trees and bushes. Small talk faded to a comfortable silence as the girls completed the campsite just before sunset.
Together they watched until the dazzling array of colors faded from the sky. “Thanks for inviting me, Ellie. I’m really going to miss this.”
“We’re not going anywhere just yet.” Ellie added some kindling to the fledgling fire and grabbed a stick. “Not while we still have S’mores to make.”
With that, the silence seemed to disappear into the flames. They sat around the fire and talked for what seemed like hours, recalling old stories and memories. Before long the sky was pitch black. Winding firelight glowed under the moon, which cast a glow over their faces. Ellie traced the dirt with a stick and watched embers floating through the air.
A howl reverberated through the night, and Boomer’s ears perked up at the cry.
Ellie called him to her side. “Stay, boy.”
“Didn’t you say your dad told you to be careful about predators?”
“Now who’s the scaredy-cat? We’ll be fine this close to home.”
Sarah grinned. “Ignoring warnings can be dangerous. Which brings to mind my campfire story for the night.”
The howl echoed again. This time it seemed closer.
“Go ahead.” If Sarah wanted to scare her, she’d have to try harder. After the prank she’d pulled earlier, Ellie was prepared for her.
Sarah paused before opening her mouth, an eerie silence lingering in the air as the fire crackled. Then she cleared her throat and stared down into the flames.
Although Ellie tried focusing on the story, her thoughts returned to the arcade. It seemed only fitting that the arrival of the first interesting boy in town should be promptly followed by her departure. She wondered if she would encounter Alexander again before leaving for college.
Ellie pushed the thoughts away from her mind and concentrated on the rest of Sarah’s tale. She soon found herself drawn into the story, and by the ti
me Sarah finished, she clapped her hands with enthusiasm.
“That was a really good story. I’m glad we’re sharing a tent tonight. I think I’d be too afraid alone.” Ellie tossed her twig into the fire and got up to stretch. “I’m going to grab some more wood before we turn in.”
She walked through the brush, and the distant campfire’s glow dimmed behind her. The pale moon hovered silently above. As she gathered wood, Ellie couldn’t help thinking of Sarah’s story. She didn’t want to admit it, but she did feel a little spooked.
It’s a good thing I have Boomer to keep us safe. To her surprise, Boomer stared into the forest’s dark recesses and began to growl. “What is it, boy?” She tried following his gaze, and the logs fell from her hands.
A shadowy figure stood under a tree, watching her from a distance. Ellie’s throat locked up, and she couldn’t move.
A hand grabbed her shoulder and she screamed.
“Calm down.” It was Sarah. “I just came to help.”
Ellie glanced back at the tree. There was nothing there but darkness.
“Sorry. I guess I’m jumpier than I thought. Good story.”
“If it helps, I think I scared myself.” Sarah picked up the logs she had dropped. “Come on. Let’s get back to camp.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” Ellie cast one last look behind her. I must have been seeing things.
Boomer was starting to move with the two girls when his nose picked up a new scent. The dog bristled, sensing something wrong. He ran into the darkness in search of the threat.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure stepped out into the moonlight, and the dog growled and bared his fangs.
When the stranger locked eyes with Boomer, he stared back into the pair of unfamiliar eyes, unable to look away.
“Come.”
Boomer felt himself drawn toward the stranger, who bent down on one knee and took the dog’s head in his hands. “Be my eyes.”
Boomer tried to resist, but his low whimpers soon yielded to silence.
The last dying embers of the fire had long since faded away when Boomer returned to camp. There was no sound save for a gentle breeze brushing against the tent. Ellie and Sarah were inside.
The dog sat down and stared at the tent with unblinking eyes.
Chapter Three
Three days passed before Ellie encountered Alexander Thorne again.
Mrs. Rogers had uncharacteristically given her the day off, and Ellie planned to use the opportunity to relax. Between spending time with her friends and working, she’d had little time to herself since graduation. With college on the horizon, Ellie suspected free days would soon be a thing of the past.
She curled up on the living room sofa with a book. She wore comfortable shorts and a t-shirt, and her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. Ellie had just settled into the story when she noticed Boomer watching her. “Everything OK, big guy?”
Boomer hardly acknowledged the remark. He’d been acting strangely lately. His appetite had vanished virtually overnight, taking his natural enthusiasm with it. He spent long periods of time hardly moving while simply following her with his eyes.
The front door opened. “Ellie?” It was her mother.
Ellie saved the page with a bookmark, closed the novel and made her way to the door. “Hi, Mom. Can I help you with something?”
“Your dad meant to pick up some feed earlier, but never got around to it. It’s been one of those days. Do you think you could go into town and bring some back with you?”
Despite her desire to return to the fascinating story currently unfolding within the pages of her book, Ellie nodded. “Sure.” She returned to her room, retrieved the keys from the nightstand and caught up with her mother. “Did Dad say anything about Boomer’s test results? Is he sick?” Maybe something had bitten him during the camping trip.
“Your father couldn’t find anything wrong with Boomer.” Her mother looked him over. “He does seem a little less energetic and alert than usual.” She delved into her purse and passed Ellie a credit card, along with a list of what her father needed. “Thanks again, kiddo.”
“I’ll see you later. Come on, boy.” Maybe a car ride with the windows down would do Boomer some good. At least this will give me a chance to put things right with Winston. Although possibly the most unlikely manual laborer ever, Winston had worked at the feed mill for two years.
Ellie tried rehearsing an apology, but all the lines felt forced. She had never meant to hurt Winston’s feelings. If she was honest with herself, her heart hadn’t really been in the date from the start. At the time, she thought she was being nice by finally agreeing to go out with him. Now she realized she had misled him. It would have been better to stick to her guns. She promised herself to do so in the future. At least she could learn from her mistakes.
The feed mill sat sandwiched between large piles of gravel and sawdust. A surge of summer heat hit her when she stepped out of the car, and Ellie squinted in the intense sunlight. Boomer followed her out of the van and scampered ahead through doors propped open by two bricks.
Behind the cash register, Winston noticed her instantly.
“Hi, Winston.”
He had a hard time meeting her gaze. “Hello, Ellie.” He looked embarrassed.
A customer interrupted before they could converse any further. While Winston checked him out at the register, Ellie took the opportunity to locate everything her father needed. She walked through the aisles toward the back with Boomer trailing behind. Animals were welcome inside—one advantage of living in such a rural area.
The feeble efforts of a trio of floor fans did little to combat the sweltering heat. Ellie tugged at her shirt while wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. As she turned the corner, Ellie came within inches of colliding with a tall figure. He pulled back with amazing speed, barely avoiding impact.
“Ellie?” Alexander Thorne watched her with the sharp blue eyes she remembered from the arcade.
“Alexander.” Ellie’s surprise quickly turned to amusement. “This is the second time I’ve almost run into you.”
Alexander wore faded, torn jeans and a white, cutoff t-shirt. Dirt stained his work gloves, and a large bag of mulch rested on his shoulder.
“I don’t mind. It’s nice to see a familiar face around here. I’m still getting used to town.”
“I’d be happy to show you around sometime.” The words came out unexpectedly.
“Thank you. I’d like that.” He didn’t seem to think it was too forward.
Boomer lumbered forward and licked Alexander’s hand.
“Hey there.” Alexander ruffled the dog’s fur, and Boomer wagged his tail. “What’s your name?”
“Boomer.” Ellie grinned. It was good to see the dog acting normally again. “He likes you.”
“Feeling’s mutual. I’ve always loved dogs.”
“I’ve had Boomer since middle school. Have any pets of your own?”
“I wish. I haven’t had time to take care of one since starting college.”
Ellie was thankful her father was a vet. Boomer would be well taken care of after she left home, and she would be able to see him whenever she came to visit.
“So, what brings you here?”
“Running errands.” Ellie waved her hand in front of her face to cool down. “It sure is hot in here.”
“You can say that again.” Alexander’s face was flushed, his shirt drenched in sweat. It was obvious that he’d been working hard. “I’m helping Julianne Wells do some yard work. She’s the closest neighbor for miles, and I thought I’d lend her a hand.”
By lending her a hand, I guess he means doing the work for her. The image of eighty-nine-year-old Mrs. Wells spreading mulch was too improbable to conjure. “That was thoughtful of you.” Why were none of the guys she went to school with like Alexander?
“It was either that or have Dad loan me out to the locals. As soon as I heard talk of cutting tobacco, it was time to make myself scarc
e.”
Ellie laughed. “Welcome to Kentucky. Tobacco’s still a cash crop around here.” She grabbed what she needed from the shelf, and they walked to the checkout counter.
Winston eyed them with the same suspicious gaze from the arcade.
“Hello again, Winston.” Alexander stepped aside for Ellie to go first.
“Go ahead. I wanted to speak with Winston after checkout.”
Alexander placed his items on the countertop. His wet hair was dark and unruly.
Winston scanned each item before tapping keys on a rundown store computer. “I asked around about you, Alexander. No one in town seems to have heard of you or your father.”
Ellie’s mouth nearly dropped open at Winston’s display of jealousy.
Alexander’s brow furrowed. “Well, we are new.”
“Still, it is a bit strange. My aunt’s a real estate agent, and she hasn’t heard of you either. In a town this small, that’s a little odd, don’t you think?” Winston averted his eyes, returning them to his computer. Ellie offered Alexander an apologetic expression, though he didn’t appear bothered by Winston’s intrusion into his personal life.
When Alexander swiped his credit card, nothing happened.
Winston tapped a few keys and threw up his arms in frustration. “Not this again. I’m sorry. The system’s acting up. It’s frozen.”
Ellie frowned. “Can you fix it?”
“I’ll have to call customer support.” Winston reached for the phone. “I apologize for this.”
“No problem, Winston. A break from work for a while longer is just what the doctor ordered.” Alexander turned to Ellie. “If only I could find some shade.”
Ellie glanced outside the window. “I have an idea.” She snatched two lemonades from the store’s fridge. “Mind if we pay for these later?”
Winston was already on the phone.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Ellie handed the lemonade to Alexander and led him from the store, and they settled under an oak tree just outside the parking lot. Alexander leaned against the tree, opened his lemonade and took a sip. “Perfect.” Mercifully, the breeze picked up. “I’m not sure Winston likes me very much.”
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