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Chapter One

SUNNY

She took a slow breath, having not been back to Hecate’s Hollow for almost four years.

Leaving this place wasn’t easy. It was her home her entire life—until everything fell apart.

Many happy years were spent here in her little mountain town.

But after everything happened, she hit the road without even a goodbye.

She’d hurt people when she left and knew she’d to have to make amends for that.

You did the best you could , she tried to remind herself.

Maybe leaving in the dark night was not the best option, but she was twenty-one, and life in the Hollow had gotten rough.

Everything there was decided for her. Not only that, but walls started closing in.

She couldn’t breathe. It was time to make things right. .. no matter how painful it would be.

Anxiety threatened to crush her as the main street came into view. Pulling up to the one stop light in town, she decided to turn left, away from home. She knew of at least one friendly face.

Ruby’s Diner was the sole welcoming beacon for her in this town. Before getting out, she examined the windows and familiar faces but not the one she was dreading to see. She steeled herself and opened the door.

She could do this.

A bell jingled overhead. It was three o’clock. So, it wasn’t packed, which she was thankful for.

“Sit anywhere ya like,” said a new face.

“Thanks. Is Betty working today?” she asked.

“Yeah, she’s in back. I can go grab her. Who should I tell her is here?”

“Tell her Sunny’s here.”

“Okay.”

A gentle smile turned the corners of her mouth before she headed into the back.

Sunny crossed over the black-and-white tiled floor to sit in one of the booths from where she could keep an eye on the parking lot. Her foot tapped nervously as she waited.

“Well, look at what the cat dragged in. Sunshine, is that you?” Betty said as she rounded the corner, drying her hands on her apron.

Sunny barely had time to stand before being pulled into a big hug from her aunt. The comforting smell of baby powder and Aqua Net enveloped her as she melted into her aunt’s embrace. Betty pushed her back, held her at arm’s length, then brought her into a hug.

“It is so good to see you,” she said in her ear, holding her close.

Tension fell away from her shoulders as she enjoyed this. Sadly, this was the only hug she could count on.

“What brought you back?”

“I got a letter from a lawyer. He told me if I didn’t come back and deal with the house, it would run the risk of being deemed abandoned.” Sunny ran her hands through her long blonde hair. “Plus... I couldn’t run forever.”

“Well, I’m so glad you’re back,” she said, giving her another smile. “Hey, Julie, I’m going to take my break. Can you put in an order for two cheeseburgers for us?”

“Sure thing,” she said, smiling.

“Now, let’s catch up.”

They slipped back into the booth.

The bell above the door chimed in a new customer.

Sunny’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she pivoted to see who it was. Luckily, it was just Ol’ Ray. Relief washed over her as she turned back to her aunt, who gave her a knowing look.

“Abe and Asher left this morning to deliver a table in Possum Trot. They won’t be back until after dinner.”

As much as she hated how transparent she was, it was a load off knowing she would not run into Asher. She needed to see him, wanted to see him more than anything. She was just afraid of how he would react.

“How have you been?” Sunny asked, pushing away those thoughts.

“I mean, same old thing here in these parts. You’re the one who’s been out living your life. You still have your trusty van, I see.”

She glanced at the parking lot. Even on a gray day like this, her van shone brightly. It had been her home for the past four years, an old camper van Asher had painted sunflowers on. It was a little slice of sunshine.

“Sure do!”

“So, where did you and your van get off to these past couple years?”

Sunny told her about how she drove across the country. She had lived in New Mexico for a few months and worked at a diner just like this one, had read tarot in Sedona, had spent time traveling up and down the coast of California.

She had lots of stories but always knew she would end up back here.

Before long, the new waitress brought them their food.

“Thank you, Julie.”

“No problem.”

“Julie, this is my niece, Sunny.”

Julie shook her hand. There was something about Julie that felt familiar, but she had never seen her before.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she said with a small, kind smile.

“You too.” Sunny beamed back with her own warmth.

“Miss Julie here is shacking up on the big mountain with her very own mountain man,” said Betty, wagging her eyebrows at Julie.

“We are not shacking up,” she said with an exasperated smile, like they’d had this conversation. “Abe and I are in love. That is not shacking up.”

“Hold on.” A record scratched in Sunny’s brain. “Abe. As in Abe Black?”

“Yeah,” Julie said. “Do you know him?”

Sunny cleared her throat. “I do. I grew up with the three of them.”

“Did you? I’ll tell him hi for you.”

“Julie,” called a gruff male voice from across the diner.

“I have to go before Ray gets more cranky than normal, but it was nice to meet you,” she said before turning to leave.

“She’s with Abe?” Sunny asked, stunned.

In all the time she’d known Abe, he had never had a serious relationship.

“She is. They’ve been together since October.”

“Wow.”

“And in October... Esther came back.”

“So... all three of them are back on the mountain?”

Betty nodded.

Sunny blew out a breath.

There had been a time in her life when they were her family—before she’d gone and ruined it.

“Sunny... I know that face. Everything is going to be okay.”

She nodded but wasn’t as sure as her aunt seemed to be.

“And just so you know... Asher never did get with anyone else.”

Her heart ached at even the thought of Asher with someone else, but she had no claim on him. She’d abandoned that all when she left here.

Gazing down at her cheeseburger, she pushed a fry around in the ketchup.

“Does everyone hate me?” she murmured to her plate.

She couldn’t bring herself to look at her aunt.

Betty wrapped her hand around Sunny’s fist. “No, sweet pea, no one hates you. I reckon most people in these parts will be more than happy to see you.”

“Most people.”

“Sunny, if you’re askin’ about the Blacks”—she gave a hearty sigh—“I wish I could tell you they’ll be happy to see you, but I’m not for sugar coatin’, and you broke that poor boy’s heart when you left.”

“I know.”

Tears stung her eyes, but she would not let them out. Not here.

After that, they ate and caught up, and the conversation kept things surface level, which was good because Sunny couldn’t handle anything more.

She always planned on returning. When she left, she never intended to be gone this long. It was just that, the longer she was away, the harder it got to come back. Facing all the problems she abandoned felt like an impossible task, so what should have been a few days turned into a few years.

It was time.

After finishing up lunch and visiting with her aunt, she got in her van and headed to what was once her home.

The gloominess of the April day matched how she felt as she made her way through town and up into the mountains. As she drove past the turnoff to where the Blacks lived, her heart ached in her chest. Her whole body and soul yearned for Asher... but things had just gotten so messed up.