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Chapter Twenty-One

SUNNY

T he next morning, Sunny stretched in bed as the sun beams drenched her. She reached for Asher but found an empty spot.

While she had sworn she saw something outside of the bar, it was possible it was a vision.

That was her least favorite thing about them—she wasn’t always able to tell whether they were real.

While it made her feel crazy, Asher never questioned it or made her feel like she was being dramatic when it ended up being nothing.

Whether it was all in her head, the emotions they stirred up were real.

With a stretch, she dragged herself out of bed and made her way to the kitchen. The smell of coffee and bacon was already drifting up the stairs. When she turned the corner, Asher was there, frying bacon in work jeans and a white T-shirt that let her see all his delicious tattoos.

“Hey, Sunshine, how’d you sleep?” he asked without even turning around.

“Good. Are you leaving?”

“I do have to go to get some painting done today, but I don’t want to leave you alone. Do you want to come with me?” He pulled the last strips of bacon off the griddle. “Scrambled?” He tipped his head toward the eggs.

She nodded. “You want me to go to the shop with you?”

“Yeah, Abe and I were just starting out when you left, but since you’ve been gone, we’ve managed to build quite a business. He finished up some rockers we are going to sell at Midsommer Fest. I need to paint them. You could help me?” he said, wagging his eyebrows.

“I would love to come with you,” she said as she walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist. “Although I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”

“You can paint... Even if you can’t, I’ll be able to focus better with you there. I may not have seen anything last night, but something is off. I can feel it.”

Sunny snatched a piece of bacon from the plate as she went and poured herself a cup of coffee.

Relief of being believed took a little of the edge off. So many times, she would raise alarms, only to be told she was being dramatic. Eventually, she learned to stop and keep it to herself, but this felt different. This was more nefarious, and she wasn’t sure what to do about it.

But with Asher and Abe on her side, she didn’t have anything to worry about.

“While I finish this up, why don’t you go get dressed so we can leave after we eat?”

By the time she threw on some clothes she could paint in and ran a brush through her hair, Asher already had breakfast on the table.

“It looks like you could use a trip to the grocery store,” Asher said as they sat.

She grimaced and nodded. “I know. I’ll have to see how many tips I made last night.”

“Are you out of money?”

“Out... Well, that seems harsh.”

“Sunny...”

“I mean, living on the road in a van doesn’t exactly have me rolling in money. I could usually pick up shifts and read cards for people, but after getting back here and getting this house cleaned up... I’m a little short.”

“How short?”

She wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Like I need to go count my tips from last night.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“What was I going to say? ‘Hey, sorry I left for years—please don’t hate me. By the way, I’m broke’?”

He finished plating up the eggs. “You’re right... I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize. I knew it was going to be rough coming back here. I’m just happy you forgave me.”

He smiled at her, rubbing her cheek. “We’ll get you some food while we’re up on the mountain. I know there are some eggs and greens ready to come, and I’ll see what else Julie has.”

“Asher. I’m not taking food from Julie.”

“Sunny. Stop. You didn’t forget how we do things here, did you? We take care of each other both on the mountain and in the Hollow. We learned a long time ago that no one was going to do it for us, we do it ourselves. You know that.”

Sunny nodded and pushed the eggs around on her plate.

He is right—maybe I’ve been gone too long.

This community had always taken care of itself. When all anyone is interested in is what is inside of the mountain as opposed to the people who live here, they got really good at meeting their own needs and the needs of the people in their community.

She leaned into his hand. “You’re right... Maybe I’ve been gone too long.”

* * *

After they finished their breakfast, they were in Asher’s van, making their way up the mountain.

Sunny flipped through his big book of CDs. She gasped and turned to him.

“What is the matter?”

“You stole this!” She slipped her Indigo Girls CD into the player.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack over a CD you left here.”

“I would never have left this here,” she protested as she turned up the volume and rolled down the window.

“And yet here it stayed while you traipsed all across the country.”

She leaned back and let the fresh mountain air fill her lungs to the sound of the Indigo Girls with Asher’s hand on her thigh.

Perfect moments in life are few and far between, but this was one of them.

The truck slowed as they turned up the road to the mountain, and the magic enveloped her like a warm, shimmering hug.

“That feeling never gets old.”

“It sure doesn’t. Have you ever thought...”He focused on the road.

“Thought about what?”

“It’s probably dumb.” He chewed on his lip.

Sunny didn’t like it one bit.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know, but maybe you could move up here? Like I said, it’s a dumb idea.”

“No, that’s not a dumb idea. I would love to live on the mountain... It’s just...”

“No, it’s fine. I totally get it,” he said as he pulled the truck to a stop in front of his and Abe’s workshop.

“Asher, stop.” She reached out and stopped him from opening his door. “I want to be here with you.”

He cocked his head and turned to her. “You do?”

“Yes. I’ve always wanted to live on this mountain. But?—”

Before she could even get the words out, he was turning to leave the truck again, but she wouldn’t let go of him.

“ But ,” she continued forcefully. “But I’m just worried that if I move up here, the coal company will get their hands on my land and will be one step closer to getting the mountain.”

Asher let those words sink in. “Yeah... you’re probably right. It was just a thought.”

“And a wonderful thought—I mean it. I would love to move up here, but let’s figure out the stuff with the coal company soon.”

“You’re right,” he said as she leaned over and kissed her.

Gravel crunched underfoot as she followed Asher into their workshop.

It was a large barn-looking metal building, but when they got inside, Asher’s artistic fingerprints were all over it.

It made her smile.

Two of the walls were huge murals. One was the mountain, and it was beautiful. The animals represented his family. The other wall was something else altogether. It was a field of sunflowers, but there was a trippy quality to it.

This was the style of Asher’s she loves. It was bright and colorful, with little pieces of their relationship all over it. It almost took her breath away.

“Asher,” she murmured. “This is beautiful.”

“Sunny!” a voice boomed behind her. “I should have known Asher wouldn’t leave you behind.”

Abe was making his way from the back, brushing his hands on his jeans.

“I’m here to work,” Sunny said in mock defense.

“Do you want to help me build a rabbit hutch?”

“Ummm... I was thinking I would paint.”

“He knows that... He’s just being an ass.”

Abe raised an eyebrow, and the corner of his lip turned up.

That’s about as good as it got from him.

“The chairs are set up out back. There are five. I figured stain one, paint two a solid color and then you could work your magic on the other two,” Abe said.

“That works.” Asher nodded.

“I can paint the solid color ones,” Sunny offered, feeling helpful.

“Come with me. I’ll get you set up.”

After a while, she was out on the back patio of the workshop painting rocking chairs with Asher. He was busy masterfully covering one in colorful swirls and celestial patterns, while she painted hers green. But she was glad to be helping.

“Phew, it’s getting hot,” Sunny said as she wiped her brow.

The sun was high in the sky, and it was almost June. It was hard to believe she’d been here that long. It was almost summer on the mountain, her favorite time of year.

“Are you guys hungry?” Julie strolled over with a picnic basket and a big jug of something.

“Starving,” Asher replied as he took the bandana out of his back pocket and wiped his brow.

Julie set the basket on the table they had out back, and Abe came and joined them. They all sat down to sandwiches, potato chips, and sweet tea. Not fancy but perfect.

“Thanks for doing this,” Sunny said.

“Oh, it’s no problem. I do it all the time.” She smiled up at Abe, who slid his arm around her and looked down at her with an expression she’d never seen.

Julie was a lucky woman. Anyone with the devotion of one of these men was a lucky woman.

She glanced up at Asher, who was looking down at her. The corner of his mouth turned up before he took a bite of his sandwich.

For such an ordinary moment, it felt incredible. The breeze from the mountain came down and made the magic of this place swirl around them.

Sunny closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she could see kids running around in the woods, the wind carrying their laughter. And as the breeze died down, so did the laughter, and the children vanished like wisps.

“You okay?” Asher asked quietly in her ear.

“Perfect.”

Having visions could feel like a curse, but little moments like this, little glimpses into the future, made it all worthwhile.

“Okay,” Julie said, packing up. “I usually pick Ruby up from school before I have to head into the diner, but it’s piano day. Can you pick her up from piano?”

Abe checked his watch with a crease between his brows. “I was going to head into Masonville to pick up some supplies, but I can do it tomorrow.”

“No, we can get her, right? We’re almost done with the rockers,” Sunny said as she looked up at Asher with a questioning look.

He nodded.

“Perfect. Just bring her to the diner when you’re done. I can feed her there.”

And at that, Julie packed up the basket and headed back to the workshop.

“I’ll finish up the painting if you want to clean up,” Asher said.

They all got back to work.

Sunny could get used to this. When she was here on the mountain, she couldn’t remember why she’d ever wanted to leave it.