Page 152 of Sunkissed Colorado

He gripped the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut. “Guilty for not showing up! I was at the bonfire party, and Leo was there. He was half drunk already. Angry and trying to start something with the football players. Nobody could tell what he was going on about, but I figured it might have something to do with his sister. I…”

“You what?”

“I chickened out about going to meet her. I was afraid Leo would find out and get upset that I wanted to date his sister.”

“Butwhy? Why keep it a secret at all? If you were her crush, why wouldn’t Jessa tell me?”

“It was the football thing. It took forever to even get her number because she dismissed me as being a jock, even though I was barely one of them.”

Breathe, I told myself.Think this through.

Jessa had said she didn’t want me to hate the guy for being a football player. But was there something more she’d been hiding? The secret she’d mentioned in her diary. Had that been something darker, like Leo feared?

My hands shook at the thought that Russ might have hurt her.

“Did you do something to her? Something else she would’ve wanted to keep secret?”

“No. Never.”

“And you weren’t there at the creek that night? You swear?”

“I wasn’t there. That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Z. I chickened out, and I didn’t show up, and then she was just…gone. I felt horrible.”

“But I heard another voice. I thought someone else was there.”

He shrugged, confusion clear on his face. “Then it wasn’t me. I didn’t leave the bonfire party. I’m honestly not trying to upset you, and Callum’s probably going to give me hell about it when he hears. But I wanted you to know how sorry I am. About everything.”

“Zandra?” Suddenly Winnie was there, glancing between Russ and me with concern. “What’s going on? You okay?”

I hadn’t even heard her come inside. My nervous system was going haywire. Cold sweat running down my sides, my heart skipping like a stone across a stream.

Russ’s expression closed off. “We were just talking.”

I took a sharp breath. “I need to go.”

He took a step toward me. “Wait, Zandra?—”

“Russ.” Winnie stepped into his path. “Maybe you can finish whatever this is later? Come on, Z. Let’s go.”

We walked outside onto Main Street. Night had fallen, and the street was open again to traffic. All the stragglers from the fair had gone. Chilly air nipped at my skin, yet the cold inside me was far more intense. I rubbed the center of my chest, trying to ease the tightness there.

My phone buzzed, and I glanced at it. Callum had just texted that the fire was contained. He’d be home in another hour or two. I exhaled with relief, about to write back when Winnie grabbed my arm.

“What on earth was all that about with Russ?”

“It was about Leo Mackenzie. And Jessa.”

“But what did Russ say that got you so upset?”

Everything about those last days before Jessa died seemed different now in hindsight. I’d barely even known Russ in high school.

But how well had I known my own best friend? What other secrets could Jessa have been keeping?

“It’s a long story,” I said.

“You’re welcome to try me. Is your car here? Or do you need a ride home?”

“I rode here with Callum. He took his truck.” We were back to living at the house with Darius, Connor, and Niko. It was pretty far to walk, especially when I was feeling like this.