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—Simone—
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Tears rolled down my cheeks as I drove out of Denver, nothing but a shade of my former self and so lost without Reagan. I couldn’t take the devastation anymore and chose to leave the city for a quieter life. Away from the noise, the people who knew my past, and away from the memories that held my heart hostage.
As the miles ticked up behind me, my tears dried, and I breathed easier.
I settled into the road, car loaded with the possessions I couldn’t live without, and drove toward the Copper Valley, heading for a pretty little town called Gatlin Falls. According to the internet, it was nestled at the top of the lakes district and surrounded by rugged wilderness. It promised adventure, anonymity, and most of all, a fresh start where I could reinvent myself. Shed my outgrown skin and live a new life.
I couldn’t bring Reagan back—Lord knows I tried—but I know he’d want me to at least try to move forward.
Nine hours after leaving Denver, I rolled into the last town along the Copper Valley highway, exhausted, hungry, and bursting for the bathroom. I pulled in at the curb at the first diner I came to and prayed a silent thank you when the sign read “open”.
A bell above the door tinkled as I pushed through it, and a woman behind the counter smiled widely.
“Hi, darlin’. What can I get you?”
I approached, all but crossing my legs. “Coffee and something to eat, but first is there a bathroom I can use, please?”
She motioned toward the rear of the building. “Down the hallway on the right, and I’ve already got a pot brewin’ for you when you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” I breathed out before putting my head down and hastening past the patrons seated at their little tables.
A cute guy came out of the men’s room and broke into a wide smile when he saw me, looking as if he intended to start a conversation.
Rudely, I brushed past him without slowing. “Shit, sorry, excuse me.”
His laughter carried on my slipstream and followed me into the women’s bathroom, quietening slowly as the heavy door drifted closed.
After relieving myself and all but panting to catch my breath, I studied my reflection while washing my hands.
Tendrils of my dark-blonde hair had escaped my ponytail during the day and hung in wisps around my face. My mascara had slipped and marked the bags under my eyes with black smudges. I dug around in my handbag for Q-tips and deodorant, then fixed my hair by taking out the tie and ruffling the waves to create volume.
When ready to emerge, I peeked out the bathroom door to ensure the corridor was clear, then made my departure.
Behind the counter, the friendly woman’s face lit up as soon as she saw me again. She motioned me over and set a mug of steaming black coffee on the counter.
“On the house, darlin’. You look as if you could use it. Milk or sugar?”
A tired laugh left my mouth. “You have no idea. It’s been a long day. And no thanks, black’s perfect.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Where’re you from? I’m assuming a pretty little thing like you is catching an early vacation before the summer rush. I haven’t seen you ’round here before.” She leaned close on one chubby elbow, blue eyes twinkling with mischief. “I notice everything.”
I smiled and paused to take a sip of coffee. “Actually, I’ve just moved here. As of five minutes ago.”
“Well, welcome to town, darlin’. Everyone calls me Miss Angie, and you can too.”
“Thanks, Miss Angie. I’m Simone.”
“Pretty name. So, where you from, girly?”
“Denver.”
“Oof!” she exclaimed. “You’re a long way from home.”
“Yep...” That was entirely the point.
We openly studied each other while I took another sip, then I toyed with the handle of my mug. “What’s it like living here?”
Miss Angie’s expression re-lit. “It’s wonderful. It’s a big enough town to have everything you need but without the hustle and bustle of a city. We’re a friendly bunch here, and there are some yummy eligible bachelors too, if I do say so myself.”
She nodded behind me, so I twisted to find the man I almost collided with watching us.
I turned back to Miss Angie. “Not interested. I didn’t come here to find a man.”
A nasty pang cut through my chest, squeezing it so hard I had to force my next shuddering inhale. Finding a man was the last thing on my mind.
I’d cried so hard the day I packed away Reagan’s belongings. I cried harder when I looked around to find almost all traces of him gone aside from a few photos of us together. The emptiness took its toll, and the void was just one of the handful of reasons I decided to put Denver in my past.
“You okay, darlin’?” Miss Angie asked softly, setting a warm hand on my forearm and squeezing gently.
I sniffed and blinked away the tears threatening in my eyes, then faked a smile. “I am. Just exhausted.”
She snatched up a pair of tongs and a fresh plate, then picked out a couple of club sandwiches plus a donut from the cabinet.
“Here,” she said, sliding them to me, “on the house.”
“I can pay, Miss Angie.”
“No,” she tutted. “I ain’t afraid to admit I’m a mother hen, so you make sure that if you need anything—anything at all—you come and see me.”
My heart squeezed from her kindness. “Thank you. You’re too kind.”
“One can never be too kind, Miss Simone. Enjoy your food.”
I smiled genuinely; thankful she hadn’t pressured me for information. Maybe this place wasn’t so scary after all.
When Miss Angie excused herself to serve another customer, I took my coffee and food to a vacant table along the wall of the diner, near the last front windows. As soon as the first bite of sandwich hit my tongue, I groaned. I was famished and had to force myself to chew before swallowing. Content enough for the moment, my thoughts turned to the bucket list burning a hole in my handbag. I dug it out, unfolded it, and smoothed it down on the tabletop. The creases remained deep after years of being folded, and the memories of me and my friend Lana compiling our lists during sophomore year swam back.
She’d giggled when adding have a threesome to her list, then scoffed when I added kiss in the rain to mine. I’d always been a romantic at heart. I’d fallen for Reagan quickly after meeting him in a coffee shop close to where we both worked in Denver.
With him, I felt treasured and whole. Without him, I was aimlessly lost and barely finding my way through solitary life.
On a heavy sigh, I carefully re-folded the list and covered it with my hand, reminding myself that my time to grow had come and part of that journey meant getting out of my comfort zone.
I took another sip of coffee, then another larger one after finding it had cooled, and while it wasn’t the best I’d had, caffeine was caffeine after a nine-hour drive. It would at least give me enough concentration to find the police station to collect my house keys. Kinda weird pick-up location, but I guess it worked in this town.
Finishing up, I tucked my list away and blindly dug through my handbag for my car keys. Once in hand, I called an upbeat, “Thank you,” to Miss Angie and headed for the door.
“See you soon, darlin’,” she called back.
The smile on my face remained as I pushed through the exit into the late afternoon sunshine. I took a moment to soak in the warmth before rounding my car’s hood. As I unlocked it, the guy from inside the diner flagged me down.
“Miss, you dropped somethin’!”
He flapped a piece of paper at me, and I gasped when I recognized it. His focus then dropped to skim-read my writing.
My blood pressure instantly rose to dangerous levels as I rushed at him. “Don’t read that! It’s personal!”
“You’re gonna have to slow down if you wanna fit in around here, new girl,” he drawled.
I thrust out a hand. “Please give my list back.”
A cute as hell lopsided grin tipped his mouth as he carefully folded it in half, then in half again. He stepped close. Too close. Close enough that his cologne engulfed my immediate space and my legs locked in place.
Without warning, he took my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine. I froze in utter shock, unable to pull away despite the stranger kissing me. His mouth tenderly moved against mine, lips tentatively coaxing as if seeking forgiveness for catching me off-guard. When he angled into the kiss, my senses mercifully rushed back.
I shoved at his chest and gasped when we tore apart. “What the hell is wrong with you?” I demanded breathlessly while scrubbing his kiss of my mouth with my sleeve.
His mouth worked open and closed a couple of times before he shrugged. “Sorry, I, uh... I thought—”
“No, you didn’t think! Not at all. Now give me my list!” I snatched it from his fingers as soon as he had it raised, then stormed to the driver’s side of my car.
“I’m sorry!” he called out. “Let me make it up to you.”
A sarcastic laugh left my mouth. “I don’t think so.”
“Please!”
“No!”
I threw myself behind the wheel, then screamed when the passenger door whipped open and the annoyingly persistent stranger with the dazzling hazel eyes ducked his head into my car.
“Please. I feel so bad about royally fucking this up.” He then had the audacity to sit his ass in the passenger seat. “Let me take you—”
“Dude! Get out of my car!” I yelled, starting the engine.
A wash of realization morphed his expression into shock. He snapped up his hands, though didn’t retreat. “Fuck, sorry. I’m not meaning to scare you—I’m actually a really nice guy. I’m Banks, by the way.”
“Banks,” I stated calmly. “Where’s the police station?”
Instead of creating alarm, a wide smile illuminated his face. “Not far from here. I’ll come with you and give you direc—”
“No, you won’t!” I took a deep, fortifying breath, surmising that this guy was the town freak that everyone needed to warn me about. No doubt locals would describe him as ‘harmless but stay away from him’.
“Just point me in the right direction and get the hell out of my car,” I enunciated.
He set his hands on his chest. “I’m harmless!”
“You’re a fucking psychopath!” I fumbled in my bag until my fingers found the little canister I kept for emergencies. This was the epitome of an emergency.
I brandished the canister and aimed it at his face. “Get the fuck out before I mace you! Last warning.”
“But I can help—”
My finger depressed the trigger, letting off a stream of pepper spray that hit him square on the forehead.
“Ah fuck! That stings!” he exclaimed, wiping his head and blinking rapidly, to no avail.
I didn’t bother holding back an evil laugh. “Get the fuck out or I’ll do it again.”
That shifted him quicker than expected. I was almost disappointed to not get another shot at macing him—I mean, it was kinda fun and sung to the sadistic little devil on my shoulder.
“And let go of the door,” I hissed, spraying a little extra in his direction for good measure. When he recoiled, I put my little car in gear.
“Tell them Banks sent you,” came his final exclamation before the passenger door clicked closed.
I pulled into the street and released a shaky breath. “What the fuck kind of hick town is this?” I mumbled as I drove, thoroughly shaken by Banks’s intensity.
After finding the police station, I pushed through the entrance doors and came across an officer carrying a large coffee mug.
A wide, endearing smile appeared on his darker features. “Hi there, darlin’. How can I help?”
I hesitated a second before finding my voice. “I’ve come to get the keys for Lavender Cottage.”
His dark-brown eyes lit. “Simone Jamison?”
“That’s me.”
He thrust out his hand. “Constable Reed Gatlin. Welcome to town.”
“Thanks.” I shook his hand and smiled. “Everyone seems friendly so far, apart from one guy that practically carjacked me.”
His dark brows angled with concern. “Carjacked you? Where?”
“Outside the little diner at the entrance to town. Some guy called Banks.”
Reed pressed his hand to his chest and let free a hearty laugh. “He’s one of my brothers. He’s harmless, but you might wanna stay away from him if you don’t wanna get into trouble.”
My eyes sprang wide, and my tone pitched. “I knew he was a psychopath!”
More laughter came from Reed, and he shook his head. “He’s actually a great guy. The trouble part is that he strives to live life to the fullest, never letting an adventure pass by. I keep tellin’ him it’ll get him into trouble one day, but—” Reed tsked, “—hasn’t happened yet.”
Still snickering, he rounded the reception desk, set down his mug, and opened a key safe.
Irritated, I pressed my hands to my hips. “Well, it did get him into trouble; I maced him a few minutes ago.”
Reed’s face appeared from behind the little metal door, brows lifted high with surprise. “You what?”
“He wouldn’t get out of my car, and this was after he had the audacity to kiss me without permission.”
Reed’s eyes grew wide. “Are you fucking serious?”
“Yeah. I am. I don’t make shit like this up,” I snapped, mildly offended by his audacious tone.
He quickly corrected the outburst by waving his hand and rephrasing, “I’m surprised, that’s all. Banks is friendly, but not usually so... idiotically brazen. I’m really sorry to hear he’s upset you, Simone. As an officer in town, I need to advise you that you can make a formal complaint. As Banks’s brother, he and I will be having words later.”
I huffed out a breath, unwilling to admit he only kissed me because of my stupid bucket list. “It’s fine. I’m just tired and want to crash.”
At my blatant hint, Reed held up a set of keys and double-checked the little name tag hanging from them. “Simone Jamison. Can I see some ID please?”
After proving that I was indeed Simone Jamison, I accepted the keys from Reed and politely excused myself.
“Thank you for your help,” I said one last time before heading for the exit.
“You’re welcome, darlin’. Don’t be a stranger!”
The smile slid from my face as soon as I stepped outside. Weight re-settled on my shoulders and the keys burned in my palm.
At the top of the police station steps, I was struck by the gravity of why I moved here. It shackled me to the spot until the first tear trickled down my cheek. Its salty journey died at the corner of my mouth when I dashed it away, and after one last glance skyward, I embarked on my final mission of the long day: to find my new home.
