Chapter 1

Gemma

I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel while glaring out the windshield. The empty can of soda that rattled around at my feet with the motions of the car didn’t bother me; my mind was elsewhere. I had the window on my side rolled down, and despite the cold breeze wafting straight from the snowcapped mountains behind me, I was too warm. I was anxious in my seat, hot under my collar and desperate. I’d never said it out loud or even thought the words in my head, but I was desperate to get out of this town.

I was late for work. Not by much, but Big Mike wasn’t going to be decent about it. I hadn’t been able to drag myself out of bed today, as much as I tried giving myself the usual pep-talk. The alarm kept ringing, and I could hear Mom’s voice in the kitchen, shouting because the sound of the alarm was bothering her. I couldn’t even bring myself to reach out and turn it off. It was like my limbs were frozen, and it had nothing to do with the temperature dropping outside.

Twenty-six years in this godforsaken little town, but Carlow Ridge had always been good enough for me. I had never stepped out of the state of Washington in my life, never had the need or the courage. All these years in the same trailer park, the only child of parents who couldn’t afford anything more than a trailer. The only justification for why I was such a happy child and miserable now, was because back then I didn’t know any better. This was my town, this was my family and the trailer was our home. But now I did know better. Now I knew that I could get into medical school if I could just get through college.

The sharp blare of a horn behind me snapped me out of my thoughts, and I swerved to give way. Clenching my jaws, I gripped the steering wheel even more tightly, slowing down. This wasn’t exactly going well for me. I was late for work anyway, and my mind was buzzing.

Back to sweating the small stuff again. Well, it wasn’t exactly small stuff anymore. Not when it had completely taken over my life. I had this incredible urge to just leave everything behind, my life as I knew it, and disappear. Forget my responsibilities, forget my parents, this town… Just quit. And then what? Med school wasn’t just going to happen automatically for me. I still needed to finish college. College that I could barely afford any more. And what about my parents? I was their only child, and they were both growing older. I couldn’t just forget about them. I couldn’t be that selfish.

I jiggled my toes in my shoes, my impatience catching up to me. In one swift motion, I turned the radio on, hoping the music might help soothe my nerves. Not a chance.

My dark curls blew in the breeze coming in through the open window, lashing against my face as I drove. I didn’t bother pushing them away from my eyes. They were sort of comforting for a strange reason, softly tickling the tip of my small sharp nose. I didn’t have to look at myself in the rearview mirror to know that my cheeks now matched the bright pink color of my lips. The cold wind always did that to my usually porcelain pale skin. I gulped as I tried not to think about my life. I needed to worry about getting to the diner. Bigger life problems could be dealt with later.

I didn’t bother to dress up for work these days, and especially not today, when I could hardly bring myself to get out of bed. I wore a pair of faded blue jeans and a black V-neck sweater. The only pop of color was the pink tank top I wore inside.

I realized now that I was unconsciously playing with one of the small silver earrings dangling from my ears. I twisted the wiry hoop over and over again, just for the sake of having something to do with my free hand.

I didn’t want to have to face Big Mike, not today, not on such a shitty day. But I knew he was going to let me have it. He had allowed me to only take the dayshifts, because I begged him to let me have the nights off so I could study. So now, from time to time, he threw me looks of condemnation, like he thought he deserved some kind of additional praise for giving me a break.

I rolled my eyes just thinking about him. He wasn’t doing me any favors. I was doing him a favor by working at that place where there were only four items on the menu. It wasn’t exactly the Ritz.

A sound like a gunshot rang out in the air, jerking me out of my bitter thoughts about Big Mike. I looked around in sudden fear, checking all my mirrors. There didn’t seem to be any other vehicle on the road, not another living soul. Then I heard the rattling sound of my tire, and I breathed a sigh of relief. It was only a flat tire.

Only my flat tire! I huffed hotly as I slowed the car down, pulling it to the side of the road. Seriously, today of all days! What had I done to deserve this? How had I displeased the gods? For a second, I wondered if it was retribution for thinking about leaving this town. Like the universe was sending me a message that I could never get out of this place. Not alive anyway.

And now I was going to be majorly late for work. There was no rescuing me.