The look on her parents’ faces told Penny that they had been talking to Cate, even though neither one said a word to confirm her suspicions.

“Oh, honey,” her mother, Amanda, cooed, pulling Penny into a warm hug. “I’m so happy to see you.”

Penny allowed herself to be hugged, despite being decidedly uncomfortable with it. Taking the drive to New Orleans had been her absolute last resort, regardless of the several messages Cate had left her, begging her to return to the house.

Penny’s pride had been so badly damaged, she couldn’t imagine going back to her sister’s place and trying to explain how she had been treated over the past three years. She wasn’t even sure she’d know how.

If I try to tell her anything, she’ll just think I’m some drug addict making up excuses, she thought. If I don’t say anything, it will confirm whatever story Ryland has been feeding her.

The hurt was almost unbearable, and Penny was finding it increasingly difficult to ignore the fact that she might never recover from all she’d lost. On the bright side, she no longer had the slightest inkling to make things right with Ryland. Any uncertainty she’d experienced had been replaced by a mounting ire, which only escalated with each mile she put between Houston and New Orleans.

I’ll stay with Mom and Dad for a while, get my head on straight, and figure out how to handle him. Some moments, Penny didn’t recognize herself in the least. The reserved, make-no-waves woman who had always prided herself on keeping it together was becoming harder, colder. If this is me after a couple weeks, what am I going to be like in a year?

It was just another thing she couldn’t afford to think about.

“Come on, honey,” her dad, Pat, said gently when she remained rooted in the carport. “I’ve got some homemade chicken gumbo with your name on it simmering on the stove.”

For the first time in as long as she could remember, Penny was overcome with a wave of comfort, and tears sprang unbidden into her eyes. After two weeks of walking around on eggshells, she was in the company of people who weren’t out to hurt her. At least, not yet.

Keep it together, Penny warned herself. Your parents love you. You should have come here first.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said gratefully, finally moving along to follow the older couple toward their modest house.

Pat and Amanda Carling had raised their two daughters in the two-bedroom bungalow, having bought it the week after they had married. Both had done well enough in life to move from the tiny house over the years, but Pat had been so proud of himself for paying off the little property, he swore never again to fall into another mortgage payment. He had decided to keep it, pouring all his attention into making the house an almost fairytale setting.

It wasn’t difficult, considering that it was surrounded by sweeping cypress trees, encased by two man-made ponds. A dozen gnomes and garden fairies peeked out through the leaves, along with a brilliant display of flowers leading up the stone walkway to the cottage-style door.

Pat slung his arm casually over his daughter’s shoulders, and he squeezed her gently.

“I’m glad you’re home, Ginger,” he whispered, and again, Penny was afraid she was going to cry. It was nice to feel wanted for once, not judged or scrutinized.

I should have come here before going to Cate. She reminded herself that she’d still had a job then.

“Y’all coming in or what?” Amanda called from inside the house, and the two continued on their way. Not much had changed in the two years since Penny had last visited, and she felt a spark of shame, realizing that she had cut out her family as much as she had everyone else.

Never again, she vowed. I’ll never let a man come between me and my family again.

The spicy smell of gumbo tickled her nostrils, and Penny suddenly became aware of how hungry she was. She hadn’t stopped for anything but gas during the almost six hours it had taken her to get from the hotel to her parents’ house. Her appetite had been non-existent for two days, the anticipation of seeing her mom and dad causing her more stress to her already fragile state of mind.

Bit by bit, Penny felt the tension sliding out of her shoulders, and she sat at the polished dining room table while her mother heaped steaming spoonfuls of the thick stew into a ceramic bowl.

“You look exhausted, honey,” Amanda commented, shooting her husband a nervous look as they joined Penny at the table. Penny didn’t bother to respond, digging directly into her meal with gusto.

God, I missed home cooking. In fact, she had missed everything about her hometown of New Orleans. The move to Houston was supposed to have been a fresh, optimistic start for the college grad. She’d never been adventurous, and the feeling of spreading her wings in another state was supposed to be her leap into adulthood.

It obviously hadn’t worked out that way.

Maybe everything happens for a reason, after all, she thought. Maybe I was supposed to be here all along.

It was difficult to accept after what had happened, but Penny was in no position to question whatever the universe had in store for her. She’d spent more than enough time questioning everything.

After the phone call from Greg, Penny had picked up the email, which, indeed, had explained that there was a “formal and serious matter” she needed to address. If she hadn’t been so devastated, she would have laughed at the claim of harassment Ryland had put forth, but it was all so sad. Laughing was something she wasn’t sure she’d ever do again.

“What happened?” Amanda finally asked, and Penny knew the question had been burning a hole in the roof of her mouth. It was just another question that she had no set way of answering, but she knew she had to tell them something or they would continue to believe whatever lies Cate had told them.

But what was the route to go? What could Penny say that would make her parents understand how badly everything had gone for her?

I picked the wrong guy. I didn’t even realize he’d taken over my life until it was too late, and now he’s hellbent on ruining me.

No, that didn’t sound like a good conversation starter.

“I got suspended from work,” she mumbled instead. “I don’t have any money.” It seemed like the least humiliating aspect to disclose in that minute.

“We spoke to Cate, and—” Pat started to say, but Penny held up her hand and stopped him midsentence.

“Dad, can I just eat first? I don’t want to lose my appetite again. Then I’ll answer all your questions, okay?”

Pat clamped his mouth shut and gave his wife another look that Penny could read loud and clear: he was warning Amanda to give her space, and for that, Penny was thankful.

Growing up, she’d gotten along well with both of her parents. Even when her friends were off causing trouble, rebelling and defying their own parents, Penny preferred to stay home, watching “Jeopardy” or reading in comfortable silence with hers. Cate had always been the wild child, the one who worried Pat and Amanda while Penny was reliable, smart.

I guess the tables have turned on that, too, she mused sadly, shoveling another spoonful of gumbo into her mouth. Suddenly, her appetite was diminishing under her parents’ watchful gazes, but it was easier to fill her mouth than give them an opportunity to keep firing questions at her. Or at least, that was her hope.

“Uh… well,” Amanda faltered. “Will you be staying for a while, honey?”

Penny dropped her utensil, sitting back with a heavy sigh. They weren’t even going to let her eat. “I have no idea, Mom. Are you in a rush to have me leave already?”

“No! Penny, don’t get defensive. You didn’t tell us anything, and all we have is second-hand information from your sister that you somehow got mixed up in drugs—”

“Which we don’t believe, by the way,” Pat interjected. His eyes were fixed on his wife in disapproval, but Amanda didn’t heed his annoyance.

“Well, something happened!” Amanda insisted. “And Cate wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

Wearily, Penny rose from her chair. The cozy walls of her parents’ house were starting to become suffocating, and she needed to get out of there.

“Where are you going?” Amanda demanded. “Sit down!”

“I need some air,” Penny replied, turning away from the table.

“You ain’t looking to score, are you?”

“Amanda,” Pat hissed, but Penny knew she had essentially walked back into her sister’s house.

I should have just stayed in Houston, she told herself. At least no one knows me there. I grew up here. I’m bound to run into people who are going to ask me more questions.

But stay in Houston for what? There was nothing in Texas. She had no hopes that she would get her job back, and even if she did, Penny wouldn’t go back. Ryland had done her a favor by harassing her out of there. That, however, didn’t change the fact that she was homeless and unemployed, and that Ryland had ruined her reputation among even her own family.

Penny burst back out into the charming gardens. The gnomes seemed to be leering at her.

“Penny!” her dad yelled, running after her, but Penny didn’t stop. She was back in the driver’s seat once more, backing out of the carport and zooming toward the center of the city. She didn’t know where she was headed, but she knew she couldn’t spend another second being scrutinized.

Maybe she would get lucky and get into a car crash.

Penny found herself wandering through Louis Armstrong Park an hour later, the familiar sights and sounds of New Orleans taking her back to a time when life was much simpler.

For a few minutes, she almost forgot about her woes as she watched small children playing and the couples walking arm-in-arm by the fountain. A small part of her wanted to scream out to them, warning them that their relationships were doomed, but Penny knew she was only losing her mind. The loneliness and bitterness stuck to her gut like a lead weight, slowing her down until she finally sank onto a park bench.

She’d barely had time to continue her wallowing when she felt the shadow of someone blocking the summer sun from her face. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and stared at a pixie-faced girl of no more than sixteen.

“Hi,” the dark-haired child said. “You look bored.”

Penny’s mouth twisted into an ironic smile. Bored? I wouldn’t say that’s what I’m feeling right now. But sure, we’ll go with your assessment, teeny bopper.

“Do I?” Penny asked evenly.

“Aren’t you?”

“I don’t have any money,” she sighed, cutting to the chase.

The girl smiled warmly. “You don’t even know what I’m offering you,” she replied, sitting uninvited at Penny’s side. “It will change your life.”

Penny snorted. “I’ve had enough life changes for a lifetime,” she said shortly, wishing the persistent girl would leave her alone.

“I can tell that. I didn’t just select you at random. I could see the upset in your face.”

Penny grimaced. “I just told you, I don’t have any money.”

“Even if I told you that what I’m offering you will change the way you look at everything?”

“I can’t even afford the red pill, honey.”

The girl grinned. “The Matrix was a good movie, but it was fantasy. I’m going to show you something real and of this world that will make you realize how insignificant your problems are.”

Penny hated herself for being intrigued. “Okay,” she relented. “I’ll bite. What is it?”

“You have to see it. I can’t explain it to you.”

At least the propensity for scams hasn’t changed around here, she groaned to herself. Home, sweet home. To Penny’s surprise, the girl rose and extended her hand.

“Come with me. I’ll make you a deal.” Penny didn’t move, staring expectantly. “I’m going to introduce you to some satisfied customers,” the girl went on. “If they don’t convince you, you don’t have to come. If they do…”

“And how do I know that these ‘satisfied customers’ aren’t just shills?” Penny asked.

The girl shrugged again, her fingers still extended. “I guess you’ll have to trust your gut. You still remember how to do that, don’t you?”

Penny burst into peals of laughter, which echoed through the park, but the teenager didn’t flinch. She maintained the serene smile on her face and waited.

“My gut instinct isn’t very reliable.”

“That’s because you ignore it until it’s too late. Your gut instinct will never steer you wrong, Penelope.”

“How did you know my name?” Penny choked, rising worriedly. The girl still didn’t falter.

“I know a lot of things. The question is, do you want to know the same things as I do?”

Penny’s brow furrowed slightly, and for the first time, she realized how wise the girl’s eyes seemed for someone so young. She’s an old soul.

“Well?”

She bit on her lower lip and studied the girl’s face. This is probably a scam, but what have you got to lose except money you don’t have, anyway? Worst case scenario, whatever the girl was offering would take her mind off her troubles for a while. She could use the distraction.

“All right,” Penny agreed, shoving aside her logical concerns. She’d already lost everything. Why not go for rock bottom? The teen smiled widely, her ivory teeth almost blinding against her small features.

“You won’t regret this,” she promised, winking. Slipping her hand into Penny’s, she pressed their fingers together, and Penny felt a strange current surge between them. The girl darted forward, keeping Penny’s hand clasped firmly in hers.

“Hey,” Penny called, hurrying to keep up before she was dragged along. “What’s your name?”

The girl glanced over her shoulder and smiled, but she didn’t slow her gait. “You can call me Violet.”

Such an innocent name for a con artist, Penny sighed to herself. As they moved deeper into the park, though, she couldn’t deny that she was filled with a foreign sense of exhilaration. What’s the worst that can happen?