“Hey Caroline,” Davis said as he strolled into the familiar café and took his usual seat. Now, however, the view was light years better than usual. Elaine’s silky hair was flowing over her shoulders; her piercing blue eyes were glowing brightly. She’d managed to make his sister’s old clothes somehow look fashionable again, knotting up the bottom of the flannel shirt and perfectly filling out the cut-off shorts.

“You two are here a little early. You still want the usual?” Caroline asked.

It had become their morning ritual to come to the main strip together, grab a bite to eat at Caroline’s, and then both head off to work. Her car hadn’t left his driveway since he had it fueled. Being the passenger in his truck, turning that task over to someone else, had been so freeing. She could close her eyes, hang her arm out the window, and trust that he’d keep her safe. Trust that they’d end up right where she wanted to be.

Like they’d been doing it for years, somewhere along the way kissing goodbye had worked itself into the morning ritual. As had holding hands across the table and whispering little jokes that only they knew the punch lines to. It began as teasing the nosy women of the town who loved a juicy piece of gossip. But now, sitting here across from Elaine, Davis was certain he was falling for her. It was nearly an out of body experience. He could look down on himself and see how absurdly attracted to her he was. How quickly he’d change his plans to make sure they had one more hour together.

“Yes please, Caroline,” Elaine answered when Davis, too lost in staring at her, couldn’t manage to reply. “Are you all right?”

“Fine,” he said, reaching out and covering her tiny hand with his. “I know you’re thirty days will be up soon—” She cut him off.

“Let’s not think about that right now. I haven’t felt this good in a long time. I’m relaxed, I’m happy. I don’t want to waste a second wondering what the future holds. I just want to be right here right now with you.”

“I can live with that.” He smiled. “We don’t have to make promises to each other. We don’t have to figure it all out. But please, will you consider one thing?”

“I’ll try.” She shrugged as a waitress filled their coffee mugs and lingered around a long moment, hoping to hear his request. Davis was too patient to fall into that trap. He bit his tongue until she finally moved on.

“When it comes time to decide, when you figure out your next thirty days, try to remember how important it is to feel happy. At some point logic is going to come back into play. You’re going to remember you have an apartment in New York and that cutting flowers all day doesn’t make much money. Math isn’t going to add up, but factor in the way you feel right now.”

“I can do that.” She beamed, grabbing the warm mug of coffee and lifting it to her lips. She breathed in the smell and closed her eyes. “Caroline’s coffee alone could be enough to make me stay. It’s the nectar of the gods. I don’t know how she does it.”

“It’s you,” Johnny Mildred said as he bumped against their table, nearly knocking their mugs over. “Bill, I told you it was her. Come over here.”

Bill Nethers hopped off his chair and approached their table, his beady eyes narrowed as he stared at Elaine. Scrutinizing her in a way that made Davis want to bash him in the head with one of Caroline’s fry pans.

“What are you two going on about?” Davis asked, as the heat rose in Elaine’s cheeks. She looked mortified and then suddenly afraid. “We’re trying to enjoy our morning. Beat it.”

“It’s the girl from the video; I knew it,” Johnny said, slapping Bill’s shoulder in victory. “We need to get her picture. Grab my phone off the table.”

“No,” Elaine pleaded, covering her face with one hand and waving at them to leave with the other. “No, please leave me alone.”

“Everyone is looking for you,” Bill announced as though Elaine should be as excited as they were. “Just give us a smile. When we post this it’ll go viral. We’ll all be famous.”

“Please leave me alone,” she begged again and the desperation in her voice knocked Davis out of his temporary shock and confusion.

“Back off,” he barked, shoving his chair backward, sending it to the ground as he stood. “She doesn’t want her picture taken. Just go on.” He’d known these two guys his whole life. They were hard working fishermen, loud drunks, and always causing someone some annoyance. He’d even scuffled with them a time or two when he was younger, and they’d given him hell when Julie left him for California. Mostly harmless, he figured sticking his chest out and cracking his knuckles would be enough to scare them off. But they were being persistent, and every second that ticked by make Elaine more uncomfortable.

“You’ve seen the video, haven’t you?” Bill asked, still pointing the camera of his phone at Elaine, waiting for a good shot. “It’s epic. I laughed for days.”

“I won’t tell you again,” Davis threatened, yanking the phone from Bill’s hand and shoving him backward. “You two get out of here. Leave her alone.”

“Not a chance,” Johnny blustered, backing up a couple steps, but holding his ground once he was out of punching range of Davis. “I’m getting this on video. It’ll have a million hits by lunchtime. There’s even a hashtag people are using when they think they’ve spotted you. Who the hell would have thought you’d end up in Indigo Bay? This is incredible.”

Caroline slipped between the men and Elaine, her hands propped up on her hips. She’d created a wall of threatening glares and unwavering attitude. “Bill and Johnny, you’ve got three seconds to get your butts out of my place before I call the sheriff.”

“We’re not doing anything illegal,” Johnny protested, holding his camera phone higher over Caroline’s head.

“It’s my place, and if I tell you to leave—” Caroline started but Davis was done with this. Whatever was going on, whatever these jerks were talking about, clearly Elaine wanted no part of it. He wasn’t going to sit idly by and let them upset her like this.

“Let’s go,” he said, twisting Johnny’s camera-wielding arm behind his back and pulling so tight he cried out in pain.

“You’re gonna snap my arm off,” he protested as Davis threw him stumbling out the front door. “What’s your problem?”

“Are you going out on your own or am I throwing you out too?” Davis asked, closing in on Bill, who looked uneasy about this now that his buddy was not by his side.

“Can I have my phone back?” Bill asked, clearing his throat and putting his hand out expectantly. “It’s my property, and you can’t keep it. I’ll report you for stealing it.”

Elaine’s eyes were wet with tears as she slouched in the chair, her coffee growing cold, her face falling white as snow suddenly. She looked so small, so weathered by what happened that an anger boiled up in Davis for those who caused this. He threw the phone at Bill, who immediately smiled and took the opportunity to boldly snap a picture of Elaine.

“Give me that,” Davis demanded charging at Bill who dodged him as he clicked away on his phone.

“Too late, it’s already been posted,” he said smugly. “Everyone will know you’re in Indigo Bay now. My social media is going to blow up.”

Davis cocked his fist, and pounded Bill in the eye, sending him stumbling backward into the wall. “That was a big mistake,” he shouted as he closed in on Bill like a dog charging to a fresh bowl of kibble.

“Davis,” Elaine said, her voice shaking, “don’t bother. It’s too late. He already posted it.”

He turned just in time to see her run out of Caroline’s and cross the front window. Now he had to choose. Pummel Bill into the bloody unrecognizable heap of garbage he was, or chase after Elaine. “You better hope you don’t cross my path again, Bill,” Davis said, pointing a threatening finger at him. “You better steer clear of me.”

“Go get your girlfriend,” Bill shot back as Davis headed toward the door. “If you haven’t seen that video, she’s got a lot of explaining to do.”

Davis was wrong, he could do both. He charged back at Bill and punched him hard in the stomach. When he bent in pain Davis lifted a knee, slamming it into Bill’s nose.

“Enough Davis,” Caroline demanded. “Go get that girl.”

Davis grunted in anger as Bill fell to his knees. Rushing out the front door, he ran in the direction he’d seen Elaine disappear. This road would have taken her back toward his place. To her car. Her getaway car. He knew next to nothing about who Elaine really was. If she drove off today, if she disappeared, there was a chance he’d never see her again.

As much as he didn’t want to lose her, he ran back toward his truck, ready to drive every inch of Indigo Bay looking for her, but there was a more pressing question buzzing in his mind.

What the hell was on that video?