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Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Katie Powner
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

Tears stung the backs of Bea’s eyes, and she fought them. Was Grandma angry with her? About getting pregnant? What exactly had Dad said to her? If her mom was still around, Bea knew she would be beside herself with excitement. She would’ve already knitted booties for the baby’s feet and sewn curtains for the nursery. Grandma wasn’t as showy with her emotions as all that, but Bea never expected this.

She looked to Grandpa for answers, for hope, but his shoulders drooped. “I’m sorry, Bea. Your grandmother’s not feeling well today. Maybe you should go.”

Bea’s lip quivered as she rose to her feet, the hurt sinking deep. “Okay.”

She slowly put her jacket on, staring down the hall toward Grandma’s bedroom. “Your grandmother’s not feeling well.” The words tumbled around like a stone in her stomach. Dad had been right. Grandma wasn’t herself. In fact, this wasn’t Grandma at all.

Grandpa didn’t resist when she gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her tighter than he’d ever done before. When she pulled away and looked in his eyes, it was like watching a gathering storm reflect off the waters of Canyon Ferry Lake. Like a boat fighting the wind to get across. Like a man reaching out from the water, silently begging for someone to throw him a rope.

She opened the door and looked back, her voice cracking under the strain of holding in her emotions. “Tell Grandma I love her.”

TWENTY

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When Bea turned on to Second Street and saw the Matrix in front of her dad’s house—parked the correct way—she burst into tears. Jeremy was home. All she wanted in the world was to have his arms around her.

It was all she could do to park the truck in the carport without ramming into a post, the way her body shook. She killed the engine and covered her face with her hands. She couldn’t get the shadowy look on Grandma’s face out of her mind. Or the sharp words she had spoken.

She opened the door and flinched at the cold night air. The chill and the dark, lonely alley took her back to the walk home on campus that night in Atlanta. A sense of panic bubbled up in her chest. She knew it was illogical to be afraid. No one was lying in wait for her on Second Street in Moose Creek. But the feeling was hard to shake.

Wiping her face, she took a couple of deep breaths. She was safe. She was fine. What would Dad do if he thought she couldn’t handle her life? What would Jeremy do? She was tougher than this. She marched around to the front door, eager to get inside, then slowed her steps when she saw her dad standing in Marge’s yard. Talking. To Marge.