Back Lost in the Never Woods
Chapters (29)
  1. Title Page
  2. Copyright Notice
  3. Dedication
  4. CHAPTER 1
  5. CHAPTER 2
  6. CHAPTER 3
  7. CHAPTER 4
  8. CHAPTER 5
  9. CHAPTER 6
  10. CHAPTER 7
  11. CHAPTER 8
  12. CHAPTER 9
  13. CHAPTER 10
  14. CHAPTER 11
  15. CHAPTER 12
  16. CHAPTER 13
  17. CHAPTER 14
  18. CHAPTER 15
  19. CHAPTER 16
  20. CHAPTER 17
  21. CHAPTER 18
  22. CHAPTER 19
  23. CHAPTER 20
  24. CHAPTER 21
  25. CHAPTER 22
  26. Epilogue
  27. Acknowledgments
  28. About the Author
  29. Newsletter Sign-up

Jordan had a Dutch Bros coffee cup in her hand and she was chewing on the bright green straw. She gave Wendy a strange look. “You okay?” she asked as she crossed the pavement.

“What?” Wendy looked back to where Peter had been standing, but he was gone. She twisted to look around.

“I said,” Jordan repeated with an apprehensive laugh, “are you okay? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost or something.” She was dressed in scrubs and had her lanyard around her neck. Jordan always got coffee before volunteering and had the disgusting habit of drinking one cup over the entire day until it was cold. Her shift must’ve just ended.

“Yeah, I’m—I’m fine,” Wendy stammered. Where had he gone? There was only one door in and out of the courtyard, and Jordan was blocking it.

“Who was that guy you were talking to?” Jordan asked.

Wendy had to stop herself from saying, You saw him? “Um … what guy? I wasn’t talking to anyone,” she said.

“I thought I saw a guy out here with you,” Jordan said as she looked around. “Wait—” Jordan sucked in a dramatic gasp. Her lips quirked into a devilish smile. “You weren’t having a secret rendezvous, were you?”

“I—uh…”

“Wendy Darling, you are turning RED!” She laughed.

“What!” Wendy squeaked. “No—I—no, I wasn’t talking to anyone. I just needed some fresh air.” Wendy tugged on the neck of her shirt, her skin quickly getting hot and sweaty.

“Uh-huh, suuuure.” Jordan slurped down the last of her coffee through the twisted straw. “Whatever, I’ll get it out of you eventually.” She gave Wendy a pointed look. “You’re a terrible liar.”

The best option was to distract. “Wait, what are you doing here?”

Jordan’s eyebrow arched. “Looking for you so we can go to dinner! Like we do every Wednesday after our volunteer hours.”

“Oh, right.” Wendy’s brain was completely jumbled. She could barely focus on anything other than what Peter had told her.

“Hey, are you sure you’re all right?” Jordan’s tone was serious now. She placed a hand on Wendy’s shoulder. “You don’t look so good. Maybe we should have one of the doctors check you out?”

“No, no, I’m fine.” Wendy wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and stepped away from Jordan’s hand. “I just didn’t get enough sleep last night,” she said. “You know, after everything that happened…” Wendy trailed off.

Jordan gave her a little smile, the poor Wendy smile. Luckily, Jordan knew when to take a step back and not push. “Let’s get you out of here, then,” she said. “We can stop at Coffee Girl and grab some food.” She held the door open.