With one last look at the front windows, she hitched her purse on her shoulder and slipped in between her house and the neighbor’s to get to the narrow path that ran along the ditch behind the houses, traveling a well-worn route along the chain-link fences of people’s yards. After a few turns and a standoff with a territorial stray cat, she made it to the edge of the Grandview neighborhood, so close to where she lived but worlds away at the same time. This was the kind of neighborhood that had a well-lit entrance sign and houses with neat lawns and driveways with basketball hoops. She made sure to steer clear of people’s yards so she wouldn’t set off motion lights and headed to the street she wanted.

When she saw the single-story brick house with the Long Acre High flag hanging from the porch, her breathing eased a little. She hurried to the side yard, knowing there were no security lights on this house, and snuck around the back. Please be up. Please be up. The mantra became a prayer.

The weight of the night lifted a fraction when she saw the glow of Ash’s lamp in his window. That kid stayed up too late. Tonight, she was thankful. She carefully picked her way through the prickly rosebushes lining the back of the house, cursing the makeshift burglar deterrent, and tapped on the window.

She held her breath. She’d never snuck over like this before. They rarely hung out at his house because even though his dad was almost always at football practice, his mom was home, and she didn’t believe in letting girls like Kincaid in her son’s bedroom. His mom didn’t say that to Kincaid’s face, but she’d overheard her talking to one of her church friends one day, gossiping about Kincaid’s mother and how apples don’t fall far from the tree. Like she was some temptress. For Ash. Please.

Kincaid’s was the empty house, so they’d made that their hangout spot if they wanted a change from the diner or the bookstore. But tonight she was desperate and willing to risk it. She just hoped his parents didn’t hear and think she was trying to rob the place. She had no doubt Mr. Isaacs had a gun somewhere in the house.

The first taps on the glass didn’t work, so Kincaid had to knock louder. She cringed, expecting to be discovered by his parents, but finally, she saw movement. Ash peeked through the blinds and then startled when he saw her staring back.

She could hear his curse through the window.

“Let me in,” she said, trying to keep her voice down and hoping he could read her lips.

Ash frowned but quickly yanked the blinds up and opened the window, a rush of frosty air-conditioning coming with him. “What the hell, KC? What are you doing out here? It’s midnight.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Just let me in,” she said, using all the energy she could muster to put command in her voice. “I just… I need to come in. Please.”