“I will not. It’s probably racoons or worse messing around down there and that’s simply not my ministry.” Joy tries to smile, knowing it’s not convincing whatsoever. “I think I want to head up and change into something a little more casual. I’ll be back down in a little bit.”

Joy changes, deciding to keep it comfortable in an oversize off-the-shoulder tee and a pair of leggings. She slips her clothes on with shaking hands—it seems they developed a slight traitorous tremor and haven’t stopped shaking since she left the gift shop. Her heart has been positively trilling in her throat ever since then too. She can breathe, but she also can’t. She can speak, but her thoughts are flying through time, ten years in the past.

She’s clammy, an unwelcome shade of gray is popping through her makeup, and her eyes are wide and wary. Any sudden moves and she’ll take off, bolting for safety even though she has no clue where that is.

You just met him, he said.

Her heart skips a beat from pain. Because Malcolm looked exactly like how she felt when he told her he proposed to Caroline. Stricken. Defeated. Helpless. She presses a damp towel to her cheeks and closes her eyes to focus on her breathing. She needs to push those thoughts away. That isn’t real. It’s her brain playing tricks on her, making her see things that aren’t there. Malcolm was just surprised, that’s all. Really, really surprised.

“Knock, knock.”

“Summer. Hi.”

“Hey, I was wondering if you’d maybe want to go for a walk with me? There’s another cool trail I wanted to explore. I thought it’d be fun if we could go together again.”

Well, Joy did it once. She can do it again. To be honest, she could use the distraction. “As long as it’s not the demon trail by that wooden bench.”

“Oh no.” Summer shakes her head vehemently. “Even I won’t go in that one. It really does look like a portal to hell.”

Twenty-Five

Joy changes her mind about the hike the second they walk out the front door.

The empty driveway. The way he left without a word. How he’s not responding to her messages. She needs to be here when Malcolm comes back.

“Why don’t we stay here? See this porch swing? It’s a good one. Sure, it could use some cushions, but the hard wood isn’t so bad.”

Summer laughs. “This is fine. Way more peaceful.”