Claws & Crochet

Part 26

ZOEY

Warner's comment about wild animals has me paranoid.

Then a twig snaps, and I'm scrambling to pull up my jeans.

"Shit! Shit shit shit." I don't bother zipping before lunging toward my flashlight. When I have it in my hand, I shine the beam in a broad circle, needing to know what kind of creature I'm about to face.

It lumbers out of the trees, huge head focused on me.

"Fucking hell." I collapse back against a non-pee tree, clutching my chest. "Goddamn it, Bruce! I almost peed all over myself!"

My dog seems thoroughly unconcerned, sniffing the air as he wanders around.

"You're lucky I was done," I mutter, taking a moment to zip my fly and calm my clamoring heart. "Come on, you big oaf. I need another beer. You scared me sober."

And I'm missing my happy buzz. Part of it caused by the alcohol, but the other bit by a certain biker who made a surprise appearance. Despite this being the first foray into bonding with my new librarian friend, I have to admit I was slightly bummed to send Warner away. He's just so . . . nice.

To be around.

He gives me a warm giggly feeling that I haven't had in a while. Maybe ever.

And when I have beer running through my veins, I don't have to think about how I'm not planning on staying in Pine Falls. I can enjoy the sensation of having a crush. I can laugh at his jokes. Fall into his arms. Pretend that I have an idea of where my life is headed, and maybe it's not impossible to pursue a small-town biker.

"She's back!" Juliet cheers me as I approach the campfire. She's moved to stand near the edge of the lake. "How'd you do?"

"This big dope scared me half to death, but I'll survive." I throw a thumb at Bruce who reclaims his spot on a worn blanket. "And my bladder is empty, so mission accomplished."

"Success!" Juliet grins then turns back to the water and launches a rock out of her hand. The pebble skips until it's swallowed by darkness.

After grabbing myself another beer, I join her by the water's edge. The whole afternoon we've talked about lighthearted things like our favorite books and foods and hobbies. I now know that Juliet isn't only good at camping, but she's also a rock climber. She makes sense in a Colorado town more than I do.

Still, Pine Falls is kind of removed. I'm curious how she ended up here, and my tongue is just loose enough that I'm ready to ask.

"Do you have family in town?"

"Nope." She skips another rock that goes even farther than the first.

"How'd you hear about Pine Falls then?"

"The job posting was online, and I was looking . . ." She hesitates, and my curiosity is thoroughly peaked. "I wanted to get away."

"And Pine Falls fit the bill?" This is prying, isn't it? I'm being pushy.

"Better than most," this comes out softer, lacking her enthusiasm from a moment ago. I glance at the side of her head for a moment, but Juliet stares fixedly out at the water. Eventually, I turn to stare into the darkness with her.

"We're friends, right?" I ask.

Juliet visibly tenses. "Yeah . . ."

The word doesn't come out solid. It's as if she's only loaned it to me and is bracing to take it back at any moment.

"Then I want to establish a very important rule of our friendship."

"What's that?" Wariness fills her tone. Juliet probably expects me to say something like we have to be one hundred percent honest with each other, or that she's required to divulge all her deepest darkest secrets to me.

But building a friendship isn't the same as making a deal with the Devil.

"Rule number one: feel free to tell me to shut up whenever you feel it's necessary."

Silence stretches between us, and I look over again to find Juliet now staring at me, a glimmer of hope in her sweet dark eyes.

"Zoey?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you mind shutting up?"

"Not in the slightest."

We spend the next half hour drinking beer and throwing rocks, the only sounds are the tiny splashes in the water, crickets chirping, branches rustling in the wind, and my big lazy dog snoring.

And I ignore the sensation of eyes watching me.