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1. Eye Candy

The Nevada sky was as it always had been, serene blue and cloudless. The seventy-five degree weather did not go unnoticed by the pale, plain girl sitting in the car heading to the airport. Her mother showed fake enthusiasm for the trip humming softly to herself as the wind blew through the rolled down windows. The girl had decided to keep her carry-ons to the minimum, only bringing on a light jacket for the weather ahead.

Her mother walked her up to the security area giving her a hug just before she entered the line. The older woman's tears gently fell down her cheeks as she watched her daughter walk through the line away from her. The girl bit her lip nervously hoping the flight would go slowly. Returning to her father's home in Seattle was not her idea of a wonderful choice of living.

The small city of Sequim sat in the cover of Washington State. The nearly daily cloud cover and constant rain made the location the least likely place to vacation. Although, she did hear a lot of people loved it. The girl had arrived not for a joyous, relaxing removal from her usual living in Nevada, no, it was for the happiness of her mother. She used to come every year to spend a month in the summer with her father, James. Finally, hitting her late teen years she decided to keep a more consistent residence with her mother. That is where she was happy. In the warmth of the desert where her pale skin could make some kind of attempt at a tan.

Now there she was, chugging down the road with her father in his truck submitting herself to the torture of daily rainy misery. Her mother had questioned her multiple times making sure this decision is what she wanted. Everly Davis knew what would make her mother happy. A life with her new husband, Jack, and to travel with him while he tried to get a spot coaching on local hockey teams. She needed to let her mother take some time to herself and her life. Deep down she knew her mother would be lost without her, but hoped Jack would fill the hole quickly.

Riding in the truck was torturous, reminding her of the reason why she never wanted to return in the first place. Her father smiled tightly at her, appearing to be glad she had made the decision to stay with him. He knew she had ulterior motives for coming to be with him, but for him it was nice to have his daughter back by his side. Everly stared out the window of the cab when her father's rough voice startled her out of thought.

"I got you registered for school," he said slowly.

"Great. When do I start?" Everly passively questioned, hoping her father didn't notice the sarcasm.

"Well, tomorrow."

"Oh. That's fine."

It really wasn't fine, but she had nothing else to say. She knew what she was getting into when she made the decision to come to Washington. Being the fire chief's daughter had perks such as time alone and her father always knowing if she ever did anything wrong. Not that she got in trouble but if she wanted to sneak something at least once, she knew he would be right there to catch her. She let the thoughts of defiance pass as she focused on the need for a car so she did not have to be escorted each day by her father.

"Lee, are you feeling alright?" her father brought her out of her thoughts once again.

"Yeah, dad. I'm fine."

"Okay."

He turned away from his daughter again, putting attention back to the winding roads of Sequim. He couldn't be happier that she was here, but the attitude was enough to drive a person nuts. She had been quiet upon her arrival giving him barely a hug when she walked up to the cruiser. She reminded him so much of her mother. It reminded him of the time he had first seen Amelia. The red light ahead brought him out of his daydreaming. The town only had one light and he had hit it.