out with Gibson Bodine. He was twenty, and most people thought of him as the bad boy in town.
I knew better. He wasn’t bad. Misunderstood, maybe. But not bad. But I still couldn’t let my parents find out.
Making sure no one was watching, I cut between two buildings and made for the woods. Not far into the trees, I left the trail. I knew my way. Gibson had showed me a clearing that was deep enough in the forest that it was secluded and quiet, but close enough that I could easily make it home by dark, even if we lost track of time.
We did that pretty often.
I picked my way through the trees, careful not to stub my toe on the forest debris. As much as I worried about getting caught, I never hesitated to come. I couldn’t resist.
Gibson was already there, sitting on a fallen log, tuning his guitar. He usually parked on a dirt road and came in from the opposite direction.
He looked up at me and smiled. “Hey, Cal.”
I tugged on my sleeves, making sure they were pulled all the way down. Gibson and I shared a secret, but he didn’t know my other ones. “Hey, Gibs.”
“I learned a new song.” He strummed a chord. “Worked it out by ear, but I think I have it right.”
“What song?” I lowered myself onto the log next to him.
“Let’s see if you can guess.” He strummed a few more times.
I picked up on the melody instantly. “That’s ‘It’s Your Love.’ It’s a duet.”
“I thought you’d like that.”
Smiling, he continued playing. I listened for a minute, letting the music wash over me. I never felt as peaceful as I did when I was out here in the woods with Gibson. It wasn’t his bad boy reputation or his formidable good looks that made me risk my parents’ wrath to spend time with him. It was the connection we shared. The blissful relaxation of being away, alone in the woods, nothing but our voices and his guitar.
He looped around and started the song again, this time adding the words. His voice was like warm maple syrup, smooth and rich. I listened for a few bars, then found the harmony, singing along. He smiled as he sang, nodding to me in approval.
There was magic out here. The secrets I kept locked up so tight didn’t exist. The weight on my shoulders lifted as I sang, as if our music wove a protective cocoon around us both.
I was never as happy as when I was singing in the woods with Gibson Bodine.
16
MAYA
Gibson pounded his fist against the Tuckers’ front door. I stood next to him, resisting the urge to slip my hand in his. We weren’t pretending to be together, tonight. I hadn’t seen the Tuckers in person yet, but they already knew the truth about me, so there was no need to perpetuate the Gibson’s girlfriend Maya story. So I kept my hand firmly by my side.
But I was riddled with anxiety. I felt like Callie again. A girl with too many secrets, trying to hold the threads of her life together. Afraid of what it would mean to reveal the truth.
I took a deep breath. I’d be safe here. We weren’t in public where someone could overhear. And I knew the Tuckers were trustworthy. But the box in my mind bumped, as if the demons inside could sense their time was coming.
There were so many things inside. Things I still couldn’t see.
Gibson took my hand and squeezed. That little gesture of reassurance calmed my racing heart. Glancing up at him, I squeezed back.
Harlan Tucker opened the door, greeting us with a smile. His mustache had gone white, as had his hair, and he wore a flannel shirt with jeans. His wife Nadine appeared at his side, looking just as pretty as I remembered. Her silvery blond hair was pulled back and her green eyes were bright.
“Oh sweet heavens, look at you,” Nadine said. “Come in, come in.”
They ushered us inside and shut the door. It wasn’t quite dark out, but I noticed the curtains had been drawn. I didn’t know if that was on purpose, but I appreciated it nonetheless. Made me feel a little more secure.
Nadine wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “My goodness, Callie Kendall. Is it really you?”
I nodded and before I could answer, she wrapped me in a tight hug. I hugged her back, blinking against the sudden sting of tears.