remember the day Cooper asked who wanted to claim Shasta for him and River stepped up. Nothing prepared me for his decision or what moving to this town would demand. I hated Shasta the first time I visited, and I took a long fucking time to learn to love this place.
In a lot of ways, I still loathe the town. The rendering plant stink gets strong some days, making me want to bail. The town feels lawless in a way Ellsberg never did. Of course, no place is perfectly safe. That’s why I have scars on my arm.
People are why I learned to love Shasta. In the beginning, I didn’t like the former Skullz turned Reapers or the locals. I stuck close to the Fearsome Foursome and Maverick. My Ellsberg crew was all I needed.
Then Ramona entered my life, becoming the little sister I always wanted. She brought with her the Band. My world got bigger. They introduced me to stuff I hadn’t known. My heart opened up to Shasta because of them.
This is the town where my brother fell in love, and my nephews were born. Shasta is where River begged Max to love him, and she finally relented. It’s where Taylor finally found someone worth trusting with her heart.
And Shasta is the town where Goliath grew up and where he came back to after prison. Angry at the people who moved on without him, he wasn’t easy to love. But I knew the day he walked into the Saloon how there was no one in the world like him. Goliath was special, even if he couldn’t see it. I didn’t care if he was rude or had man-stink or didn’t seem to want me like I wanted him. I felt I deserved a special man, and Goliath really is one in a million.
Now he’s mine, and I have trouble remembering what a dick he was to me in the beginning. I felt stupid back then, chasing a man who didn’t seem to want to be caught. But my heart felt something that my brain couldn’t override. I had a primal urge for only him. No one else would do. Maybe deep inside, Goliath felt the same about me, but he was raised like shit and used to accepting less. Not me. I grew up wanting it all.
And these days, I have it. Well, Kirby’s still rocking the womb rather than cuddled in my arms. Our house is barely more than a blueprint. Not all my dreams have come to fruition yet. They’re inching closer every day, though.
Violet’s become a mix of my little sister and a pseudo daughter. I admit she confuses me. She’s weird, I guess. Like her new mama in that way. Some days, she’s carefree like a little kid, playing with the dogs, Desi, and Iggy. Other days, she’s a ghost, moving around the house, going through the motions.
Even before we met, she attached herself to me. From that snarky article mocking the legend and my hobby, she felt hope. Someone was looking for the man that others treated as a fantasy. It was her idea to lick and touch the envelope. Throw clues at us and hope we found our way to her.
There are times when the Shasta Slasher’s death really hits me. I hadn’t known about him when I moved here. Probably wouldn’t have come if I did. Then he became my project. I felt stupid chasing him sometimes. But like with Goliath, I trusted my heart.
Life settles down in the period between Violet’s rescue and Kirby’s birth. Then one day, Maude signals me that something weird is happening. I find Violet and Maverick sharing a silent, staring match as she leaves a room, and he enters it. My preggo pal and I watch for nearly a minute. I consider saying something. Oh, boy, do I want to speak up. However, Maude holds my hand as a subtle signal to keep my trap shut.
Finally, Maverick steps back and shrugs. “Fine, you win.”
He stalks off in his usual way while Violet surprises me by starting to cry. No matter how much I hug her, she won’t explain why she’s upset. Maude whispers in my ear that Violet has a crush on Maverick, but I can’t imagine her wanting any man.
Only when Goliath shows up with popsicles does Violet stop crying. The two of them get along well. He treats her like a kid. She treats him the same way. When he hides in the