Shiloh Sloan could not believe she’d accepted a teaching job in her hometown of Misty Hollow. After all that had happened to her in that town, and now she was moving back? Even worse, she’d be living in her childhood home. With both her parents deceased, the house had been left to her. She’d meant to sell it a while back but never got around to it.
She placed a pile of books in the box on the bed and sealed it with strong packing tape before glancing around the furnished rental she’d lived in for the last five years. Shiloh had been relatively happy here. With a shrug, she lifted the box and set it with the others in the front room. The packing crew should be arriving soon. Once her belongings were on the truck, minus her suitcase and precious things that could be broken, she’d be on her way.
With a plaintiff sigh, she plopped onto the sofa and buried her head in her hands. What if the principal of the school she worked for made a move on her? She’d put him in his place, hadn’t she? So why not return to the mountains to the place she’d once run from? Answer—because she’d almost had a repeat of that fateful prom night and needed a place to go.
A knock at the door made her bolt to her feet. A peek out the window brought a sigh of relief when she saw the logo on the moving van. She opened the door and stepped back.
Not having a lot of things, the van was packed and on its way in less than an hour. Shiloh took one last stroll through the house, then headed out to her four-wheel-drive SUV. She pressed the garage door opener and backed out, then realized the opener belonged to the house.
With a huff, she climbed from the vehicle and put the controller in the mailbox. Since she’d left the keys on the counter and pulled the door locked behind her, she couldn’t do much more.
She slid into her vehicle and drove north toward the Ozark Mountains. Would she be able to call Misty Hollow home again? Surely, things would’ve changed. What had happened did so fifteen years ago. Would the town’s residents still treat her as a liar? As a girl from the wrong side of the tracks whom they said coerced the town’s football hero? At the time, she’d been shunned. Even her parents had looked at her with suspicion. Just because she ran a little wild during her teen years didn’t make her a liar.
Now, she’d be teaching the children of those who’s shunned her. They’d see soon enough how wrong they’d been.
The closer she got to the mountains, the more nervous she grew. Her palms sweated, and she took turns removing them from the steering wheel and wiping them on her jeans. She’d been wrong to accept the teaching position.
Four hours later, Misty Mountain loomed in front of her. Dark clouds seemed to glare at her from their post on the summit. Great. She’d arrive in the rain. Could the day get any worse?
The clouds released their burden. The rain fell hard, obscuring her vision despite turning the windshield wipers on high.
She ran over something in the road. The thump elicited a shriek from her lips. Then, the telling pull of the steering wheel. The SUV had a flat…in the rain.
Her heart rate increased as she pulled as far to the side of the road as possible without ending up in the ditch. Shiloh willed her heartrate to return to normal as the wind outside picked up. She’d have to go out into the storm and unpack the back of the vehicle, setting her things on the ground in a downpour. Gritting her teeth, she shoved the door open. Within seconds, she was drenched, her hair plastered to her face. The hatchback provided a bit of protection from the rain, but it didn’t help her belongings. She unloaded the back of the vehicle and removed the jack and spare tire from the wheel well.
Chilly raindrops slipped down the collar of the tee shirt she wore, and she shuddered. Changing a tire while a vehicle sat on uneven ground didn’t sound like the best course of action.
She bit the inside of her cheek and glanced up and down the road, hoping for headlights. Nothing, of course. She was on her own. Shiloh stepped from under the protection of the rear door and stared at the slant of the road. There was absolutely no way she could safely change the tire without tipping the vehicle into the ditch.
She returned the jack and spare wheel to their places, then repacked the back before dripping water all over the driver’s seat as she climbed in to wait for help. On a lonely mountain road, help could be a long time coming. Teeth chattering, she checked her cell phone. No service. She locked the doors, wrapped her arms around her chest, and closed her eyes.
A tap on the window jolted her awake.
A face stared at her through the window.
She screamed.
~
“Whoa.” Rowan backed up, holding up his hands. “I’m here to help.”
The poor woman looked about ready to jump out of her skin. Despite the wide eyes and damp hair, it wasn’t hard for him to see how beautiful she was. Auburn hair, eyes the color of a summer sun, a smattering of freckles across her cheeks.
He motioned for her to lower the window. When she did, just enough to be able to hear him, he introduced himself. “I’m Rowan Reynolds. I can give you a ride to the mechanic. They’ll tow your car for you.”
“Can you call a mechanic? I don’t have service.”
“Neither do I on this road. There’s no service until you reach town. That’s another five miles of winding road.” He stepped back in hopes of reassuring her that he meant her no harm.
The rain had stopped, but the sky looked ready to dump more, and he didn’t relish getting wet. Come on, lady. “I guess I can drive into town and send a truck back. You’ll be out here alone for a while.”
She frowned, then rolled up the window. The door opened, and she slid out, clutching a large bag. “Will they tow it today? Should I get my things out of the back?”
He glanced at his truck. “We can put your things in the back of my truck and try to beat the next downpour to your place. After that, we can head to the mechanic.”
Another frown, then a reluctant nod before she opened the back of her vehicle. “I appreciate your help.” She started unloading, handing him the boxes to put in the back of his truck. “This one can’t get any wetter. I’ll hold it on my lap.”
“I’ll put as much in the backseat as I can. Your suitcase looks like it can withstand the rain.” He smiled at the bright pink hard-shell suitcase.
She nodded and continued to hand him things from the back until she’d emptied the vehicle. “Done. Of all the days to move.” She climbed into the front seat of his truck before he could open the door for her.
He chuckled and got in the driver’s seat. “Where to?”
“Do you know the old Sloan place? It’s on the other side of the bridge that spans the river.”
“No, I’m new to Misty Hollow. In fact, I need to let work know I’m going to be late. I’ll make the call quick.”
“No worries. I’m sure the moving van is waiting for me, though.”
He placed the call, then headed for the bridge over Little River. “Mind telling me your name?”
“Oh. Sorry. I’m Shiloh Sloan, the new fifth-grade teacher at Misty Hollow Elementary.”
“Sloan? We must be headed to your place.”
“I grew up here. You’re taking me to my childhood home.”
“Well, welcome back.”
She shrugged and stared out the side window as the rain started again. “We’ll see.” For the rest of the drive, an uncomfortable silence prevailed. Shiloh looked as if she wanted to melt into the door. She couldn’t get any further away from Rowan and remain in the truck. He had a strong suspicion she didn’t trust men and her childhood in Misty Hollow hadn’t been a pleasant one.
“When you cross the bridge, turn right.”
Other than give directions, she didn’t speak until they turned onto a mountain road packed with cars. He pulled in front of a small white house badly in need of paint. The porch roof sagged on one corner. The steps had rotted away to where they weren’t safe to use.
The river ran about half a football field from the front of the house. Hooked to a steel pole was a rusty fourteen-foot V-hull boat. At least someone had covered the motor.
Rowan wasn’t one to pass judgment, but the house didn’t look fit to live in. The van had obviously come and gone if the boxes piled on the porch were any indication.
“Looks pretty much as I left it.” Shiloh opened her door. “I’m glad to see my things arrived.”
“Let me help you carry everything in.” He climbed out and opened the back door of his truck.
The inside of the house wasn’t much better. Old-fashioned furniture, an inch of dust on everything, outdated appliances, and faded wallpaper. He glanced at the ceiling. No evidence of leaks which was one positive.
“I know it isn’t much, but it can be fixed up. At least I have a roof over my head. I’ve two days to get it in shape before starting my job.” She set a box on the dinette set that looked as if it came straight from the 1950s. Maybe it did.
“We’ll need to make a stop at the grocery store after the mechanic’s. We can do that while they’re fixing your tire.” He rolled in her suitcase.
“Right. I’d forgotten I’d need food.” She turned the kitchen faucet on. “Good. I called a few days ago to get the water and electricity turned on.” Glancing around the room, she nodded. “I’m ready to head into town now.” Those amazing eyes of hers turned toward him. “I can’t thank you enough, Mr. Reynolds.”
“Rowan, please.” He smiled. “We’ll be seeing a lot of each other. This town isn’t that big.”
“I know. Remember, I grew up here. I know exactly how this town is. Lately, there’s been a lot of crime.”
“Happens in secluded places, I guess.” Rowan had fallen in love with the town since arriving six months ago. He couldn’t imagine what could happen to someone to make them dislike it so much. Why had she returned if she hated the place so much? He bit back the question before asking. Why she came back was none of his concern. Unless she was in trouble.
That would make her his concern.
- Publisher : Winged Publications
- Publication date : May 2, 2023
- Language : English
- Print length : 223 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1959788582
- ISBN-13 : 978-1959788584