bel

r how many times you shower. I've taken six in the last twenty-four hou

didn't he

ld wipers were doing the absolute most and still failing, and the GPS on my phone had frozen just as I reached the turnoff for something

tone chimney was missing a few bricks, and the front porch sagged. Vines had taken over the front wall like nature was trying to re

it ins

e, turned off the engine, and took a moment to sit there in the silence. Or what passed for

spered to myself. "

phant. Not yet, but

door was painted forest green, chipped in places, with a brass knocker shaped like a fox. The keys

ke dust, lemon wood polish,

called out.

ich was both reassur

way. Floral curtains, a fireplace that begged to be used, and an old couch th

e back door and flipped the main switch. T

collapsed onto the couch. I let my eyes close for a moment, listening to

e that for hours, but

got exactly three feet before the unmistakable sound of a tire givi

Of c

die tighter around me as the rain dou

box, and knelt to get a look at the damage. Mud squelched beneath my knees. The f

ugh the storm behind me. A slow-moving truck rumbled down the lane and pulled up

d a

ain didn't affect him the way it was af

nearly slipped. "Uh, y

ered, and the kind of handsome you notice even when you're ankle-deep in mud and self-pity. His brown hair was plastered

uched next to my car and inspected the tire li

spare,"

ed once

pletely useless and weirdly exposed. After a minute, I said, "I swear

ain dripping down his

uld say

sil

I'm Isabella,

ht away. Then he said

that.

eriously. You're kind

used to talking to people, or maybe he just didn't want to. Still,

lug nut, stood, and ga

're

hat was

. "Not my f

out of nerves than amus

ne

sk something or offer him a towel, or at least invite him in for a warm

the taillights lit up the mist

ng until he disappea

n lit a few candles since the lighting was dim and the

o

t figure out why. He hadn't said much, hadn't even looke

the thought o

t

blinking cursor for a few minutes. The urge to write was there, b

rted

and her dignity somewhere in the trunk. The man who found her on the road said his name l

aus

h,

then I k