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Chapter One
Sky
I’m lost.
A low groan slips out when I realize I have walked past the same coffee shop at least four times now. It’s either that, or Austin has the same coffee shop on every block, with the same name and everything.
Something tells me it’s the former.
Christ, this is not the time to suddenly lose my sense of direction. Not that there is ever a right time for that sort of thing, but this is definitely not it. As it turns out, I have been walking in circles. No clue how that would even happen since I’ve been following my phone’s GPS, but here I am. Back at the same freaking coffee shop.
This feels like a horror movie where the actress keeps waking up to the same day and cannot move on until she finds a way to break the cycle.
Don’t panic!
“You are not stuck in a movie, Sky. You’re just a country girl visiting the city for the first time. I bet this has happened to everyone at some point in their lives,” I reassure myself.
Long, deep breaths, Sky . . . slow and steady.
I tighten my fingers around my suitcases’ handles and force myself not to hyperventilate, trying to figure out where I must have lost my way and why the heck I keep coming back to the same spot over and over again.
I can’t keep doing this. It’s getting late, and with the sun setting, I need to make sure I am off the streets and checked into my hotel before that happens. All the research I did prior to traveling suggested how unsafe the city is at night. An article I read a few days ago highlighted the nighttime muggings and other crimes done by the city’s gangs terrorizing the people they catch outside in this part of town. A shudder races through my body just from the thought alone.
“This is what you get for leaving your little town behind and coming to the big city,” a voice at the back of my head admonishes.
“No, this is my dream,” I whisper firmly before doubt can take root in my thoughts. Besides, it’s too late to second guess myself now. I’m already in Austin, and there is nothing waiting for me back in Marfa.
I rest my back against the brick wall of the coffee shop, shifting my focus from my thoughts to my surroundings, and for the first time since stepping off the bus, I take in the city.
I’ve dreamed of this very moment all my life.
The moment I would leave behind my dusty little town and move to the big city with its bustling streets and towering skyscrapers that seem to touch the clouds. The air here smells of car exhaust and coffee, neon lights illuminating the evening and casting a vibrant glow on the city. Hell, even the sunset feels different . . . almost magical as the sun slowly disappears behind the tall buildings.
And no, I didn’t hate my little town, but I have always wanted more than what I could get there. I wanted to wake up to something other than the same dusty little shops and the mom-and-pop diner that’s been there for at least three generations. It’s a tight-knit community with the most caring people in the world, but somehow, I didn’t fit, especially after my grandmother died.
Nana and I used to talk about this moment all the time, and she’d urge me to go out into the world. She’d tell me all these fascinating stories of her time in the city before she moved to our little town to marry my grandfather and have her happily ever after.
“You need to see the world, Sky. You’re not going to find it in this little town.”
Well, I’m here now. This is the dream we always talked about.
A smile graces my lips as a sense of calm settles in. It’s the first semblance of peace I have felt since arriving in Austin, and I revel in it.
“See, it’s not all bad,” I whisper to myself, my eyes sweeping over my surroundings, and when my gaze settles on a group of teens leaning against the building across the street, chatting among themselves, my smile grows softer. The teens remind me of the kids back home with their messy hair and clothes. It seems the city and country kids all share the same brain when it comes to what they consider fashion. I bet their minds are wired the same...
Wait—
I straighten up in excitement as an idea settles in. I bet these kids are no different from the ones back home. The teens back home always jump in when you need help; I am certain I can ask these kids for help. My heart flutters with excitement as I pick up my bags before starting toward the boys.
There is a sunny smile on my face as I drag my suitcases behind me, watching for the traffic when I cross the road. I catch the boy’s attention, and they briefly stop talking to watch me make my way to them. They say something among themselves before two of them break from the group and approach me with kind smiles on their faces. They look to be about high school age, and that puts me at ease.
“Ma’am,” the taller of the two says kindly with a smile that I am sure charms all the girls in his neighborhood. “Do you need help?”
“Please,” I sigh, relief clear in my voice. “Would you be kind enough to show me the way to Congress Avenue? I’m a little lost.”
“Of course, it’s just a few blocks from here,” the other kid says with a smile equally as charming. “We’ll take you there if you want. Those bags look heavy, can we help you carry them?”
My heart swells with warmth at the offer. These kids are indeed just like the ones from my hometown, always willing to offer a hand when needed.
