Page 4 of Journey To Sunrise

And again.

And again. A rush of feeling careened through my body with every splinter of glass that cracked as the mirror shattered. At last, I felt something other than numbness and fear. A chilling smile reflected back at me in the remnants of the mirror. I didn’t care what it looked like, satisfaction washed through me. I’d killed that weak and pathetic girl. That vile girl whose very existence disgusted me.

Something stung my foot as I stepped out of the bathroom. I ignored it as I walked back to the computer to start playing Candy Crush again.

* * *

Zarek

“Are you here yet?”

“I’m just pulling into Pearl’s,” I said as I maneuvered my truck into a spot in the crowded restaurant parking lot.

“I’ll be right there.” My phone went dead. Of course, Zoe would meet me there. She’d been impossible to shake loose. She’d been calling me every hour since I’d left Dallas. She was the reason I was back in Tennessee in the first place.

I went into the diner and wasn’t surprised to see the flaming-red-haired hostess at the stand. Pearl Bannister was an institution here in Jasper Creek.

“Zarek? Is that you?” she cried out. How could she possibly notice me in this crowd, let alone remember me after being gone for five years?

“Hey Pearl,” I greeted with a forced smile.

“I’ll get you a table in a jiffy. Unless you want to sit at the counter.” She grinned.

“Zoe will be joining me.”

Heads turned to look at me. No big surprise there—anything to do with one of the Averys still caused a stir around Jasper Creek.

“How’s Evie? How’s Chloe? Are they doing all right?” Pearl walked away from the stand and sidled up next to me.

Her concern was genuine, but I was still aware of the others listening in. There were too many greedy for gossip, so I lied. “They’re fine. Everybody’s fine.”

“I’ll get you a booth near the back,” she said, scowling at the nosy patrons. She guided me to my table. “Can I get you anything besides coffee and water while you wait for Zoe?”

“Some orange juice and biscuits.”

“Coming up.”

Pearl whisked away, and I had a few minutes to think about what I’d gotten myself into. I hadn’t been back to Jasper Creek, Tennessee since my parents had retired to Florida, three years ago. Sure, I’d called and Skyped. Deep in my heart I knew I should have come back sooner, but life had gotten in the way. I stared down at the laminated menu and blew out a breath. My fist clenched.

“Dammit,” I whispered.

I heard a commotion behind me.

“Hey Zoe!”

“Hiya Zoe!”

“Looking good, Girlfriend.”

“He’s back there,” I heard Pearl say.

I looked up and saw the vivacious brunette striding towards me. She barely came up to my chest, but she filled the entire restaurant with her presence. Even now with her face lined with worry, people were drawn to her. Back in the day when it had been both Chloe and Zoe, every head in the entire diner would have turned and talking would have ceased as they stared at the duo in awe. Those girls were special, but to my mind Chloe sparkled like a lake at dawn.

Even though the women were identical twins, I had always been able to tell them apart. I had first met Chloe when she’d been defending an abandoned puppy from two older boys intent on tormenting it. She’d been holding the wriggling little yellow dog and was waving a stick—almost as big as she was—at the two teens. She couldn’t have been more than seven years old. I’d jumped into the fray and gotten a bloody nose for my troubles. After the boys had run off, I’d turned to Chloe, who told me she hadn’t needed my help. She’d been pissed that I’d interfered.

Maybe it was because of the way we’d been introduced that it was easy for me to always tell her apart from Zoe. The Avery family thought it was a big deal, but for me, it was as simple as breathing.

“You came.” Zoe plopped down in the bench seat across from me. “You took long enough.”