Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove #1)

Prologue

brAEDYN

ONE YEAR EARLIER

“If I get poison ivy on my hoo-ha, my revenge will be vast, Braedyn Winslow,” Nova threatened as we rounded a curve in the trail with an especially thick patch of underbrush.

“I’m talking putting your hand in warm water while you’re sleeping, Sharpie-ing something distinctly inappropriate on your face, and possibly dyeing your hair purple. Peeing in the woods is not for me.”

I couldn’t help the soft laugh that escaped as I turned around to take stock of my best friend, who’d just returned to the trail from a mid-trek bathroom break.

She’d committed to the hiking bit, seeking out secondhand finds at Goodwill that made her look like she conquered dozens of miles in the backcountry every weekend.

Her dark hair was pulled into an artful knot atop her head, and her gray eyes had that tinge of silver that only came when her emotions were heightened.

Right now, I couldn’t decide if Nova was more annoyed or amused. It only made my smile widen.

Nova stopped mid-trail and pointed her colorful water bottle at me—the one she’d decorated with stickers that would’ve painted a picture of who she was to a stranger: A girl with her hands in a meditative prayer position in front of her chest with the words Namaste in bed scrawled below.

A little chicken nugget with sunglasses that said Nugs not drugs.

A pink cooler that read Don’t hate me because I’m a little bit cooler.

There were also more typical ones: one for both the yoga studio and coffeehouse she worked at in Oakland, a shooting star, a holographic butterfly… Each thing was a little piece of Nova’s sparkly personality, as was the gold, heart-shaped locket dangling from her neck.

“I don’t appreciate that smile,” she bit out.

It only made the curve of my lips grow. “Don’t worry, princess. I’m looking out for your delicate sensibilities.”

Nova scowled in my direction. “We live in a city. We grew up in a beach suburb. How did you get to be so at one with the woods?”

She was right. Oakland was about as far from Starlight Grove as you could get.

Not in distance—that was only about four hours—but everything else about them was night and day.

Our home, about thirty minutes outside of San Francisco—at least when it wasn’t rush hour—had a population of about half a million people.

Starlight Grove, about an hour south of the Oregon border, had about one thousand.

It was one of the reasons I’d picked this spot for our girls’ weekend—the weekend that was supposed to be a thank-you for everything Nova had done for me these past seven years. But on second thought, the hike up Three Creeks Canyon might not have been the best gratitude gift.

Just the thought of seven years had me wanting to pull my phone from my shorts pocket to see if I had an update from the Cub Scout leader in charge of the camping trip not more than an hour from here.

I’d gotten one this morning before we left for our hike, letting me know everything was great.

Owen had slept well and was super excited for their fishing expedition that day.

But worry still niggled. This was his first time away from me for more than one night. What if he got sick or scared or—?

“Don’t tell me you conned me into this so-called adventure because of your Bigfoot obsession,” Nova grumbled and dropped her gaze to my shirt.

I knew exactly what she was looking at: the image of Bigfoot with a sunset sky behind him and the words Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.

I shook off my worries for Owen, picturing his blond hair in a shade so similar to my own.

The slope of his nose with the smallest upturn was all me, too.

Really the only thing that was his father were his eyes—green irises that felt like they could see right through you.

But those eyes were the only thing Vincent had given our son.

“Earth to Braedyn,” Nova singsonged.

“Sorry, I swore I heard a Bigfoot call,” I teased.

Nova whirled around. “It’s probably a goddamned bear. And if I get eaten—”

“You’ll shave off my eyebrows and tattoo your vengeance across my forehead,” I finished for her.

She turned back, hands on her hips. “I will haunt your ass.”

I burst out laughing and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad because I’d be lost without you.”

I held on a little longer than necessary, and my action had Nova hugging me tighter. More like a sister than a best friend, she always knew when I needed a little extra something. Knowing each other since practically birth had given us that—the kind of bond that didn’t even need words.

Still, she gave me them. “What’s going on?”

I gave her one last squeeze before releasing her. “I don’t know. Owen’s first big overnight trip…it has me remembering everything you’ve done along the way. You’re the best friend a girl could ask for. That anyone could ask for.”

Nova’s face went soft as she squeezed my hand. “I didn’t do that much.”

I made a face. “Supernova,” I began, using the nickname my son had given her, “when my world exploded, you were the one who picked up the pieces. You moved across the country with me. You were my birth coach—”

“Because Vincent the douche is the prick of the century.”

She wasn’t wrong there. Vincent had been what I thought was forever.

Six years older, wealthy, charismatic—he’d used all three things to charm his way into my pants.

But when I ended up pregnant at nineteen because he refused to wear a condom, he’d wanted nothing to do with our baby.

Told me, “Get rid of it or I’ll get rid of you.

I’m not marrying you just because you’re trying to trap me. ”

And I’d seen for the first time who he really was.

I’d ended things then and there. Vincent had given me an NDA and an offer of half a million dollars to never reveal the father of my baby.

I’d told him to go fuck himself as I ripped up the NDA and then kneed him in the balls as an extra parting gift.

But I could never quite bring myself to hate him.

Not when he’d given me the best gift I’d ever received.

Owen.

“You’re a way better parent than he could ever be,” I swore. Because Nova was. She was his auntie but more like a second mom than anything else.

“My Bubs is the dopest kid around, and I’m honored to be his cool aunt.”

“The coolest.”

I pulled out my phone, all this talk of Owen breaking the last of my reserve to keep from checking. Zero bars. Damn.

“Brae-Brae…” Nova said in a warning tone. “He’s fine.”

“I know, I just…”

“You just worry anyway because you’re the best mom in the universe.”

“I highly doubt that,” I mumbled. At least one day a week, I felt like a complete failure.

More than once, I’d cursed myself for not taking that half-a-million-dollar payout.

But it had felt too much like someone stripping my voice from me.

And if there was one thing to know about me, it was that I’d never be silenced.

“Facts,” Nova argued. “Never seen anyone work harder to give their kid everything.”

But Nova did, too. She’d given up the life of a young twentysomething to help me raise my little miracle. And I never would’ve been able to do it without her.

“You make that possible,” I whispered.

“Stop trying to make me feel my feelings,” Nova muttered.

Her remark had a laugh breaking free of my throat.

Nova might’ve been a yoga devotee, but she was out the second someone tried to make it about feelings.

Maybe it was how she’d grown up. Neither of us had come from money, but as strict as my parents had been, they always made sure I had the things I needed.

Nova had pretty much raised herself, and I knew there were things she didn’t share about her childhood.

“I love you,” I said with a grin.

Nova sent a mock-glare my way. “Yeah, yeah. You know I have those affectionate feelings toward you and the Bubs, even if I will never say the L-word.”

“Looooooooove you to the moon and back, sister.”

Nova flipped me off but then lifted her pinky to me.

I hooked mine around hers, and then each of us kissed our closed fists, the friendship bracelets she’d made us touching.

It was the oath we’d created in the third grade at the top of the jungle gym as we vowed to give Johnny Cooperson his comeuppance.

We’d succeeded. I’d distracted him while Nova poured salt in his water bottle. He hadn’t picked on either of us again.

And our oath remained eighteen years later. We’d always have each other’s backs.

We released our grip, and Nova swatted my ass. “Hurry up, lazybones. That massage you booked us later today is calling my name.”

“Making note: Hikes, no. Massages, yes,” I said, laughter in my voice.

“And wine. Wine is a big yes.”

“Good thing I booked us a winery tour tomorrow,” I called as I hurried down the path. We were only about twenty minutes from the trailhead now, if my guesstimate was correct.

“Thank the Bigfoot gods.”

I chuckled as I caught sight of the breathtaking river below through the trees.

The May sun sparkled on water that looked too clear to be real.

Nothing like the water in the bay where we lived.

And then I saw them—the stunning, little, peachy-pink wildflowers peeking out through the trees, leading down the steep bank to the river.

“Look.” I grabbed Nova’s arm without taking my eyes away. “Wildflowers.”

“They’re super pretty. Just like the twenty-five others we’ve seen along the way,” Nova grumbled.

“I want to get a picture,” I said, already slipping off the trail and into the underbrush.

Nova groaned. “You’ve taken at least two hundred already.”

“Last ones. Promise,” I called as I navigated around bushes and through trees, lifting my voice above the roar of the water.

“I’m in danger of getting hangry,” Nova yelled, but I could barely make out her words over the thundering river.