Knot Falling in Love (Ghostlight Falls #12)
Chapter 1Maisie
Chapter One
Maisie
T his was supposed to be my vacation from reality. A weekend away from the city and all of my problems, a way for me to forget the literal clusterfuck that is my life and connect with my best friend and her family.
I stare down at my best friend Hannah’s contact information, my finger hovering over the call button. I should probably just text, she already has her hands full this weekend since it’s her daughter’s first hunt.
Think of it as a wolf shifter’s sweet sixteen, and no one is being hunted or doing any hunting. They just gather and run through the woods as a pack so that the youngest generation can safely grow accustomed to their wolfy instincts.
Being a human, I only experienced the birthday cake and watching her older brother Elijah shift out of his wolf form at 3 am, shirtless and drenched with sweat.
The image lives in my head rent-free on the same level as the scene in Pride and Prejudice where Mr. Darcy emerges from the lake like some sexy Regency swamp monster.
The only child inside of me resists the urge to jump out of my car and figure things out for myself.
How hard can it be? My car is just five years old, things aren’t as complicated as they used to be, but I also recognize the gray clouds above suggest this gloomy weather is going to get worse, my phone is dying and my lovely young car has stalled right next to the bridge leading into town.
The golden light streaming through the car window turns sickly, making my fingers move on their own. Being caught out after sunset in the pouring rain doesn’t sound like my idea of a good time. Though it’d be par for the course with the past few weeks.
“Hello?” Hannah answers, “No, no, we don’t have any diet soda. You’re going to have to make a run to the store later on.”
“Are you busy?”
“Maisie? No, never too busy for you. Alexis, take Jeremiah off the table. I don’t care how clean he is.”
“Do you have a working number for Axel or Rodd? I called the shop, and there’s no answer.” Not to mention, their internet presence is practically nonexistent.
“They must’ve closed a little early for the festival. Why? What happened? Where are you?”
I turn in my seat, looking out the back and side windows, “Just past the bridge near the water tower? I’m not sure what happened, my car just made a series of noises and the engine cut out.
I’m safe, though.” Relatively safe. If you ignore the whispers about the water tower and the stories of trolls living under the bridge.
Most of the supernaturals that live in Ghostlight Falls are pretty harmless, though. Aside from the giants, but that’s another story.
There’s a rustling of fabric, and I can only hear bits and pieces of Hannah’s conversation with someone, “Yeah, it’s Maisie. She’s out by the bridge.” There’s a pause, and she replies. “Okay, I’ll let her know.”
“Maisie?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” I straighten, looking at the clouds.
“Stay put, Eli is on his way.”
“Elijah?!” I squeak out, “I—I thought he was overseas. Is he on leave?”
“What are you talking about? He moved back and has been home for the better part of three years. He took over the body shop after Axel and Rodd retired. They’re off in Spain or Italy, living their best life. I thought I sent you their travel Instagram.”
“You probably did.”
He’s been home for three years, so I haven’t been back home in close to four. I figured when I moved back to the west coast for work, I’d be able to visit more often, until things picked up at the company.
“Oh, Jacob’s parents just got here. I can stay on the phone while you wait.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll call you back if anything happens.”
“Okay, love ya. We are so excited to see you.”
“Love you.”
I sit in silence with my cellphone on my lap, a photo of me and my ex staring back at me.
We broke up nearly six months ago and I haven’t changed it.
In the beginning, it kept me from calling him and apologizing for the fact that he cheated on me, but now he’s staring and judging.
The smile is still not quite reaching his eyes as he’s placing my ridiculous birthday tiara on my head.
As if the universe hasn’t already taken out enough of its anger on me lately. First the breakup, then the agency downsizing and ‘shifting their focus’, which really meant ‘we’re replacing you with AI’. I can’t believe I’m starting all over at 36.
To make matters worse, I have to see Elijah and try to repress 18 years of pent-up feelings and resentment. At least with Max, I knew it was the end. With Elijah, I never got that sense of closure, I just ran away.
Life is funny that way. Turns out I’m still running after all these years, but this time I was running back to the place I found comfort, the place I always considered home. I just somehow forgot this is his home too.
“Dammit.” I pop the hood and grab my purse from the passenger’s seat then white-knuckle my phone like a lifeline as I climb out of the car, gravel crunching uncomfortably under my ballet flats.
“This should be easy, right?” I say to no one or perhaps the bridge trolls, staring down the hood of my car, the lights illuminating my shins. “We have self-driving cars. I should be able to figure out what’s wrong.”
I bend over and reach under the hood to feel for the release, thunder rumbling a warning in the distance. It’s too late though, the sky opens up above me, and I’m pelted with rain until my hair sticks to my bare shoulders .
Maybe I should have gone to hang out with the bridge trolls.
Behind me, an engine growls, and I turn just in time to see the orange blur speeding down the road before doing a tight u-turn and coming to a rolling stop behind my lonely little sedan.
I hold up my hand to shield my eyes from the bright light, squinting to make out the driver’s silhouette.
He cuts the engine, leaving me standing in the dusk under the spotlight of my own headlights.
Blinking away the afterglow, there is Elijah watching me from behind the wheel of his Camaro. After a moment, he grabs the keys and climbs out of the car, closing the door behind him.
“Maisie Echolls.” He says, blue eyes doing a sweep down my body before his mouth sets into the usual devilish grin. The one that suggests we’re sharing a secret, though I am never included.
“Elijah Davies,” I yell above the sound of the rain, brushing my damp bangs to the side.
“You should’ve stayed in the car.”
Yeah, that would’ve been the smart decision, but when it comes to Elijah, my brain has always gone a bit fuzzy. Call it a crush. Call it delusion, but he’s always been able to disarm me with a single look.
Once upon a time, I’d celebrate my victories with him. He was always there for me, sometimes more than Hannah, especially when she started dating Jacob during senior year. Foolishly, I thought I was more to him than his little sister’s annoying best friend.
He set me straight and shattered my heart.
Elijah has barely changed, he still has the same ruggedly handsome features, the piercing deep blue eyes that command attention, and his brown hair is desperately in need of a trim. His dark navy t-shirt clings to his lean, muscled chest, speckled with rain.
He advances on me in long strides until he’s in front of the car, forcing me to stumble backwards.
My ballet flats sink into the ground, splattering the lower half of my leggings with mud, but thankfully save me from falling flat on my ass.
With a smirk, he turns and places his hands on the hood of my car, pressing it down.
“Get your stuff, Magpie.” He plucks the keys from my fingers and places his hand at the small of my back, “Let’s get you out of the rain.”
Magpie . And with that, it all comes flooding back. Not just the anger of overhearing him telling Chet Powell that I was ‘gross’ after my graduation.
It’s the feeling of being sandwiched between him and Hannah in the cramped backseat of his old Camaro, while he plucks the candy out of our shared popcorn bucket. It’s him driving halfway across town to pick me up after my first date ditched me at the mall.
Every memory of him ?has been branded on my very soul. The good and the bad, culminating in that familiar warmth spreading across my chest.
No, this was supposed to be my weekend away. My break from being the universe’s punching bag. For the record right here, right now, I am not falling in love with Elijah Davies.
If I can help it.