Chapter 14
Shadows
Caitlin
The shrill ring of her burner phone sliced through the quiet of her camper, making Caitlin jump. For a wild second, fear clawed at her—Jason? But when she spotted Izzy’s number, relief swept in, warm as sunlight.
She snatched up the phone. “Iz! Oh my gosh, it’s so good to hear your voice. I’ve missed you like crazy.”
Izzy’s laughter was familiar music. “You have no idea, Cait. My heart hurts without my partner in crime. How are you holding up?”
“Sometimes I think we’re both crazy—did we seriously pull this off? The fake IDs, the driving cross-country, the shooting lessons? It feels like some wild movie,” Caitlin said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Izzy sobered, the space between them brimming with concern. “A little over nine months since the night you caught Jason cheating, and every day since feels upside-down. I wish I’d hidden in your trunk and run away to Sylva too.”
Caitlin laughed softly. “You would’ve kept things interesting, that’s for sure.”
“I just want you safe,” Izzy said. “You sound braver than you used to—but I wish it didn’t take you being so far away.”
“Some days it doesn’t feel real,” Caitlin admitted. “Then I hear you and remember why we did this. I never could’ve left him without you.”
“Honey, you saved yourself. But if I could, I’d drag you back home and lock you in my apartment—just so I never had to miss you again.”
A bittersweet smile tugged at Caitlin’s lips.
“But Sylva is… something else. The people here feel like they’ve stepped out of one of Grandma Rose’s stories.
Ned runs the campground—gruff as a bear, but kind.
Mary Lou works at the visitor center and can gossip for hours about everyone and their grandmothers.
And Willow—she owns City Limits Café—bakes blueberry muffins that could cure heartbreak. ”
Izzy chuckled. “If those muffins beat my brownies, I’m offended.”
Caitlin laughed, then her voice turned bright with wonder.
“Iz, you’re never gonna believe this. I went to see Grandma Rose’s old house, and the woman who lives there now—Emma Thompson—knew her when they were girls.
They went to school together, best friends.
We sat on her porch drinking lemonade, talking about Rose like she might walk through the door any minute.
For a little while, it felt like having her back. ”
Izzy’s voice softened. “That’s incredible. I can hear it—you sound lighter. Maybe that little Southern town really is the magic recipe.”
Caitlin leaned back against the window, watching the line of trees beyond the campground. Fireflies winked in the dark, the air thick with honeysuckle and pine. Somewhere down the hill, someone strummed a guitar, a soft thread of sound drifting through the night.
“It’s strange,” she said quietly. “Even the dark here feels different—quiet, but alive. Like it’s keeping watch.”
“For the first time, I feel almost safe. Jason doesn’t know where to find me. Not even a hint.”
Izzy’s tone sharpened. “He’s losing it, you know. He cornered me at Tavernetta, demanded to know where you went. I played dumb. He left furious, which means he doesn’t have a clue.”
“You should’ve seen his face,” Izzy added, a flicker of satisfaction in her voice. “The not knowing, getting no answers—he was livid. It was perfect.”
Caitlin’s stomach tightened. “Oh, believe me. I’ve seen that look up close and personal.”
“I know you have, Bella,” Izzy said quietly. “I know.”
“Thank you—for protecting me. Always.”
“You’d do the same. Now spill—any cute locals checking up on you?”
“Oh, Iz.” Caitlin smiled faintly. “Sheriff Burke Scott drives past almost every day. He’s tall, steady—kind of that quiet-strength type. But sometimes when he looks at me, my heart starts pounding.”
“Because he’s hot?” Izzy teased. “Maybe he looks at you because he thinks you’re cute—because you are.”
Caitlin shook her head. “No… it’s not that. It’s like he sees me. Like he knows I’m not who I say I am.”
“Cait, don’t be paranoid,” Izzy said gently. “There’s no way anyone in Sylva knows who you really are. You’ve covered every track.”
Caitlin exhaled, forcing a smile she didn’t quite feel. “I know. It’s just… old habits. Always waiting for someone to figure me out.”
“Then maybe,” Izzy said softly, “it’s time to stop waiting.”
Their laughter soon drifted back, easy and familiar, until the miles between them felt small again.
Before hanging up, Caitlin’s voice softened. “Iz, this feels right. I’m staying in Sylva. I’m going to find a job, maybe my own little cottage. For once, I want to choose the life I live.”
“I’m so proud of you,” Izzy whispered. “You’re finding your way back.”
That night, Caitlin washed her coffee mug and set it upside-down to dry, the sound of crickets rising outside.
Through the small window, porch lights from neighboring campsites glowed like quiet sentinels.
She thought of Grandma Rose again—the way she’d spoken of kindness as if it were a kind of courage.
The town, with its worn porches and honest hearts, felt like a place she might finally belong. She understood now why Rose had loved it so—the people here were real.
Caitlin rinsed her mug, hands trembling ever so slightly.
Through the window, a single porch light flickered, almost like a signal.
She tried to let Sylva’s warm night air anchor her, but the shadow of Jason’s vow pressed closer with every heartbeat.
Peace, she realized, would always have an aftertaste of fear—until the day she could finally stop looking back.
She slipped into bed, pulling the blanket to her chin, the quiet of the night folding around her. For a while, she let her thoughts drift to Izzy—the laughter, the loyalty, the fierce love that had carried her through.
Settling deeper into the stillness, feeling the coolness of the sheets, she listened to the muffled sounds of life around her—children’s laughter from a distant campsite, the low bark of a dog.
She wanted to believe this safety was real, permanent.
But the shadow of Jason’s promise lingered at the edge of her thoughts, turning her hope bittersweet as she curled tighter beneath the covers, the hush outside both comfort and reminder: she wasn’t free—not yet.