Page 7 of The Stars

Jess gave her a knowing look from behind the counter. “Still jumpy, huh? You’ve gotta relax. I’m telling you, Hidden Creek is about as safe as it gets. Besides, Jacob and Dante aren’t exactly the types to go sniffing around for trouble. They’ve known you forever.” Jess touched her hand and then nudged her coffee order towards her.

Amy laughed softly, but it was forced. Jess didn’t know about her exes, about the mess she’d been tangled in before she decided to come back home. If she did, maybe she wouldn’t be so casual about it. The truth was that Amy had fallen into some bad habits when she left Hidden Creek. She’d been trying to outrun the small-town life, the memories of growing up here, and most of all—Dante.

He’d always been the one that got away. No, not got away—she’d pushed him away. Senior prom, the last night she could remember feeling like everything was right. They’d danced, laughed, and even shared a kiss under the string lights behind the gym.

He hadn’t called her after that night, but it wasn’t as if she had tried too hard to win him over. And right after graduation, she was gone. Off to chase a life that wasn’t even hers to begin with.

“Amy?” Jess’s voice softened as she wiped down the counter, her brow furrowed with concern. “You’re not thinking about Ryan again, are you?”

Amy’s stomach twisted at the mention of his name. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek and shook her head. “No. Not him. Not anymore.”

But it wasn’t a lie she could sell. Ryan had done a number on her. She knew that much. His rough edges, his recklessness—they had felt exciting in the beginning, but by the end, it was nothing but chaos.

“Good,” Jess said firmly, tossing the rag over her shoulder. “Because you deserve way better. And if you’re gonna stick around this time, you’ve gotta stop looking over your shoulder like the sky’s gonna fall.”

Amy smiled again, this time a little more genuinely. “You’re right. I’m fine. Really.” She didn’t know who she was trying to convince more, Jess or herself.

Jess rolled her eyes, but a grin tugged at her lips. “Well, if you ever want to talk... or need to borrow my dog to walk around town for protection, let me know.” She smiled. “And remember, I’m married to the chief of police.” She motioned towards the glass. “He may be the boss of the town, but I’m the boss of him.”

Amy laughed, the tension finally starting to loosen in her chest. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket, vibrating against the small bag of weed. She fished it out, praying it wasn’t Ryan trying to weasel his way back into her life. Her heart eased when she saw it was only a notification from her old landlord, telling her that he’d released her from her month-to-month lease.

Thankfully, earlier that morning, she’d managed to secure a short-term rental just outside of Hidden Creek. It was a small cabin by the creek, away from the noise and too many memories of her parents’ home.

Her parents were due back home any day now, and she was not going to try and live with them again. Not after last time. She loved her folks, really, but she was twenty-five.

After glancing out the window, her gaze lingered on the fading mist, the place where Dante and Jacob had disappeared just minutes earlier. Her pulse picked up again, not from fear this time, but from something else—something she hadn’t felt in a long time. Dante had looked good. Better than she remembered, honestly. Broad shoulders, steady gaze, that easy sexy smile he always flashed her when they were younger.

“Earth to Amy,” Jess teased, bringing her back to reality.

Amy blinked and cleared her throat, forcing herself to look away from the window. “Sorry. Just... thinking about how much has changed since I’ve been gone.”

Jess leaned on the counter, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Or maybe thinking about how much someone has changed?”

Amy rolled her eyes, but her cheeks warmed slightly. “He’s not the same kid I used to know.”

“Nope. He’s a man now. And a pretty damn good-looking one at that,” Jess added with a wink.

“Stop.” Amy laughed, but her heart wasn’t exactly disagreeing with Jess. She’d always had a soft spot for Dante. He was the only thing that ever felt right about this town, the only person who made her second-guess leaving in the first place.

“He’s still single, you know,” Jess added with a wink.

“I’m not looking for anything,” Amy said quickly, though the way her voice wavered made her feel like she was lying. She wasn’t ready. Not after Ryan. Not after everything.

But as she glanced out the window again, the mist swirling as the sun began to break through the morning fog, she wondered if maybe—just maybe—coming back to Hidden Creek wasn’t about hiding from her past.

Maybe it was about facing it.

In the next few days, as the summer came to an official close, she moved her meager things into the small rental and went back to work at the only job she’d held in the time that she’d lived in Hidden Creek.

Working at Hidden Creek Wine & Liquor had its benefits. For one, now that her brother owned it instead of her uncle, her hours were pretty much whatever she wanted. When her uncle had run the place, she’d been underage and had only been allowed to sweep floors and do the bookkeeping, something she’d been good at from a young age.

While she settled into what would be her new life, Amy found herself getting into a rhythm—something she hadn’t felt in years. Her quiet cabin, nestled just outside town, became her sanctuary. At night, she’d sit on the small porch with a glass of wine, the sound of the creek running nearby and the occasional hoot of an owl as her only companions.

Working at the liquor store was a familiar comfort. The regulars, the local gossip, and even the predictability of stocking shelves or ringing up customers felt like slipping back into a well-worn pair of shoes. She appreciated the freedom her brother gave her, though she sometimes wondered if he was too lenient. He never pressed her about the past and never asked why she had come back, which was a relief. Maybe he knew better than anyone that the last thing Amy needed was more questions.

As the longer summer days slowly melted into the shorter, cooler autumn days, she kept busy, her hands and mind always moving, always working, like the constant hum of the creek that ran past her cabin. But no matter how occupied she stayed, there was something—or rather, someone—that kept creeping into her thoughts.