Chapter 2

DIANA

Imade my way around my classroom, watching my third graders tackle their assignment. One student, Tyler, tended to struggle a bit. I crouched down beside him to quietly help him work through one of the tricky problems. The point of his pencil was rounded and flat as he pressed it hard into the paper, his tiny knuckles turning a fierce shade of white. I coaxed him to take a breath and I read the problem aloud. The tension in his shoulders eased and he rubbed at his eyes, muttering a soft thank you.

I tapped the paper in front of him. "You're doing great, Tyler. Be kind to yourself when you hit a roadblock and don't be afraid to ask for help."

Standing up, I moved to the front of the class and reminded them of our unique schedule. "Alright, everyone," I began, my voice carrying across the room, waiting until all eyes were on me. "Just a quick reminder that we only have a couple of weeks left before we take the rest of the summer off."

A chorus of excited murmurs filled the air. All their little bodies squirmed in their seats, itching to leave this place behind. For most schools, summer vacation was just around the corner, but here at our unconventional school in Cold Springs, we operated on a different schedule. With breaks in April, August, and December, we offered our students a unique approach to learning that allowed them to thrive in ways they never could in a traditional setting. They didn't get the burnout in March and April other students did. The same could be said of the teachers. And all of us teachers felt it was easier to pick up where we left off without any real learning loss.

"Everyone, turn in your assignments before you leave. There's no homework tonight."

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. My students gathered their belongings and filed out of the room, their laughter and chatter filling the hallway. I followed them into the corridor to make sure there were no shenanigans. I watched with a smile as they ran down the hall, hollering goodbyes over their shoulders as they rushed for the doors. It was chaos, but it was the kind of chaos that filled my heart with joy.

Leaning against the doorframe, I grinned as I took in the scene before me. This was what teaching was all about—the energy, the enthusiasm, the sheer exuberance of youth.

Across the hall, I caught sight of my best friend and colleague, Rachel, making a mad dash through the throng of students, her arms laden with papers and books. "Out of the way, you little goblins."

The kids all laughed, knowing she was the biggest softie in the whole school.

Dodging flying backpacks and zigzagging through the crowd, she somehow managed to make it to the other side with her life intact, though just barely. I chuckled to myself, shaking my head in amusement.

Friday afternoons were always a bit of a madhouse, especially with the younger students. It was like they had an endless supply of energy, and they weren't afraid to use it. They were like runners on a starting line waiting for the starting gun to go off. In their case, it was the final bell of the day.

Rachel stood beside me. "Back when I was in my wild phase, I went to a Metallica concert. That hallway is more dangerous than the mosh pit there and I walked away with a black eye and a sprained ankle after that show."

We both laughed. "I'm not sure why you waded into the fray."

She shrugged. "I'm bigger than they are."

The last stragglers made their way out of the building. I walked back into the classroom to go through the usual cleanup. I wiped down the whiteboard and tidied up my desk.

"So, how was your weekend?" Rachel asked. "Did your father blow a gasket like you expected?"

I grimaced at the memory. My oldest brother, Jessie, had managed to land himself in hot water once again, this time by getting caught skinny dipping with a girl in a neighbor's pool. The neighbor, not too pleased with the unexpected visitors, had called the police and threatened to press charges. That wasn't super bad except he was the oldest son of the mayor.

"Somehow, my father managed to spare Jessie from any serious consequences," I said.

She laughed. "By using his mayoral powers."

"Something like that. I think Jessie would have preferred to go to jail."

"Uh oh," she groaned.

"My dad was livid," I said, nodding.

"What did he do?"

"Let's just say it wasn't pretty," I replied, the memory of my father's anger still fresh in my mind.

Rachel cringed sympathetically. "I would hate to be on the receiving end of one of your dad's tirades."

"You and me both," I agreed.

My father had been the mayor of Cold Springs for almost two decades. He took great pride in upholding the town's reputation, and anything that threatened to tarnish that image—like his children misbehaving—was met with swift and unforgiving consequences.

It wasn't just about the potential legal ramifications Jessie seemed to ignore. It was about the damage it could do to our family's standing in the community. In a town as small and tightly knit as Cold Springs, gossip spread like wildfire, and the last thing we needed was a scandal involving the mayor's son making headlines for being bare-assed in a stranger's pool.

"It's just frustrating," I said with resignation. "You'd think after all this time, Jessie would know better than to do something that could cause a scene and stir up bad press. When he does something stupid, we all pay for it."

Rachel nodded sympathetically. "I get it, but you know your brother. He's always lived like there's no tomorrow."

I couldn't argue with that. Jessie had always been the rebellious one, the black sheep of the family who marched to the beat of his own drum, consequences be damned. And while I admired his free spirit, there were times when his actions left me shaking my head in exasperation.

"Yeah, too bad for him, there is a tomorrow, and his actions have consequences," I muttered, unable to suppress a wry smile. "Let's just hope he's learned his lesson this time."

"He's how old?"

"Thirty-two," I muttered. "Not exactly a child."

"You know boys develop slower than girls."

I gave her a dry look. "I'm pretty sure that applies to our students, not full-grown adults."

She laughed. "I don't know. I don't think they ever catch up."

I couldn't shake the feeling that this wouldn't be the last time we found ourselves dealing with the fallout of one of Jessie's reckless escapades. "Jessie is determined to be the one that never settles down. He doesn't want to grow up. I think he loves getting a rise out of my dad. But seriously, I worry he's going to give my dad a heart attack one of these days. Or get into trouble he can't get out of."

Rachel chuckled, shaking her head. "Well, at least he mostly gets into fun trouble."

I frowned. "Fun trouble?"

"Yeah, like hijinks," she said, shrugging. "Shenanigans. Tomfoolery. He's not making meth or drowning hobos, right?"

I snorted a laugh and shook my head. "Yeah, I guess that's one way to find the silver lining. Although you'd think my brother was a serial killer, the way my dad goes nuts whenever Jessie steps a foot out of line."

She nodded. "Your dad is a lot."

I finished putting my desk back to rights and collected my things. Rachel and I walked down the empty halls, the sound of classical music coming from the music room. The poor music teacher always listened to his music after a long day of off-key singing and instrument playing from the students.

Rachel and I made our way out of the school building, the bustling energy of the day giving way to the calm of the late afternoon. Relief washed over me. I took a second to inhale the fresh air. Then I spotted Troy's beat-up old truck idling at the curb, his messy blond hair tousled by the breeze as he waved me over.

"I'll see you later," Rachel said. "I get to grade papers and you get to go get yourself in trouble."

"I'll see you tomorrow," I waved and walked over to Troy.

He was my other best friend. Rachel was all good and buttoned-up, and Troy was rowdy and always looking for ways to get dirty.

"Did you come prepared?" he asked with a grin.

I held up my bag with my play clothes stuffed inside. "You bet," I replied with a grin. "Let's get messy."

We climbed into Troy's lifted truck with big tires made for off-roading. He drove us out to the flats, where we spent every weekend tearing up the dirt roads with a group of other locals. It was our favorite way to blow off steam and escape from the pressures of everyday life.

Troy parked the truck and turned to me with a playful glint in his eye. "Alright, Diana, time to get into character. Shed the schoolteacher look."

"Keep your back turned," I ordered as I hopped out of the truck. I shimmied out of my skirt and blouse, trading them for a pair of torn-up jean shorts and an old T-shirt. I quickly pulled my hair up into a ponytail and put on an old pink ball cap to shield my eyes from the sun. I pulled the pony through the back of the hat and quickly put on my boots that were still caked with mud after our last adventure.

I climbed back into the truck and put on my seatbelt.

Troy gave me his classic charming grin. "Ready to get bumpy?" he asked.

"Absolutely."

I grabbed the oh shit handle and braced myself for the jarring ride over some of the roughest trails. I wasn't worried about rolling. We had done that plenty of times. It was part of the fun. Troy revved up the engine, and we took off, kicking up clouds of dust behind us as we sped down the rugged terrain. The wind whipped through my hair, and I let out a whoop of excitement as we hit a particularly large bump, sending us bouncing in our seats.

I felt alive. With each bump and jolt, the stresses of life melted away, replaced by a feeling of freedom and exhilaration.

"Good?" Troy asked after another big bump.

"Hit it!" I said, bursting into laughter.

Troy flashed me a mischievous grin before flooring the gas pedal. The tires spun, kicking up a frenzy of dirt and rocks behind us as the truck surged forward. Adrenaline rushed through my veins as we careened around sharp turns and shot down steep slopes. I found myself laughing so hard it hurt.

Finally, he slowed to a stop. "Want to drive?"

"You trust me?" I grinned.

He laughed. "Not even a little."

"Hell, yeah!"

Troy jumped out of the truck, and I eagerly climbed into the driver's seat, feeling a surge of excitement at the prospect of taking the wheel. He hopped into the passenger seat, his eyes sparkling with amusement and mild concern. I adjusted the seat to fit my frame and buckled my seatbelt.

"Remember, easy on the gas pedal," Troy cautioned, though his grin betrayed his amusement.

I shot him a confident smile before revving the engine and tearing off down the trail. The rush of adrenaline was electrifying as I navigated the rough terrain with a mix of caution and daring.

He had let me drive a few times before, but it was still crazy. I honestly had more fun riding shotgun. As much as I wanted to be as wild as he was, I was just a bit more cautious.

Which was probably why I was still single.

Still, I would rather be a little lonely than pair up with the wrong person. Letting people get too close meant they could hurt you more. It only made sense to be careful. Until I could find the missing piece of my life, I would get my thrills out here on the trail.