Page 24 of The Bridges I've Burned

You still could.

The urge to flee was strong. I could just catch a ferry, and no one would even know I was ever here.

It was only eight in the morning, but it already felt like someone had turned the fucking furnace on and forgotten about it.

I wiped my brow and rose to my feet.

After I’d been ditched at the taphouse, I’d driven around a bit before heading here.

It was a place Macon and I had liked to go to when we were younger. A little off the beaten path and not known to many, except locals. I knew it’d be a good spot to camp out for the night.

I tried to sleep in the car, pushing the seat all the way back with the windows down, but it was too damn hot.

So, I’d slept on the beach. It hadn’t been the first time.

“Come on, Zander,” Macon said, pulling me from the truck. “We’re gonna sleep on the beach tonight.”

“Why?” I looked past him.

I could hear the waves, but the moon was barely a crescent tonight, and it was hard to see past my own hand.

I shuddered. Twelve-year-olds shouldn’t be afraid of the dark.

“Because I said so,” he snapped.

He scrubbed his hand down his face and sighed. He looked tired. He always looked tired. He’d gotten a job at the marina a few weeks ago, and I heard Dad yelling at him a lot more.

“Because I thought it would be fun,” he offered.

“Fun?”

“Yeah.” His expression softened a bit. I tilted my head. “We can be pirates, like Blackbeard.” He had my full attention, and he asked, “Did you know this is the beach where Blackbeard died?”

I gave him a blank stare. “It is not. That’s over by Springer’s Point.”

He grinned, clearly impressed. “Okay, so you do pay attention in school. I was worried since all you seem to do is play that guitar.”

His words sounded like a reprimand, but his eyes were filled with pride. He loved seeing me play that guitar, not just because he had gotten it for me, but because I was actually getting pretty good. Or at least that was what he told me.

I rolled my eyes. “When it’s about pirates, yeah. It’s the only cool thing about living here.”

“That and the tourists.”

“What?” I scrunched my eyebrows. What was so great about tourists?

“Never mind. You’ll find out when you’re older.” I made a gagging noise, and he laughed. “Anyway, tonight, we’re gonna sleep under the stars like the pirates did. Sound fun?”

I met his gaze and smiled. “Yeah, sounds fun.”

I had six figures in my savings account, just signed with one of the biggest bands in the world, and yet here I was, sleeping on the beach like I was a scared kid again.

Life really could come full circle.

I had no idea what my brother’s schedule was on the day of his big engagement party, but I figured I should show my face sooner rather than later. Nothing ruined a party more than your estranged brother dropping right in the middle of the champagne toast.

So, I decided to vacate my beach accommodations and head into town. My first order of business was getting some food in my belly and caffeine in my veins. Fourteen years ago, Ocracoke hadn’t had a coffee shop, so when I saw a sign for one, I hoped I might luck out and fly under the radar like I had last night.

The moment I stepped through the door, I knew I was screwed.

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