Page 61 of You're the One

Chapter 15

By day four after someone had attacked her and she’d made out with Nash Winters, Luna was better. Stronger, but still angry about what had happened. Luna wasn’t sure how her attack didn’t make it on to any social media platforms, but so far it hadn’t. She hadn’t told Hugo or Lilly, just that she had a headache and wasn’t feeling too good. There was nothing they could do from Chicago and so no point in worrying them.

Charlie had tried to move her into her parents’ house. The thought of living under the same roof as Mrs. Howard had put her off that option, so she’d stayed at the Lodge.

The Robbins sisters, Albert, and Aunt Jess and Mr. Goldhirsh had brought her cookies, cakes, and homemade fudge. Community, she’d realized. They wrapped around anyone who was in need here.

To be fair, if her attack had made headlines, she would have had plenty of messages of support and gifts showing up here at the lodge. But those would have been from people she didn’t know.

Nash had stayed away, which she told herself she was pleased about.

Chief Blake the local head of police here in Ryker Falls, had called her cell phone this morning and asked if he could speak with her around lunchtime.

Luna had thought seriously about just leaving town, but something kept stopping her. She’d never run away from anything. In fact, she usually ran at things that she didn’t want to do. Besides, she wanted to stay in Ryker Falls, and she couldn’t dismiss that the attack on her had been random and nothing to do with Olivia’s followers.

The last few days had also given her a lot of time to think about Nash Winter. The man obliterated every thought from her head when he kissed her. She needed to keep away from him going forward. He spelled trouble for Luna.

After a shower, she dressed in shorts and a T-shirt. Leaving her hair loose because her head was still tender, Luna slipped her feet into sandals and left her room.

“How are you, Luna?” Mandy was at reception with Lenny.

“Much better, thanks.”

“Should you be out of bed?” Mandy frowned.

“I feel fine now, and I need to go and see Chief Blake. Besides, I’ve been lying around in bed all morning.”

“Should you be driving, Luna?” Mr. Goldhirsh, who seemed to be pretty much everywhere, appeared in his running gear.

“I’m all right, I promise.”

“I read somewhere that you shouldn’t drive or watch TV or have too much bright light when you’ve suffered a knock like you took to the head,” Lenny said.

“I’m okay, really. I want to walk into town. I need the air,” Luna said.

“I felt sure you’d be more high-maintenance.” Mandy frowned. “I mean, you’re like this big deal.”

Luna laughed. “What you see is not always the truth, Mandy. But I try to keep things as real as I can, just sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to and those are the things that end up on social media.”

“That Olivia Tyler is a bitch,” Lenny said. He was drinking coffee, and the smell was wonderful. Her first stop after she’d met with Chief Blake would be to get a cup.

“Agreed,” Mandy added.

“I don’t think you should walk anywhere alone,” Mr. Goldhirsh said. “I’ll go with you.”

She tried to argue, and then Ted arrived and told her she went with Mr. Goldhirsh or she didn’t go at all.

“Charlie told me that if you left here without someone, she was making my life hell,” Ted added. “She’s tough.”

She didn’t fight it. These people had cared for her, and she owed them that much.

“Thanks, Mr. Goldhirsh, I’d like to walk with you into town.”

Sun beat down on them as they headed out the Lodge gates.

“I’ve lived here for many years, and I never tire of that view,” Mr. Goldhirsh said.

“It’s amazing.” Luna looked at the mountains. It surprised her how much she liked it here. She felt a sense of peace like she never had before.

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