Starlee's Turn (The Wayward Sons 2)

“Me either.”

It happens a lot out here. The whole area is pretty isolated and the guys are constantly complaining about the lack of bars.

Dexter grimaces. “We’ll call from the landline.”

I have no idea where we are but Jake perks up in the backseat, cluing in suddenly. “Good idea, bro.”

I peer through the window. Although it’s dark, the snow gives everything a bit of a glow. Dexter slows the car and thinks for a minute. Then he backs up before turning down a road. That’s when it hits me.

“Your parents’ cabin?” I ask.

I feel a few uneasy shifts in the backseat. He hadn’t told Jake we had sex. He probably didn’t tell them we ran here when the police were looking for him last July. I didn’t like keeping secrets but now didn’t seem the time to explain.

The Jeep lurches forward, all of us going with it. I’m held back by my seatbelt but Dexter’s arm stretches across me protectively. Once he’s sure I’m secure, he shifts gears but the Jeep wheel spins.

“It’s probably that massive pothole we never filled. Dammit.” He slams his fist into the steering wheel. “You want to try to push it out or walk? It’s not far.”

“Let’s wait ‘til daylight to get the Jeep out. We can walk,” George says.

This seems like a terrible idea, but so does sitting in the car while they work to get it unstuck. I grab the blankets and my backpack and get out of the car. My feet sink into the snow and I yelp at the cold ice against my ankles.

“I k

eep telling you to wear boots,” Jake says.

“Shut up,” I grumble. They’d all been warning me it was time to shift my wardrobe. Fashion didn’t count in the winter up here. Warmth and comfort was key. “I ordered them.”

“Two weeks late,” Charlie retorts.

“Come on,” Jake says with a smile, wrapping his gloved hand around mine. The others appear around the Jeep. Dexter pulls a cap down over his ears.

He flips the headlights off and we’re alone in the dark. I’m not scared. Not with these guys with me, but I do want to get inside soon.

We trudge through the snow, getting colder and colder. The jacket I wore isn’t great with the snow. It’s not water-resistant and soon I feel the heavy fabric clinging to my shoulders.

“There it is,” Dexter says, pointing ahead. The house is shadowy in the dark, but it’s definitely there and he runs ahead. By the time we get there, he’s emerging from the back of the house with a key and climbing the front steps. George leans into me and I feel his warm breath on my cheek. Dexter struggles with the door but he finally gets it open.

“Awesome,” George says. “He’s in.”

Jake has a grip on my hand and pulls me with him up the steps.

Unfortunately, the house isn’t much warmer, although it is drier. Dex heads to the back hall, flipping on the circuit breaker. Nothing happens. “Fuck,” he says, appearing from the hallway, rubbing his head. “I forgot the electricity is off. Sierra told me a few months ago.”

He vanishes again but comes back with a handful of flashlights. He passes the flashlights around.

With my arms wrapped around me, shivering, I shine my light around the room. It’s colder than an icebox but I notice the large stone fireplace. “Is there firewood? Can we make a fire?”

A smile lights up his face and he walks over to the wall and opens a cabinet. Inside is a bundle of wood. “My dad always kept a bunch on hand so there should be more out back under the tarp. Can you guys get it?”

“Sure,” George says, leading the others into the dark.

Once they’re gone, I say, “I’ll try the phone—see if I can reach Leelee.”

“Thanks,” he smiles gratefully and bends down to start the fire.

The landline hangs in the kitchen but there’s no dial tone when I pick it up. I see Jake’s phone on the counter and turn it on. There’s still no service. I find Sierra’s contact and type in a quick message then press send, hoping that maybe at some point it will go through. Doubtful, though. Dexter exhales in annoyance when I tell him, but he says, “We’ll get home in the morning. There’s just not much we can do.”

The boys come in with armfuls of wood and pile it by the fireplace, where Dexter has the start of a fire going.