“You should try the gum,” Vega said with a smile. “New, overly sweet flavor to add to your profile.” Evie knew she was only half joking. She looked down at the flat stick in her hand, wrapped in foil, the word Wrigley’s embossed on the wrapper in a diagonal pattern. She lifted it to her nose and inhaled the artificial cinnamon scent.
Across the field, Chris helped the rest of the crew close up the trailer ramp. Evie unwrapped the gum and put the stick in her mouth. She crushed the sugary, chewy substance between her teeth and the sharp flavor flooded over her tongue. The sensation that hit her started in her chest, like a fist gripping her dead center, shaking the memory out of her. She stood there, looking up at her grandmother, and as clear as day she could hear her voice.
“I don’t have any candy, I just have gum.”
The memory only lasted a moment longer, but she remembered the sun on her face. The smell of horses, the grass under feet, the piece of Big Red gum in her hand and her grandmother by her side.
Evie doubled over, her eyes squeezing shut just as she gripped the middle fence rail.
In the distance she could hear Jesse and Vega saying her name, but everything was muffled. She felt like she was underwater. Through the haze she felt Vega’s fingers lifting her chin.
“Look at me,” she said.
It was so much harder than it should have been, but she managed to open her eyes.
“Good. Look at me and breathe. In and out, just breathe.”
Evie did her best. In and out, and suddenly tears were running down her cheeks. Nana Buck. Her nan. She was gone.
“Can you hear me? Nod yes.”
Evie gave her a weak nod.
“Jesse. Help me out here.” The next thing Evie knew she was in Jesse’s arms. He carried her around the side of the truck and set her down in the passenger seat. A moment later Vega was back in front of her taking her pulse and encouraging her to breathe. She produced a bottle of water and encouraged her to drink. “Okay, just breathe. Good. Can you tell me what happened?”
Evie glanced back toward the corral. It was clear she’d caused a scene. Zach was looking over in her direction.
“I—I—the gum. I remember.”
“You remember what?” Vega asked slowly.
“Everything. I remember everything.” Her whole life didn’t flash before her eyes, no. It was like something had been reset, and instead of feeling lost and unsure, she felt like herself again, buoyed back in her own reality, connected to her own past. She remembered everything. Including how she’d spent the last two weeks growing closer and closer to Zach Pleasant. And then every detail of the conversation that had driven them apart was as clear as that cloudless night she laid her grandmother to rest.
Her finally telling Zach the truth, that she loved him. Her begging him to understand that she just needed some time, but she needed to be with him, to be close to him just to help her get through the crushing pain of losing the last person she had in the world. She could see it, the clarity in his eyes as he almost gave in and pulled her into his arms. But instead he held her at arm’s length, begging her to understand that Paris was where she needed to be, that she couldn’t give up on her dreams just to be with him. The disappointment and the anger, the realization that Zach didn’t understand her. He didn’t understand that she knew exactly what was best for her and sadly, he would never be the one to give it to her.
She glanced back again just as he handed off the reins and started jogging in their direction.
“You remember your accident?” Vega asked.
“I have to get out of here. I have to get back to the house.”
“What?”
“Jesse. Now. Please take me back to the house. I can’t deal with him.”
Jesse looked up and saw Zach closing the distance between the far end of the corral and his truck. “Yeah, okay. Vega, get in. And put on your seat belt.” Vega rushed around the other side of the truck and climbed in the rear of the cabin.
Evie looked at Zach through the back window. Saw him trying to wave them down. She knew she’d have to deal with him much sooner than later. But now she couldn’t. She needed to get back to Miss Leona’s. She needed to talk to Nicole.
* * *
Zach called three times as they drove back to Miss Leona’s house. Each time Jesse hit the Decline button on his dash display. The fourth time he answered.
“Evie’s fine. Lunch just didn’t agree with her.”
“Are you sure?” The sound of Zach’s voice made her stomach lurch. She was not ready to speak to him.
“Yeah, she’s fine,” Jesse said. “We’re just heading back so she can lie down. Finish up with the gang and we’ll see you later.”