She’d had a few close friends over the years, particularly Carrie Edwards and Darby Nabers, in addition to her cousin Liza, who had been there for Raven all her life until they’d hit junior high. Then even Liza had abandoned her for a more popular crowd.
That had changed again when she’d caught the eye of Reggie Stone the month before her sixteenth birthday.
To be honest, she hadn’t really liked Reggie at first. He’d been rude to her most of their childhood. Then, when he’d become the star of football, basketball, and baseball in junior high, he’d quickly grown to most-popular-boy stardom, and she hadn’t been able to stop dreaming about him.
But as the only naturally ginger-haired kid in her class—Liza and Cal had inherited their mother’s blond locks—she’d been the most-teased girl in school.
It was true that most people in her classes were friendly with her. After all, she was easily the wealthiest girl in school. But not a single one of them had taken the time to be actual friends with her.
And oh, how they had all turned on her, even her own remaining family members. Yet another reason she’d spent so much time in therapy.
She’d been standing next to her used Lexus in the parking lot, staring up at the buildings for a while now and surmised that she was drawing attention. She walked over to the trunk of her car, pulled out her overnight bags, and carted them through the courtyard, noticing the cracked sidewalks and overgrown grass and weeds as she went.
The moment that she stepped inside, memories hit her like a brick over the head, almost causing her to double over.
“Breathe,” she heard in her head, the voice of Becca Morgan, LPC. “In for three, out for three.”
Raven did what she’d done for the past ten years and took several deep breaths until the panic attack subsided.
When she felt under control again, she glanced towards the indoor fountain and, for a split second, an image flashed in her memory of a young woman with long auburn hair pulled back into a long braid sitting peacefully on the stone edge of the water. Her long flowing floral dress pooled around her crossed ankles. She was a vision of patience and love.
Raven broke free of the memory, blinked, and turned towards the front desk. She couldn’t afford a walk down memory lane. Not yet. She had to secure her position before allowing herself to lose it.
“May I help you?” a young woman with a very thick Middle-Eastern accent asked her with a friendly smile.
“Yes.” Raven straightened her shoulders and tried for a friendly smile. “I’d like to see Colin Brooks.”
The woman instantly looked worried and a little somber.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Brooks isn’t available at the moment.” She glanced down at Raven’s bags. “Are you wanting to check in?” she asked.
“I’m Raven Brooks,” she said plainly.
The woman continued to look at her, waiting for the punch line, Raven imagined.
“Mr. Brooks is my uncle,” she clarified. “I’m the owner of…” She motioned around the lobby of the resort with her hand.
The woman shook her head and blinked a few times. “I… I’m sorry.” She shrugged slightly, and Raven began to wonder what the cause of their miscommunication was.
“I’d like to speak with my uncle about a place to stay,” she added.
“Was he expecting you?” the woman asked, clicking on the computer in front of her.
“No.” She bit her tongue to stop herself from giving this stranger any further explanation.
“If you’ll have a seat”—she motioned to the leather sofas in the middle of the waiting area— “I’ll see if he’s available.”
“Thank you,” she said, dragging her luggage, three bags that held every stitch of clothing she owned, along with her other worldly possessions.
When she sat down, she held in a little squeal as she sank deep into the old furniture. Her gaze ran over the worn sofa and outdated coffee table.
Her eyes stung at the state of everything. What had happened to the once-glamorous resort? If her father were alive, she imagined that there wouldn’t be so much as a scratch on any of the furniture. Yet here she sat in a worn-out sofa, in the outdated resort, which was quickly and quietly dying and taking her and the rest of her family down with it.
Her eyes scanned over every detail of the lobby. She itched to explore other areas of the massive resort but knew that she’d have time to evaluate every detail in