Chapter 1

Rayne’s POV

It was a Friday night at the Canyon Ridge Diner and I was hustling to keep up with my tables all evening. It was the only place to eat out in a thirty-mile radius and it was the happening spot on the weekends. I didn’t mind the hustle because the more tables I took the more money I made and paying for my college tuition for next semester wasn’t going to be easy. My grants had all run out and I had to pay upfront for all my courses that I needed next semester to stay on track to graduate on time. My grandmother helped as much as she could but living on a fixed income was hard.

Around nine thirty the diner began to clear out and my best friend Emma walks through the door. If it wasn’t for Emma, I would be riding my bike to and from work every night. Emma’s family had money and she was blessed by her parents with whatever she wanted. I was thankful for my friend not only for the rides but also for being the first person in Canyon Ridge to talk to me.

After my parents had died, I was forced to move here and live with my grandmother and leave everything behind me. It was hard adjusting at fifteen at a new school and Emma was there for me.

I finish cleaning up two booths and made my way towards the counter where Emma placed herself on her usual barstool while she waited for me to cleanup.

“The usual?” I ask her as I move over to the milkshake machine.

“Yes please.” She says while she remains looking at something on her phone.

Quickly I make her a strawberry milkshake and place it in front of her. “What are you looking at?” I ask her as I start to wipe down the counter.

“You know that cover band that I’m always telling you about well they are playing tomorrow night at a bar called Rider’s. I believe it’s only forty-five minutes from here and since it’s your twenty first birthday I thought I might take you out.” She said as she looked at me smiling begging me to say yes.

I knew where Rider’s bar was. It was located right on the edge of Ridgewood my old hometown. Thoughts of going back and maybe running into some old friends excited me but then I hadn’t been there in over six years and I wondered if anyone would remember me. “I don’t know Emma. That’s an awful far drive to be drinking and driving back here.”

“Well, that’s what I was searching for and found this cute little cabin to rent for the rest of the weekend. You did take Saturday and Sunday off, correct?” She asks as she holds her phone up for me to see the cute little cabin’s pictures.

“I did but that’s a lot of money for a two day stay.” I tell her seeing the price per night. I needed to save every penny I have if I want to pay my tuition.

“It’s my gift to you.” She says as she clicks the rent now.

I finished cleaning up and was done by ten and said goodbye to Joe the cook as I left with Kate jumping into her Jeep Wrangler. We lived in the mountain range and four-wheel drive was a must especially in the winter.

It was winter break for Emma and I and although she was enjoying the break I was trying to work as much as I could to make extra money. I did agree to take the weekend off for my twenty first birthday believing I did deserve a break for it.

As Emma drove me home, she told me that we can check in at eleven am so she wanted to get an early start to get there so we had plenty of time to freshen up before we went to watch the band and maybe do a little pregaming.

After she dropped me off at my house, I quietly snuck in trying to not wake my grandmother. She went to bed early and needed her sleep and I felt bad coming in late from work waking her up. Rummaging through my closet I picked out a few outfits to take with me, mostly hand me downs from Emma. I didn’t have the extra money to go buy clothes and Emma seemed to have an endless supply that she threw my way when she got bored of them.

When my packing was complete, I dropped onto my bed from exhaustion. It was a long night, but it was worth it. I had made slightly over a hundred dollars in tips that I put in my savings box under my bed.

A yawn slipped out of my mouth and I curled up under my covers to keep warm and before I drifted off to sleep memories of Ridgewood came flowing back to me and I just hoped it was as beautiful as I remembered it.