Page 60 of Ace of Spades

I pace, breath still ragged, cheeks burning from the fight. From the way he snapped at me in front of everyone.

In front of Josie.

“Why can’t he just trust me?” I groan, dragging my hands through my hair.

Baaaah!

I jump nearly a full foot into the air at the fright. My heart’s still hammering when I spot it: a little black and white goat perched like an angel at the edge of the fence, staring at me like it knows all my secrets.

“Oh my God,” I breathe. “Look at you.”

It bleats again, likefinally,someone with sense.

“Wait…” I walk closer, squinting. “Areyouthe goat the note said not to trust?”

Baaaah.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

It starts chewing on the chain-link fence like it’s offended by boundaries.

“Oh, let’s not do that.” I glance around dramatically. “There’s a beast in these woods, didn’t you hear?”

The goat actually pauses. Looks around. Like it’s playing along.

Okay. I’m officially obsessed.

“You’re just a baby,” I murmur, crouching by the fence. “Nobody warned me there’d be cute ass baby goats on this island. I guess I can’t leave even if I wanted to, now.”

“Don’t get too attached,” a voice says behind me.

I turn to see Benji—or Gramps, as everyone calls him—walking over, already grease-stained and grinning, and holding a mug in each hand. He comes up to me and hands me a steaming cup.

“Thanks. Whose is it?” I ask, nodding at the goat.

“Dunno,” he says. “Just showed up one day. Walked right into the garage like he owned the place. Levi’s been pretending he’s not charmed ever since.”

I snort.

“Let me guess, it drives him crazy, too.” Turning to the goat, I say, “The best of us do.”

I reach through the fence to scratch behind its tiny horn nubs.

A-freakin-dorable!

Benji chuckles, and for a second, it’s quiet. Calm. I can see the appeal of Breaker’s Isle.

Somewhere nearby I hear waves crashing against a rocky wall. The wind softly rustling the trees surrounding the shop.

It almost feels like Mom is here with me. Paying me a quick visit. I welcome her as I breathe it all in and take a sip of my coffee. A small gesture from Benji, but it speaks volumes when you feel like everyone is against you.

“Y’know,” Benji says after a beat, “this place? It’s not perfect. Hell, most days it’s held together with duct tape and spite. But you stick around long enough… it grows on you.”

I look at him, curious.

“You talking about SKC… or the island?”

He shrugs.

---