Page 66 of Mystery in the Mountains

But with Asher and Abe on her side, she didn’t have anything to worry about.

“While I finish this up, why don’t you go get dressed so we can leave after we eat?”

By the time she threw on some clothes she could paint in and ran a brush through her hair, Asher already had breakfast on the table.

“It looks like you could use a trip to the grocery store,” Asher said as they sat.

She grimaced and nodded. “I know. I’ll have to see how many tips I made last night.”

“Are you out of money?”

“Out . . . Well, that seems harsh.”

“Sunny . . .”

“I mean, living on the road in a van doesn’t exactly have me rolling in money. I could usually pick up shifts and read cards for people, but after getting back here and getting this house cleaned up . . . I’m a little short.”

“How short?”

She wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Like I need to go count my tips from last night.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“What was I going to say? ‘Hey, sorry I left for years—please don’t hate me. By the way, I’m broke’?”

He finished plating up the eggs. “You’re right . . . I’m sorry.”

“Please don’t apologize. I knew it was going to be rough coming back here. I’m just happy you forgave me.”

He smiled at her, rubbing her cheek. “We’ll get you some food while we’re up on the mountain. I know there are some eggs and greens ready to come, and I’ll see what else Julie has.”

“Asher. I’m not taking food from Julie.”

“Sunny. Stop. You didn’t forget how we do things here, did you? We take care of each other both on the mountain and in the Hollow. We learned a long time ago that no one was going to do it for us, we do it ourselves. You know that.”

Sunny nodded and pushed the eggs around on her plate.

He is right—maybe I’ve been gone too long.

This community had always taken care of itself. When all anyone is interested in is what is inside of the mountain as opposed to the people who live here, they got really good at meeting their own needs and the needs of the people in their community.

She leaned into his hand. “You’re right . . . Maybe I’ve been gone too long.”

After they finished their breakfast, they were in Asher’s van, making their way up the mountain.

Sunny flipped through his big book of CDs. She gasped and turned to him.

“What is the matter?”

“You stole this!” She slipped her Indigo Girls CD into the player.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack over a CD you left here.”

“I would never have left this here,” she protested as she turned up the volume and rolled down the window.

“And yet here it stayed while you traipsed all across the country.”

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