Chapter Nine
July Fourth was always one of the busiest weekends at Paper Lake. With the sun warming the valleys and peaks, the campsite filled with families getting away for the long weekend. Kids splashed in the water from sunup to sundown, their shrieks echoing all the way across the lake. Casey was busy at work and filled in the rest of her time swimming, painting, taking the rowboat out, and climbing the nearby peaks. The trails were more crowded, but she knew all the places to go to be alone.
And that was all she wanted. In the swell of summer, flush with green, the memory of Ben’s lips on hers brought a heat to her chest that had nothing to do with the sun. Everything was flowering, the air heavy and thick, the promises of springtime come into full bloom.
Except for one promise—th
