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Prelude

The walls of a double-ere the dividing factor of separation between a trailer and a house Technically, it was her home, her housebut everyone in River Bend anted to dig at Zoe’s status made sure they referred to it as a trailer Her BFFs, Mel and Jo, never said trailer Even on nights like thiswhen the calendar said it was early suet the irth didn’t do a good job of keeping away the cold

The rain had held out for her high school graduation but had started to dump buckets after her friends arrived to celebrate their freedom

Zoe glanced over at Mel, as fast asleep on her half of the pullout sofa bed that did a shitty enough job as a sofa and had no business being a bed It was, however, off the floor, and if Zoe thought the walls were thin, the floor orse Jo curled up on herself in a recliner that should have been taken to the curb a decade beforebut that was probably when her mom had swiped it off the sidewalk

Between the three of theed to down half a bottle of tequila and polish off an entire pizza The night sith eh school, then Mel’s bo divorced and she would likely leave River Bend for good

High school Zoe could say good-bye to, not a problembut not Mel It was always assue Mel was the s family When she waved her acceptance letter to USC in front of Jo’s and Zoe’s faces, both of theht for a minute Mel’s parents would announce their divorce and h school diplouessbut the fact Mel’s parents wereaway essentially cut off Mel’s ticket to return to River Bend on holidays and summers

And that sucked!

Zoe lay there with Jose Cuervo swi in her head, and the conversation that had stuck with the three of them until they’d passed out

Their fellow high school seniors had voted their predictions on what the graduating class was going to do with their lives

Mel ed top honors with most likely to succeed A USC education would propel her to the top of whatever chain Melanie Bartlett decided to climb

Jo found herself at the bottom of the honor roll withJoAnne Ward was always the one to score the liquor and did a bang-up job of pissing off her father, Sheriff Wardand doing just about every delinquent thing a teen could do and not end up in jailyeah, it was only ato prove she was hter Because Sheriff Ward had the ultimate respect of the citizens of River Bend, everyone looked the other way at Jo’s shenanigans Eventually always ed to catch up, and one day Sheriff Ward wouldn’t be able to help his little girl

Then there was Zoeherof all