Later that night, after she'd helped Grams clean up dinner, when Serena hadn't come out of her room and Austin had locked himself away in the library, Courtney found herself walking across the yard toward Jake's house.

The fireflies were emerging, blinking across the expanse of grass, and crickets chirped as dusk neared end. Humidity clung to the air, dampening her skin.

His porch light was off, as if a beacon to stay away. The back door was open, but no sounds emerged from ...