Thanks to Richard for the edit.





I'd been living in my Grandparent's house for three weeks. I found myself sometimes referring to it as "Weathering Heights" but no one beside Mom and Wes got it.

"You make the perfect Catherine baby bro," Wes had said when he found me waiting at the end of the drive way for him one night when we had a huge rain storm.

I found a job at the local bookstore, and I was enjoying it as much as I had enjoyed working with Seth. Only I didn't have a crush on any of my coworkers, yet. Heading to the bar, we only had one, for a beer after work was slowly becoming a ritual for me, though I'd only been in once or twice, usually too tired to drink. I had been happy to see that the biker chick and the old Indian man followed me out to the country.

"Hello Reed," Mac, the owner, called to me and waved me over one night when I stopped by.

"Hi," I said and thanked him for the house beer he placed in front of me.

"How's life down here for you so far?"

He wasn't the first person to ask me that today. A few people from around town had dropped by the house earlier to welcome me, it was all nice and good, but I couldn't help but think there was something up I didn't know about.

"Pretty good, how about you?" I asked. He smiled at me and waved around the bar.

"Same as always," he said and turned around, looking for something I guess. He shook his head, and then laughed.

"What?" I asked. I had always hated being left out of things.

"My good-for-nothing kid is hiding in the back room again." Mac said and went into the back room. It seemed every time I came in this kid was hiding, a fact I found extremely odd.

"Hey Mac, I'm going to head out, see you later," I said and finished the last drops of my beer before leaving. I loved bars in small towns, they had tabs.

I walked out of the door and onto Main Street, my house wasn't far, an easy walk, but I hated walking it. I hated walking altogether anymore, left me to much time to think. I was happier here than I had been in the City, but I was lonelier, I missed my family and my old apartment. I knew I'd get over it, but it seemed it would take longer then I'd thought.

*******

"Camble you coward," Mac said.

He'd found me in the back room chain smoking. Reed had come to the bar again tonight. And I, again, had run into the back room upon seeing him walk past the windows outside.

"Rhonda was right," I said putting out the cigarette I was smoking before lighting another one.

"That's a first," he said and sat down next to me, pulling the cigarette from my hand and taking a drag himself.

"No, I mean, she was really right. He's beautiful, and it's scaring the shit out of me. I want to talk to him, but I don't know how, I would end up saying something totally stupid."

"Camble, you are the smoothest talker this town has seen since Peter