Mom nodded. “It was a pleasure working with her. I mean, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you she’s pretty great. A lot of the nurses get impatient with the residents, but not your mom. She’s efficient, cool under pressure, and she knows her stuff. You should be proud of her.”
In the side mirror I saw Cole push his chest out a little. “Yeah, she’s cool,” he said.
He and Mom then talked about Fredericksburg and the high school while I sat mostly silent, lost in thought.
“Hey,” Mom said as we approached our exit off the highway. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I was just thinking about what Dr. Van Dean said. You know, about finding Amber’s gravesite and taking her flowers.”
“It’s sweet in a way, don’t you think?” she asked me.
I grinned sideways. “Yeah. If it wasn’t so creepy. And if I actually knew where she was buried.”
“I know where her grave is,” Cole said.
I turned to look back at him. “You do?”
“My mom used to go visit her at the cemetery,” he said. “She goes to my uncle’s gravesite, too, every year on his birthday. Amber’s in the same cemetery, and a couple of times she took me with her.”
“Your mom visited Amber’s grave?” I asked.
“Yeah. They were tight, I guess, and Mom never believed that Amber did it.”
I studied Cole for a moment. “Are you gonna tell your mom about all this?”
He blew out a breath. “Haven’t decided yet. But I won’t if you don’t want me to.”
I felt a rush of gratitude and something warmer flood into me. Was Cole really as amazing as he seemed to be?
“Thanks,” I said to him. “Can I think about it?”
“Sure,” he said.
“You guys hungry?” Mom asked. “We could stop for dinner before we drop you off, Cole.”
“That’d be awesome,” he said. “Thanks, Dr. Bennett.”
Mom took us to a steakhouse with white tablecloths but an open, casual feel. Over rib-eye steaks and fully loaded baked potatoes we discussed going to Amber’s gravesite. I had to admit that I was a little nervous about the idea. What would I say? What could you say to your dead former self to bring peace to her?
“I think some flowers and maybe a little prayer would be all you’d need to do, Lily,” Mom suggested.
“I just want to get it over with,” I said. “I want the dreams to stop, and I want to get Amber out of my head.”
“We could go tonight,” Cole suggested, an adventurist’s glint in his eye.
Mom smirked. “I’m guessing you like a good horror movie now and then, too, right, Cole?”
He grinned and held up a hand. “Guilty as charged, Dr. Bennett.”
“I’m not going to any graveyard at night, even if it means having another nightmare,” I said, shuddering at the prospect. When I was seven, a babysitter let me stay up and watch Paranormal Activity. I’d been terrified of anything that might go bump in the night ever since.
“Well, if you want to go tomorrow, Lily, I won’t be able to go with you,” Mom said. “I have to be back at the hospital at midnight tonight for a thirty-six-hour shift.”
“I’ll go with you,” Cole said.
I turned to him hopefully. “You will?”
“Definitely,” he said. “You want to go in the morning? I’ve got a couple of lawns to mow starting at ten. We could go around nine if you want.”
I nodded eagerly. “Thanks, Cole. I’ll get some flowers from my grandmother’s house and meet you at the gate.”
“Don’t let her catch you stealing her flowers,” Mom warned.
“You think I should go to a flower shop?” I asked.
Mom chuckled. “No. Get them from Maureen’s garden. Just don’t get caught.”
SPENCE WAS TRYING NOT TO get caught sneaking me into his house after dark. It was just after nine, and his mom and Stacey were no doubt soon on their way home from the movies, but Spence and I wanted to spend some time alone with each other after celebrating the night with friends.
“You’re sure she won’t see my car down the street?” I whispered as Spence led me through the back door and into the darkened house.
“She’ll be coming from the other direction,” he said, holding my hand as he led me expertly through the house, weaving his way around the furniture to his bedroom on the first floor. “When she and Spunky come in, I’ll come out to say good night, and she’ll never know you’re here.”
I giggled. We were being so wicked, and I loved it. “What if she hears us?” I pressed. I was nervous about his mom barging in and finding us together.
“I’ll turn on the TV,” he said as we reached the door to his room. Taking me in his arms, he kissed me and I melted against him.
“I’m so proud of you,” I said when his lips left mine. “I can’t believe this is happening!”