Troping Through the Snow by Alexa Riley

“These shades of blue are gorgeous. I could never get this many. I can bake my ass off, but this is amazing. You really are an artist, Luna.”

“Thank you.” I smile. It’s art to me, and if I let myself, I could get lost in decorating a single cupcake for an hour. Then eat it in two seconds, which happens more than one would think.

“Jack is sending a few of his staff from the resort to pick it up. They’ll store it in one of their giant-ass fridges because we don’t have room here.”

“I hope everyone enjoys it.”

“They will.” Frostie bumps my shoulder with hers, and my phone starts to vibrate. “You wanna talk about it?”

“She remembered she forgot my birthday.” That has to be why she’s blowing up my phone. She’ll feel guilty, and I’ll have to listen to some story about how she was doing this or that or some dude. Then I’ll tell her it’s fine and it happens, and I’ll end up making her feel better. Only it will make me feel worse. This year, I’m not having it. In the short time I’ve lived in Troping, it’s opened my eyes to how people that truly love you treat you. I see it all around me, and I want it for myself.

“Oh.” Frostie’s eyes widen. “When was your birthday?”

“A couple days ago,” I try to say dismissively.

“What!”

“It’s not a big deal, it’s right after Christmas.” I brush it off.

My father remembered. He always sends something, but I think he might have it set up to do it automatically.

“You should have told me. Birthdays are big here. This is Troping.” With the way she’s looking at me, you’d think I’d told her Santa isn’t real. Though I don’t think I’d say that out loud in Troping.

“I’m new,” I remind her. No one here cares if it’s my birthday.

“Fine. But don’t think you’ll get away with this next year,” Frostie huffs as she heads toward the front of the bakery to leave me alone in the kitchen. I laugh, wondering if my next birthday will be different. I hate that a part of me doesn't believe it will be.

I tend to blend in and get lost in the background. One time I was left at the zoo by the school on a field trip, and I’ve got dozens of those stories. My mom says it’s because I’m too quiet, and that one stung. She’s not wrong. I can be quiet, but does that make it okay for her to forget about me?

Anger starts to bubble up, but I push it down. A few years ago, it didn't bother me so much, but then Ryder forgot about me. He promised he wouldn’t and that he’d be back for me if I would only wait. I latched on to that promise and wrapped my future in it. I always thought Ryder was a man of his word.

The first time I met my dad’s best friend, I was sixteen years old. After that, every time Dad popped up, Ryder was with him. It was shameful, but I would be more excited to see him than my dad. I was in love from the moment I met Ryder, and I finally understood what the girls were talking about when crushing on boys. I’m sure to him I was a chubby teenage girl with a mouth full of braces.

Until I wasn’t.

When he kissed me, I fell head over heels.

Then he lied and broke my heart.





CHAPTER 2





RYDER





“She’s not picking up.” Vanessa scowls at the phone and then tucks it into her back pocket.

“Try her again,” I say as I try to control my anger. The fact that this woman won’t give me her number annoys me to no end.

I would call Jacob and get it from him, but he’s on a mission right now and has been radio silent for weeks.

“She’s pissed at me so she’s not going to answer.” Vanessa lights a cigarette and tries to blow the smoke in my face.

“Just tell me the name of the town and I’ll get out of your hair,” I say, ignoring her eye roll.

“What do you want to know so bad for?” There’s a hint of a smile when she asks the question. “I always had my eye on you, Ryder.” She takes another drag of her cigarette and then licks her lips. “Why don’t you sit down and stay a while?”

“I knew coming here was a bad idea,” I say as I turn to leave.

“Wait,” she calls after me, and I stop. The only reason I’m not getting the hell out of here is because she holds the key to finding my Luna.

“What?” I bark, and Vanessa doesn't like my tone.

“Maybe you give me what I want and I’ll give you what you want.” Her eyes sweep down my body, and all it does is piss me off.

My heavy boots bang on the old floors as I take three quick steps toward her. Vanessa jumps back so fast she almost falls. I don’t lay a hand on her, but she grips the counter behind her to keep from going over. Her smug smile is nowhere to be seen, and now I see the fear start to sink in.

“You either tell me where she’s gone or I tell your parole officer about what I saw on the coffee table.”

Vanessa swallows hard, and then her fake smile is back in place. “Hey, I was just joking around with you. No need to get upset.” As I straighten, she begins to talk fast. “She was someplace a while back, but she moved.”

“Where?” I demand.

“I don’t know, I swear. It’s a town called something dumb. Troping, I think? It’s in the middle of nowhere, and they love Christmas or some shit.”