Keepsake

Lark Wainright, twenty-three, has nightmares. She used to be fearless. But while overseas for her nonprofit employer, she was kidnapped and held at gunpoint in a dusty shack. Everyone has an opinion about what might have happened to her there, but shes not saying much. Shes too consumed by guilt to talk about it. When her best friend offers her a stay at the Shipley orchard in exchange for help at the farmers markets, Lark jumps into her little car and heads to Vermont. Unfortunately, the night terrors dont stop. Desperate to keep her fragile state a secret from those who know her best, she relies on the most soft-spoken resident of Orange County, Vermont, to calm her down when her dreams prove too much. Zachariah, twenty-three, is a survivor of a different kind. Its been three years since he was tossed aside by the polygamist cult out west, the only home hed ever known. In Vermont, hes found a peaceful place in the bunkhouse at the Shipleys farm. Hes good with animals, and hes good with his hands. But getting thrown away by your own people at nineteen leaves a mark on a guy. And he doesnt always know what to make of a world where apps and movie quotes are the primary means of communication. Before hitchhiking to Vermont, hed never watched television. Hed never spoken on the phone. Actually, there are still a lot of things hes never done. Zach and Lark slowly grow to trust one another. One night they become even closer than theyd planned. But Lark may still be too broken to trust anyone. When she shoves Zach away, he will have to prove to himself that hes good for more than farm labor.