Pretend I Am Someone You Like

Set in present day rural Louisiana, Mutty takes care of his younger cousin, Barn, who has not spoken since the day his father was arrested. Pepper, Mutty's love interest, is haunted by a violent past, and she's trying to escape it and start a new life. Her relationship with Mutty grows throughout the story as they learn more about each other, spiritually and physically, and Barn becomes a constant symbol of love for the two, who are trying to find a spark in their respective lives. Pepper's past catches up with her, and Mutty, Barn, Ma, and Pepper are trying to deal with a mysterious man and his attempts at thievery and kidnapping in their own little world full of mud, hay, and crawfish.