He cackles. “Looks like he’s the one hunting you now.”
“Wait, what?” Nora’s voice rises.
“He’s over there.” Roman points his spatula behind his back.
“The rooster is here? At the diner?”
Roman gestures wildly toward the front window. “There!”
“Where?” We both turn to where he’s pointing.
“He’s gone now,” Roman declares, turning back to my pancakes.
“Or maybe you’re as crazy as we are,” Nora snickers.
Roman shrugs. “There’s a high chance of that.”
I can’t help the laugh that escapes me, earning a glare from Nora.
“It’s not funny,” she hisses, but her lips twitch with barely contained amusement. “That bird exists, and he is the bane of my existence.”
“Our,” I correct her. “The bane of our existence.”
Her eyes meet mine, and something passes between us—a shared understanding, a connection that feels dangerously close to an intimacy neither of us are ready for.
“Fine,” she concedes. “Ourfeathery nemesis. Now, are you going to help me catch him or just sit there drinking that sludge Roman calls coffee?”
“Can I choose coffee in good company?” I reply with a cheeky smile, making her eyes widen.
“Yes, you can.”
And I do just that. I enjoy my breakfast, watching the whole staff quip and bicker with each other as they share local gossip which isnotabout me. This is probably the first moment in the past month that I don’t feel like an outsider here.
I’m almost done with my pancakes when Roman walks up to me, wiping his hands on a towel.
“I’ve heard you needed permits for your house?”
I place my fork down. “Yes. But I can’t find anyone who can help me with that.”
“You’ll be looking for a long time because we usually don’t pull permits for our own places.”
“That’s what I thought at first too, but figured I’d go about it the right way since I’m the new guy in town.”
He points his finger at me. “Smart.” He glances behind my back at the room starting to fill with the early lunch crowd. “I’ve got a buddy at city hall. He usually comes here for lunch and should be here any minute. I can introduce you.”
I instantly perk up even more. “That’d be awesome. I’ll owe you one.”
He waves me off with his hand. “Don’t worry. But as far as I know, he can get you almost everything but electrical. There’s someone new working there, not from around here, and he said she’s a piece of work. So I doubt he can help you there.”
“I’ve met her and tend to agree with that. But anything helps. Thank you,” I say sincerely, feeling a wave of gratitude toward the man who owes me nothing and yet is trying to help.
“No biggie.” He scratches his beard and turns around to head back to the kitchen. “Anything for Nora’s friend.”
While I wait for Roman’s friend in the diner, my phone pings with an incoming message. It’s Jonah.
How are the Moons? Did you resolve your issue?
I type a quick:
