“Good. I feel like I’ve hardly seen you since Liam and Bailey got married.”
“Well, you know how a mother loves to intrude. Now, if I could only get this one married.”
“Mom,” Brody groaned.
“Brody,” Georgia gushed sunshine and roses as she brought the tray of cookies over, “tell Josie about that thing you were telling me earlier.”
“What thing?”
“You know, that funny thing you were telling me.” She shot him a pointed look, making it clear he’d better get on with it.
Sighing heavily, he snatched a cookie and bit into it. “I saw Remi in town earlier. He was crossing the street when he hit a patch of ice and went down hard.”
Georgia giggled, patting his hand as if it was the funniest thing in the world. “When he told me, I knew he just had to tell you. I know you love a good laugh.”
I forced a chuckle. “Guess you had to see it.”
“Oh, I know. Now, where is the sugar? I could have sworn I set it out. Brody, have you seen the sugar?”
As she skittered about the kitchen, digging through cabinets for the sugar bowl, Brody sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
“Oh, relax. It’s just a half hour with me. Surely, you can survive that.”
“Survive? That’s an interesting choice of words,” he muttered.
“Be nice, or I’ll put a hex on you,” I threatened jokingly.
But he actually looked concerned about my words. For some reason, everyone in town had varying opinions on whether or not I actually played with the dark arts. I hadn’t, in fact, ever picked up a book about magic or even found it at all interesting. Not that anyone cared about that. The rumor mill ran twenty-four hours a day in this small town, and that was one story that would never die.
Along with several others about me that I wasn’t ready to answer.
“Ah! Here it is. If it was a snake, it would have bitten me.”
Dancing her way back to the table, she set the bowl by the tea and took her seat, ever the proper hostess.
“Now, tell me all about you. What’s new?”
“Not much,” I smiled, trying to be as polite as possible as I poured myself a cup of tea. I never added any sugar or cream, but she put it out just the same.
“Oh, there has to be something new.”
“Not really. The shop is doing well. But other than that, not much has happened.”
“Well, the tourists will be back soon. With the snow melting, I know the season slows for you.”
“Yes, but only for a month or so. Soon, the streets will be filled with strangers?—”
“Who don’t know how to mind their own business and piss everyone off,” Brody finished.
“Well, it’s a good thing we have tourists. It helps the local shops, and Murky Falls Ranch needs the bookings.”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you?” Georgia said excitedly. “They changed the name officially. Murky Falls Resort.”
The name soured me instantly, but that was only because I was so used to it being called Murky Falls Ranch. “Well, I suppose they had to change the name to attract customers.”
“Oh, I’m sure everyone will still call it the ranch. Nobody around town would dare go for such a change. Not when the ranch has been here longer than most of the people living in town.”
“How’s the new house coming?”
