To my delight, he settles pretty easily into the crook of my arm.
Heisa friendly rooster.
“I feel like I should buy you a beer or something,” I tell him, as I walk very carefully around the house. He rubs his head against my chest, and so help me god, I think I’m a little bit in love with this bird.
Before heading for my car, I take a quick detour to Mayor Reed’s house.
I ring the doorbell, giving the rooster a few gentle head strokes as we wait for him to answer.
Moments later, he does, wearing a bathrobe over a white T-shirt and presumably no pants.
“Ryder,” he gasps, tugging his bathrobe tighter across his chest. “What are you doing here?”
He eyes the chicken in my arms.
I nod to it. “Your neighbors have signed an agreement to never own a rooster again. So, I expect the town council meeting notes to reflect an approval of the submitted development plan.”
He rears back, waving his hands out in front of him. “Ryder, that’s not how this town works.”
I nod, turning and heading back to the house next door. “Okay. Well, in that case I guess I’ll head back next door to give your neighbors their beloved family pet back. I’m sure they’ll be happy to see him again.”
“Wait,” Reed says, taking another step out onto his front porch.
I turn back to him, one eyebrow raised.
“Fine.”
“Fine?”
He nods, his eyes drifting to his neighbors’ house. He bites his lip, his nostrils flaring as his glare settles on me. “This is only because it’s… alreadydone, and I was going to update my decision anyway.” He rests his hands on his hips. “But you’re going to need an easement for that driveway, you know? But considering you and Ms. Harper are all buddy-buddy now, I’m sure that won’t be an issue.”
I flash him a sardonic smile. “It won’t be an issue at all.”
14
EVE
Iwake to the sound of a rooster crowing.
This doesn’t strike me as odd until I realize Idon’t havea rooster.
I blink, opening my eyes to the sunrise streaming through my bedroom window.
It crows again.
I groan as I throw my legs over the side of my bed and stand. I step into my slippers, throw a sweatshirt over my head, and plod downstairs, stopping only briefly to start a pot of coffee before I pull my coat over my shoulders and head outside, waiting to hear the rooster again.
When I do, I take off in that direction.
I walk up the dirt road, passing the backdrop and heading around the back of my house. As I walk, it crows again, and with a sinking feeling in my stomach, I realize this rooster must be penned up in my chicken coop.
I wave to Vic, one of the guys who’s been working here since before I was born, and he gives me a quick wave and a friendly smile before disappearing back into the sunflowers, whistling as he tends to them.
I let out a long breath as I quicken my pace, pulling my jacket tighter around my shoulders.
And when I come upon the chicken coop,yup, there it is.
There is a rooster waddling around in my chicken coop.
