I blow on my coffee, closing my eyes as I breathe in the hazelnut aroma and rack my brain for whatever the thing was that Abby said we were short on last time we talked.
“God, I… coasters,” I say, the word jumping into my head just as I was about to admit I couldn’t remember. “Abby said we’re short on coasters. And more prints, if you want. They take up so little space and we go through them so quickly.”
“You got it. Let me know if the rooster thing gets any weirder.”
“I’m sure you can look forward to a story later.”
When Aiden arrives,looking cheery and awake as always, I pour him a cup of coffee and he drives us carefully along the dirt road that leads back to the chicken coop. He has a cage in the back lined with a fleece blanket, but his truck, as usual, is spotless.
You’d never know the man runs a full blown animal farm everyday. Always clean cut with a friendly smile on his face.
He’s technically Izzy’s half-brother, but they didn’t know each other well until they ended up at the same college and realized their respective moms were not actually hugeassholes despite the picture their shared dad painted of each of them. They’ve since foregone contact with their dad and forged the most adorable sibling relationship with each other.
“So tell me again how you came to own this mystery rooster that you’re trying to pawn off on me.”
From the passenger seat, I dial Ryderagainbecause at this point I’ve texted him and called him more times than a crazy ex and I’m starting to get a little peeved that I’m the one taking care of his… rooster.
“I think it’s stolen. I’m not sure because the person who stole it is not answering his phone. But regardless, the rooster can’t stay here. He needs friends, right?”
Aiden nods, shrugging. “I mean, a day or so alone isn’t going to kill him, you know? I understand the rooster is likely stolen to begin with, but I’m a little apprehensive about just… taking him. Two steals doesn’t make a right, you know?”
I huff. “I know. And I get that I’m putting you in a bad position, but there’s a reason I don’t have animals here, you know? I’m too slammed to take care of them, especially during busy season. The rooster might be stolen, but he’s still a living being, you know? He doesn’t deserve to be a second thought.”
Aiden lets out a long breath. “My coopisheated.”
I pause. “Your chicken coop is heated?”
He nods as he opens the door and steps out of the truck. “Well, yeah. It’s too cold for them here over winter.”
I round the car as he opens the back door, pulls the cage out and lines it up with the opening of the coop. “Wow, lucky birds. Can I come live with you?”
“Sure, but you’re sleeping with the chickens.”
“I’d call that a fair deal.”
The rooster wanders toward us, seemingly curious at the newcomer. He side-eyes Aiden as he moves hesitantly closer, but takes a few quick steps back when another car approaches, far too fast for the dirt road.
The BMW comes to a quick stop behind Aiden’s truck, dust blowing out around the wheels.
“Hey, that’s my rooster!”
“Ryder!” I bark, turning toward him with my finger pointed at him just like my grandmother used to do to me whenever I misbehaved. I bunch my hands into fists becausepointing is rude, Evie.“Youcannotdrive like that here. You’re going to kill someone!”
He pops out of the car shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Eve. I just—that’s my rooster!” he repeats, brushing past me and heading straight for Aiden, who’s now closing up his cage, rooster safely inside.
Ryder stops in his tracks a few steps away from Aiden.
From my vantage point behind Ryder, I can only see Aiden’s face.
But it quickly morphs from one of impatience to one of wide-eyed happiness.
“Yo,” he says, a laugh bursting from his chest as he takes a few steps forward and embraces Ryder in what can only be described as abrohug, full of back slapping and shoulder knocking. “Ryder, dude, haven’t seen you inyears.”
Ryder is laughing now too. “Man, you look good. Farm life is serving you well.”
Aiden nods. “Yeah, things really worked out better than I thought they would. And I saw you’re running your dad’s company now—nice, man. I take it from the dickhead car you drive that you’re doing well too.”
Ryder nods. “Better than I thought I would. But I'm trying to do things better than he did.”
