They chatted for another hour, Posy plying her with tea and gossip about various town residents. She learned that the mayor was a minotaur, that the local coven danced naked under the full moon every month, and that the grumpy rabbit Other who owned the Moonlight Tavern was something of a local legend.
“Ah yes, Ben Holloway.” Posy’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “He’s your neighbor, isn’t he?”
“How did you?—”
“Small town, remember.” The other woman leaned forward conspiratorially. “He used to be quite famous, you know. He had that band—what was it called? Something with teeth. The Gnashing? The Grinding? No, no—The Bite.”
Her mouth dropped open. “The Bite? As in, the rock band?”
They’d been big while she was in college, but she’d been too busy studying and working two jobs to pay her tuition to pay much attention. Her grumpy neighbor with his twitching ears and perpetual scowl had been a rock star?
“Why did he quit?”
“No one knows.” Posy shrugged. “He showed up here about six years ago, bought the tavern, and hasn’t picked up a guitar since. At least, not that we know about.”
“That’s kind of sad.”
“Maybe. Or maybe he’s happier now. People come to Fairhaven Falls for all sorts of reasons, but they stay because they find what they’re looking for. Even if it’s not what they expected. Have you met him yet?”
“Unfortunately.” Heat flooded her cheeks at the memory. “I was scattering bunny food in my garden.”
“Bunny food? Why?”
“Because Flora told me to!”
“Flora?” Posy’s eyes widened. “Oh, girl, you are in trouble now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Flora means well but she is?—”
“Amazing? Wonderful? The best thing since sliced bread? Not that I approve of sliced bread, but you get my meaning.”
Sara jumped as Flora swept into the store like a miniature tornado, but Posy seemed more resigned than surprised. “I should have known.”
“Whatever do you mean, dear?” Flora blinked wide, innocent eyes at Posy but the other woman just shook her head.
“Why did you tell me to put out bunny food?” Sara demanded.
Flora gave her an unrepentant grin. “It worked, didn’t it? A bunny showed up.”
“An angry bunny. He thought I was insulting him.”
“Pish, posh. He’ll get over it.” Flora picked up a vintage hat with a large purple feather and placed it at a jaunty angle over her curls. “You need to give him a chance, dear. I have a good feeling about this. And once you go bunny, you’ll never go back.”
Posy groaned as heat flooded Sara’s face, and Flora cackled.
“We should get together sometime,” Posy suggested, quickly changing the subject. “There’s a book club that meets at the library every week. You should come to our next meeting on Wednesday.”
“I’d love that,” she said, grateful for the lifeline.
“Bring your brownies,” Flora suggested, and Posy grinned.
“Definitely bring the brownies.”
She left the shop with a vintage cardigan, a promise to text Posy for the details of the meeting, and a determination to stay out of Flora’s matchmaking schemes. She still couldn’t quite believe that her grumpy neighbor had been a rock star. She tried to picture him on a stage, a guitar in his hands, screaming lyrics into a microphone, and failed completely. The Ben she’d met seemed like he’d rather chew off his own foot than perform in front of a crowd.
The walk home took her past the street leading down to Ben’s tavern by the river. She paused and studied it for a moment—warm light glowing through the windows, the sound of music and laughter drifting through the closed door. It looked unexpectedly inviting, but she kept walking.
