"This is pathetic," I tell my phone, which unhelpfully displays my analytics. The moose video hit 2.3 million views. Comments range from "Morris is my spirit animal" to "Girl, get that grumpy neighbor's number." If only they knew I'd already fumbled that particular play.
My phone buzzes with a text from Jax.
Jax: Game Friday at 7. You should come. Town tradition. Plus Dotty makes hot chocolate that could end wars.
A hockey game. Where Ryder will be. Where I'll be the city girl sitting in the stands watching him skate while he pretends I don't exist.
Perfect.
My thumbs move before my brain can stop them.
Me: I don't know anything about hockey.
Jax: Even better. Your reactions will be genuine. Great content.
Me: Sold.
I set my phone down and return to editing, but my mind's already racing. What does one wear to a small-town hockey game? My usual influencer aesthetic feels wrong here—too polished, too manufactured. These people want authentic, and after three days in Ashwood Falls, I'm starting to understand the difference between content and connection.
The Ashwood Café is packed when I arrive an hour later, my camera bag slung over my shoulder and my "Casual Alaska Chic" outfit carefully assembled to look effortless. Dotty spots me immediately, her rainbow scarf today featuring penguins in sunglasses.
"There's my favorite influencer!" She's already pulling shots before I reach the counter. "Regular mocha or are we feeling adventurous?"
"Surprise me."
"Dangerous words in a coffee shop, honey." But her eyes twinkle as she starts creating something that involves way more syrups than seems structurally sound.
I settle into the same window spot from yesterday, where the morning sun hits perfectly for filming, and pull out my equipment. The morning crowd flows around me—a mix of flannel-clad locals and what Dotty calls "ice fishing tourists." Everyone seems to know everyone else—names called across tables, inside jokes I don't get yet, the kind of easy familiarity I've only ever performed for content.
"You're coming Friday, right?"
I look up to find an older woman with silver hair styled in what can only be described as a weaponized bouffant. She's wearing a Wolves jersey that's been modified with rhinestones.
"I'm Diane," she announces, sliding into the seat across from me without invitation. "Team grandmother. Also town gossip, church organist, retired schoolteacher, café regular, and winner of last year's chili cook-off despite Frank's accusations of foul play."
"Piper. And yes, I'm coming Friday. Jax invited me."
"Jax invites everyone. I'm the one who makes sure you sit in the right section." She leans in conspiratorially. "You're going to want to be near the glass for the first period. That's when Ryder does his thing."
"His thing?"
"You'll see." She winks. "That boy's been carrying a lot of pressure lately. Scouts in the building, future on the line, and now there's a pretty girl next door who he can't seem to stop rescuing." Her gaze sharpens. "You are pretty, aren't you? Not just the camera angles?"
I blink. "I... thank you?"
"Don't thank me yet. Small towns are tricky for outsiders. We've got our ways, our people. But Dotty likes you, andDotty's judgment is better than most." She stands, adjusting her bedazzled jersey. "Friday. Section C, row 4. I'll save you a seat. Don't be late—parking fills up fast."
She's gone before I can respond, leaving me staring after her and wondering what exactly I've agreed to.
Dotty appears with my drink—some kind of mocha situation topped with whipped cream and what appears to be edible glitter. "Diane ambush you?"
"Is that what that was?"
"That's love in Diane-speak. She's claimed you." Dotty sets down the mug painted with what looks like a bedazzled hockey stick. "Fair warning: once Diane claims you, you're part of the town whether you like it or not. There's no escape."
"I'm only here temporarily," I say, the words automatic. "Just until I figure out my next move. Get some content, reboot my brand?—"
"Uh huh." Dotty's expression suggests she's heard this before. "That's what Tessa said when she moved here three years ago to 'escape Florida temporarily.' Now she runs the town's social media and is married to Gage Bennett. Sometimes temporary becomes permanent when you're not paying attention."
