I knew coming out of my reclusive stage was going to be a bad idea.
“I’m Alice and this is Mabel, and we play gin rummy with your father. We’ve been waiting for you to come out of that little house of yours. We were about to go knocking and bring you a casserole. Of course, we can still bring you one, dear,” Alice, the redhead, says.
I open my mouth, not even sure how to respond, when a shadow falls over our table.
“Ladies.” He nods. “I know you’re not over here disturbing this nice woman’s workday, right?”
The two interferers gasp and clutch their imaginary pearls.
“Why, we would never!” Mabel says, positively aghast. It’s comical, but I roll my lips inward to hide it.
“How about you two head up to the counter and ask Kelly for some fries on the house? Tell her I said it was a treat.” I’ve never seen middle-aged women get up sofast in my life.
The chuckle I’ve been straining to hold in bursts out, and the man who saves me joins in.
“Sorry about them. They’re nosey as hell. I’m Arlo, the sheriff in town.” He holds out his hand for me to shake.
“Ainsley, thanks for the save.”
“Not a problem. I’m usually around, so if anyone gives you trouble, just come find me. Most people don’t seem to understand that people come to places to work sometimes, and it’s not always social hour.”
I smile at him. He’s not flirting, just being genuine. “They don’t know any better, unfortunately. Most people have never been outside of Bluebell Falls. But I appreciate you looking out for me. I should probably head out, anyway. It seems like there won’t be much work getting done here.” I look around and find almost every head in the place turned my way.
He nods, then steps back, letting me clammer from the old, sunken booth.
Grabbing my computer and throwing a ten-dollar bill on the table for taking up space and the soda, I make my way home.
My thoughts wander back to my earlier thoughts of being happy. I pull out my phone and text Larkin as I walk home.
Me:
There is something in the water here. It’s slowly poisoning everything I thought I wanted in life.
Larkin:
That’s very dramatic for ten in the morning.
Me:
If it’s accurate, it’s not really dramatic, now is it?
Larkin:
I feel like Gavin could handle this conversation better than me right now.
Me:
No, he would just tell me he has actual problems in school and I shouldn’t complain so much.
Larkin:
…
Me:
Rude… Here I was, trying to get some advice from my favorite sister, and she’s throwing me under the bus like this?
Larkin:
