Page 24 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

Kaylee wanted to shake her head, but instead, she just smiled with her jaw clenched, and Josie turned back to Rick, talking about where he lived, what he did.

“I work in law enforcement in Northern California.”

“Is it pretty dangerous up there?”

“Sometimes. We have a group of men who are under investigation for drug running, racketeering, murder, and a host of other offenses, but we can’t build a case against them.”

Kaylee stiffened, imagining wrapping her hand around his neck.

“Why not?” Josie asked.

“They’re good at hiding their crimes, and a lot of witnesses won’t come forward.”

Rick shot her a pointed look that Josie missed, and Kaylee rubbed her cheek with her middle finger, irate when he smirked in response.

Josie, oblivious to their silent exchange, clicked her tongue. “Oh, that’s awful.”

“It really is.” When Rick glanced over his shoulder again, Kaylee dragged her finger across her throat, and this time, he barely managed to cover his laughter with a cough.

“Are you alright?” Josie asked.

“Yeah, just a catch in my throat,” he said, ignoring Kaylee’s snort. “Anyway, enough shoptalk. Tell me what to expect from this meeting. Are they like the ones on Gilmore Girls?”

“I’m sorry, you watch Gilmore Girls?” Kaylee scoffed.

Rick turned a hurtful gaze her way. “Yes, it’s my comfort show. What, because I’m a man, I can’t watch a female-led show and enjoy it?” He had the nerve to tsk at her. “Really, Kaylee, we took the same gender studies course. I didn’t expect you to be sexist.”

Kaylee’s hands balled into fists. “I’m not sexist! I just thought you preferred more action and less drama.”

“Why can’t I enjoy both?”

They rounded the corner, and the Grange came into sight, a long, rectangular, white building with concrete steps and a metal railing leading the way inside. Kaylee trailed behind as they made their way to their preferred spot in the back. Although she wanted to sit next to Josie, she found herself alongside Rick, who had settled in between them in the bench seat. The place was packed with people, filling nearly every row, and the mayor, Barnabus Crutch, stood behind the podium, speaking to Chief Desante.

Before Josie dragged her to one of Holiday’s town meetings for the first time, she had seen them on TV but had never attended one in person. It wasn’t just a few people who showed up, but the entire town flooding into a building large enough to house the fifteen hundred or so residents. They usually started by going through the new business of upcoming events and activities, followed by townspeople grievances, which was when the meetings usually spun out of control.

“Want some popcorn?” Josie asked, holding out the bag to Rick and Kaylee.

She took a handful while Rick shook his head and muttered, “No, thank you.”

“This meeting will come to order!” Barnabus called out, and the conversations died slowly. “First, I’d like to discuss the Potato Lights Spectacular and ask that we have no shenanigans this year. We don’t need a whipped cream cannon being launched—”

A man with long brown hair, thick glasses, and a beard jumped to his feet. “It was a science experiment gone wrong!”

Barnabus shot him a withering glance. “Mr. Turner, I was just using that as an example of one of the disasters we’ve experienced during this event. I understand you and your science club were trying to do something interesting, but sometimes, tradition is important.”

Mr. Turner mumbled something about “shoving tradition up his wahooza,” and Kaylee giggled.

Rick glanced over at her and hiked his brows. “Are you laughing at that poor man?”

“No,” she said defiantly, popping a piece of chocolatey popcorn in her mouth, rolling the sweet and salty taste with her tongue. “I’m laughing at ‘wahooza.’”

The mayor cleared his throat. “Now, back to the ceremony— Yes?”

Another man stood. He had tossed sandy-colored hair, and Josie groaned, leaning over Rick to whisper, “I really hate this douchebag.”

“Why?” Rick asked.

Kaylee elbowed him. “Shh.”