“He saved my life!” I prop myself up on the counter across from her.
“You are so dramatic.” Her tone is scolding but there’s a familiar nostalgia in her grin. “You’ve always been dramatic.”
“I just want to be swept off my feet in a grand romantic love story. What’s so dramatic about that?” I sigh longingly.
“Of course, you deserve a romance.” Lucy swirls her wine carefully in her glass. “I just think maybe a big dramatic story is more than you bargained for.”
“Would you like some of my stir fry? Or are you just drinking in the kitchen to pester me?” I tease.
“Just here to pester.” She reaches for her bottle of wine.
“You’ve been having a lot of liquid dinners lately.”
“Have I?” Lucy asks, one eyebrow raised, she smiles widely, her bright white teeth stained red. “Thank you for the judgement, judgy-McJudge-face.”
“What I mean is, if you aren’t eating with me? Then who have you been eating with?” I ask, throwing the rest of my green beans into the frying pan.
“Whoever I want.” She smirks and then picks up her wine, spins on her heels and heads for the living room.
Chapter Two
Iget a chance to see Eggward again a couple days later, when his grocery order comes through. Ghostlight Falls grocery is in a relatively small building, but part of it may as well exist in another dimension, the inside is expansive. Everything in Ghostlight is weird, even the grocery store. With a whole section devoted to Sasquatch hair care, and a deli counter that sells suspiciously shaped packages of meat.
“Don’t you think it’s odd that he gets his stuff delivered? The place is so close.” Jace, an old friend who now manages the grocery store, suggests while I collect items from Eggward’s order.
“Some people think your hatred of dogs is odd.” I tease. “Isn’t everyone in Ghostlight odd?” Jace questioning Eggward’s choices makes me feel more protective than when Lucy does it.
“He lives so close. Why not just walk over here himself?” Jace narrows his eyes in the direction of the chicken rescue, despite the several rows of groceries and the wall blocking his view.
“Maybe he doesn’t like going out in the daytime. I hardly ever see him around.” I shrug. Jace, Lucy, and I used to hang out every summer. Our trio was practically inseparable for three months out of the year. Hanging out with Jace lately feels—different. But Jace is the person who got me this job, which I’m so grateful for. Ghostlight felt like my last possible option, and coming back here after years away feels like a warm hug.
“I don’t like him.” Jace finally grumbles the truth.
“Well, then why don’t I do this delivery?” I suggest brightly. “So that you don’t have to go over there.”
“That’s not your job.” Jace protests.
“I don’t mind.” I say, grabbing the rest of the items so that Jace has to walk quickly to keep up with me.
“You’re supposed to be on the register today.”
“You don’t want me on the register.” I keep my voice peppy. “I always get the change wrong anyway.”
Jace’s thick eyebrows furrow, but he doesn’t argue with me. Hecan’targue with that.
“It’ll only take me a moment! I’ll be right back.” I march toward the door with the order in my hands. “Eggward saved my life, I’d like a chance to say thank you properly.”
Jace clearly doesn’t want me to go, but can’t seem to bring himself to shout the word ‘stop’ out loud. Sometimes walking with confidence and forcing people to tell you ‘no’ can get you places.
The chicken rescue has a couple of close set buildings. It could use some sprucing. The coop is a wooden barn in the rear, with a covered fenced-in chicken run behind that. In the front sits a smaller green office building. The paint is peeling in places, the curtains drawn, the lights are off. The place has a slightly ominous feel.
I take two deep breaths to settle my nerves before I lift my hand to knock on the front door. There’s no answer. I wait, grocery bags in hand for a few long moments. Another time I might just leave the delivery on the front porch and head back to work, but a gentle clucking at my feet pulls my attention down.
“Hello again.” I recognize Alice immediately, she’s pecking gently at my shoes. “You manage to escape the coop again already?”
Alice chirps excitedly at me, clearly interested in continuing the conversation. I adjust my packages so I can lean down to scratch her head.
“What are you doing here?” Eggward’s voice appears behind me.
