“My car is in the lot, but for now we can walk. It’ll help steady you,” Jill said.
“I’m okay now,” Presley said, hitching her bag higher on her shoulder. The ramp led to a road with homes and green space. Obviously, they’d driven right by this area on the day she arrived, but none of it looked familiar.
They walked along the sidewalk with the sun hitting their shoulders.Presley tipped her head up. The water was now on her right, small, single-family homes on her left. Other than bird squawks, boat motors humming in the distance, and their feet hitting the concrete, the world was… quiet. Peaceful.Odd.Presley was one of those people who loved the sound of traffic, the chatter of people. But this was nice, too.
Jill pointed to the crosswalk. “We’ll head up this way. Are you hungry? Middle Street hosts street markets every week, so there’s lots of options.”
A small laugh left her throat. “Middle Street?”
Jill nodded. “Yes. It’s a contentious topic in town.” They crossed the street. “When Smile was smaller, two roads up was the middle of town. The whole place was only five blocks each way.”
“It’s literally the middle of the town?”
Jill laughed. “Exactly. Or it was. It grew, with Ernest Simel buying up more land. Half the town wants to change the name to something different, but the other half says if they do that, we might as well just call it Simel as it was meant to be, and then that stirs up a whole other hive of bees.”
Presley laughed at the expression. Sure enough, one street over and the town came alive.
Booths and people filled both sides of the street that was cordoned off with long sawhorses much like the one she’d painted on. Music pumped from tall speakers that were set up farther down in front of the General Store. An actual general store.
“Oh, this is wonderful,” Presley said, pulling her phone out to take pictures.
Turned out, the street market was more than just a chance for the town to socialize. Whatever people created, baked, cooked, or barbecued was offered at the kiosks lining the sidewalks. People walked down the center of the street, ambling back and forth from one side to another, chatting and shopping, snacking and sharing. Children chased each other, couples kissed and held hands, neighbors and friends visited. It was like walking through the set of a Hallmarkmovie. And she’d know, as she had the chance to do that once when they filmed one near her work. The hotel was in the background of several scenes.
People called out to Jilly. She waved and kept walking. “If we stop, we’re stuck. I love it here, but no one can chat like the folks in Smile. They’ll give you their life history if you ask their name. You got off lucky with Gramps because he had to go help with the boats.”
Presley snapped dozens of photos. She’d post some later, but for now, she wanted to capture everything. For herself. As they neared the General Store, the music got louder, but she managed to overhear bits and pieces of conversation. Nothing showed a town’s heart like the people in it. That got lost in big cities like Great Falls, but there were always pockets just like this one.
“Jill!” someone called through the crowd.
A tall, broad-shouldered man made his way over to them. He was dressed in a soft blue sweater and khaki pants. Presley immediately pegged him as a professor or a lawyer. It was a little game she played with her staff during check-ins.
“Graham,” Jill said when he stopped in front of them.
“Hi. How are you?” He shifted his shopping bags and leaned in for an awkward hug that Jill returned.
“I’m good,” she said when she pulled back.
“We were just talking about you at the office,” Graham said, glancing at Presley.
“I’m so sorry. Where are my manners? Presley, this is Graham. He’s a senior accountant where I work.”
Accountant. Lawyer. Close enough. She was giving herself the point. “Nice to meet you. You’re on leave, right?” Presley asked Jill.
“She is. We’re all eagerly awaiting her return,” Graham said.
Presley got the distinct impression that Graham, in particular, might be the most eager.
“I can’t leave Gray during the summer. I’m due back at the end of September,” Jill said.
“I need to check out the lodge one day. I haven’t been over there since I was a kid,” Graham said.
He reminded her a bit of Emmett. He didn’t look like an outdoorsy guy, but Presley was learning first impressions didn’t always tell the whole story.
“Well, it was nice to see you,” Jill said, sidestepping his suggestion to check out the lodge. “Say hi to everyone for me.”
“Will do. Nice to meet you, Presley.”
“You, too.”
