“I don’t know if his name will tell you anything, but it’s Mark.”
“The firefighter Mark?” I feel my brows disappearing into my hairline.
“Yes. You know him?” She squints her eyes at me suspiciously, and I have to chuckle. Small-town citizens are protective of their own.
“Actually, I do.” I run my fingers over the smooth surface. “I’m staying at their house. His girlfriend Alicia is my best friend.”
“Right!” She snaps her fingers, probably remembering some rumors. “You’re that fancy big-city designer everyone is talking about.”
A-a-and I was right. Somehow, it didn’t sound flattering the way she said it.
“Everyone’s talking about me?”
“Small town.” She shrugs her shoulders with a vague smile I totally get. “How can I help you, Josie?”
I didn’t tell her my name, and the question must be written all over my face because she laughs. “You’re the talk of the town. We love newcomers because the gossip leaves locals alone.”
“A-a-ah,” I hum knowingly. I’m all too familiar with that.
“So?” She lifts her brows, reminding me of the question she asked.
“Right.” I clear my throat. “I’m looking for a room.”
Her face instantly falls, as if she expected me to borrow some milk and sugar at night because that’s why people come to hotels. “Oh, I’m sorry, but we don’t have a vacancy.”
I level her with a stare. “Is it because I’m an alien?”
“Are you?” she asks in a conspiratorial voice, leaning her head closer. She places a warm smile on her face when she doesn’t see me responding to what’s supposed to be a joke because I’m not in the mood for it. “No, don’t even think like that. We’re just having a theme week.”
“A theme week?” I parrot, blinking slowly—my mind is not fast enough to process riddles today.
“Yeah. It’s the wizarding week,” she explains shyly and looks at the slightly lit hallway where she probably came from like a silent ghost.
Well, that explains her outfit. Living in New York taught me not to judge people by their clothes, so her pointy witchy hat and long mantle weren’t the first things I focused on. The gorgeous coffee table next to the couches and that amazing accent table by the wall were the first things for me.
“Okay.” I tap my fingers on my thigh. “Maybe you can give me a call when you have something available? I’ll be staying for a while.”
“Sure, what’s your number?”
I give her the digits as she puts them in her phone, and then ask her, “Can I use your phone to call for a taxi? I don’t have mine on me.”
“Oh, Josie,” her face saddens instantly, “we don’t have a taxi here.”
“At all?” I can almost feel my face falling as the tips of my lips and eyes turn down, I swear.
“Well, we kind of do, two drivers, actually.” She giggles as her cheeks pinken a bit, making me think she knows themverywell. “But today is Thursday, so they all work in Springfield now since locals use taxis only on the weekends sometimes. Or neighbors.” She brings her finger up in the air. “They’d rather use neighbors as taxis.” She looks so guilty like she herself shaved me bald without my permission.
“It’s okay,” I sigh. It’s not. How will I get to Alicia’s house? How is the walk? And how long will it take to get there without shoes? Double the time, I guess, if I try to avoid sharp objects and not freeze my feet to black chunks that might fall off tomorrow.
“Why do you need a taxi though?” she asks, tilting her head slightly.
“To get to my friend’s house.”Duh, lady. You don’t have a place for me.
“Why can’t the sheriff drive you?” Her forehead wrinkles, even though I don’t know why she’d be so surprised that a local officer is not at my call at all times.
“Sheriff?”
“Yes, he’s there.” She points outside, the bracelets on her wrist clicking together. “Surely, he can give you a ride. He’s very protective and won’t leave you on the street at night.”
