lanterns and lights hanging from the posts and trees. Despite the slight chill
in the spring air, between the decorations and the people, the atmosphere was warm
and cozy. Kyla saw Rose holding court at a table with Steve, the owner of the bookstore.
Kyla had gotten to know both of them better since she’d been staying in town, and
liked them both. They were kind, caring, and great listeners, yet they didn’t pry
into Kyla’s past. Kyla giggled as Steve stood up and she saw the grass skirt he was
wearing over his khakis. Kyla was starting to fall in love with Ashten Falls, and
it had a lot to do with the people she was meeting.
“Kyla, I’m glad you came. It’s nice to see new faces sticking around town.” Kyla smiled
as Rose called out to her. She headed over and sat in the chair Steve pulled out for
her.
“We have visitors,” Maggie piped up from the nearby lounge chair she was laying out
on. “They just don’t stay. The town has to work on its marketing campaign, otherwise
we’re never going to move forward.”
“C’mon, people, let’s start eating,” Steve hollered and set down a plate full of grilled
meat on a nearby table filled with bowls of macaroni and potato salad, fruit salad,
and chips. A nearby cooler overflowed with beer, water, and soda. “And just in time
for the food, here come the boys from next door.”
Kyla looked up at that moment to see Cooper and Phil head their way, each carrying
a cooler. There were other people following whom she didn’t recognize.
Rose handed her a plate filled with food. “Well-done cheeseburger. Just how you like
it.” She was smiling and followed her gaze to the group now gathered around the food
table. “I invite the local businesses to the pool opening every year. The town is
pretty small and we all have to stick together. Cooper has a similar block party in
October, kits out the backfield and plot next door with Halloween decorations and
a haunted trail. Kids love it.”
Kyla eyed the plate in her hands with trepidation; mounds of mayonnaise-laden salads
abounded. At least there was a scoop of fruit salad, but she was pretty sure that
was bathed in what looked like marshmallows. “Thanks. It’s nice, everyone coming out
and supporting each other. Don’t see that too often.”
She was settling on the bench seat when someone was suddenly next to her, leaning
in and pushing her gently with his big shoulder. “Long time no see.” She chewed, her
eyes flicking over to Cooper before giving him a small smile.
Cooper settled on the seat next to her and dug into his food, chatting with Rose and
the others as he did. He pushed the plate away when he was finished and leaned back
a bit, casually laying the arm closest to Kyla on the back of the bench. Though she
tried not to, she flinched, which drew his curious eyes. He didn’t ask her about it,
instead adjusting his arm so his hand was more on her shoulder. And then he squeezed.
It was a gentle, warm touch that she felt all the way to her toes. When his hand slid
just as casually down her arm to rest on her hip, his fingers moved just as lightly
and gently. Kyla stared at her plate, her mind unsure what to do with it all.
After a long moment and forcing her nerves back, she relaxed. She wasn’t going to
let Frank in here. Even he couldn’t reach that far unless she let him. Kyla stole
a look at Cooper and smiled again. It was shy, but it was a smile.
“Told ya.” Maggie grinned.
Kyla stuck out her tongue at her and went about eating.
“What?” Steve looked between the two women as if they’d fallen off their rockers.
Cooper spoke up, unfazed by it all. “Don’t even try to understand it, man. It’s never
a good thing to try to figure out what women communicate about, especially when they’re
doing it without words. Whatever it is, at least they aren’t talking about clothes,
shoes, or sex. And trust me, given the
in the spring air, between the decorations and the people, the atmosphere was warm
and cozy. Kyla saw Rose holding court at a table with Steve, the owner of the bookstore.
Kyla had gotten to know both of them better since she’d been staying in town, and
liked them both. They were kind, caring, and great listeners, yet they didn’t pry
into Kyla’s past. Kyla giggled as Steve stood up and she saw the grass skirt he was
wearing over his khakis. Kyla was starting to fall in love with Ashten Falls, and
it had a lot to do with the people she was meeting.
“Kyla, I’m glad you came. It’s nice to see new faces sticking around town.” Kyla smiled
as Rose called out to her. She headed over and sat in the chair Steve pulled out for
her.
“We have visitors,” Maggie piped up from the nearby lounge chair she was laying out
on. “They just don’t stay. The town has to work on its marketing campaign, otherwise
we’re never going to move forward.”
“C’mon, people, let’s start eating,” Steve hollered and set down a plate full of grilled
meat on a nearby table filled with bowls of macaroni and potato salad, fruit salad,
and chips. A nearby cooler overflowed with beer, water, and soda. “And just in time
for the food, here come the boys from next door.”
Kyla looked up at that moment to see Cooper and Phil head their way, each carrying
a cooler. There were other people following whom she didn’t recognize.
Rose handed her a plate filled with food. “Well-done cheeseburger. Just how you like
it.” She was smiling and followed her gaze to the group now gathered around the food
table. “I invite the local businesses to the pool opening every year. The town is
pretty small and we all have to stick together. Cooper has a similar block party in
October, kits out the backfield and plot next door with Halloween decorations and
a haunted trail. Kids love it.”
Kyla eyed the plate in her hands with trepidation; mounds of mayonnaise-laden salads
abounded. At least there was a scoop of fruit salad, but she was pretty sure that
was bathed in what looked like marshmallows. “Thanks. It’s nice, everyone coming out
and supporting each other. Don’t see that too often.”
She was settling on the bench seat when someone was suddenly next to her, leaning
in and pushing her gently with his big shoulder. “Long time no see.” She chewed, her
eyes flicking over to Cooper before giving him a small smile.
Cooper settled on the seat next to her and dug into his food, chatting with Rose and
the others as he did. He pushed the plate away when he was finished and leaned back
a bit, casually laying the arm closest to Kyla on the back of the bench. Though she
tried not to, she flinched, which drew his curious eyes. He didn’t ask her about it,
instead adjusting his arm so his hand was more on her shoulder. And then he squeezed.
It was a gentle, warm touch that she felt all the way to her toes. When his hand slid
just as casually down her arm to rest on her hip, his fingers moved just as lightly
and gently. Kyla stared at her plate, her mind unsure what to do with it all.
After a long moment and forcing her nerves back, she relaxed. She wasn’t going to
let Frank in here. Even he couldn’t reach that far unless she let him. Kyla stole
a look at Cooper and smiled again. It was shy, but it was a smile.
“Told ya.” Maggie grinned.
Kyla stuck out her tongue at her and went about eating.
“What?” Steve looked between the two women as if they’d fallen off their rockers.
Cooper spoke up, unfazed by it all. “Don’t even try to understand it, man. It’s never
a good thing to try to figure out what women communicate about, especially when they’re
doing it without words. Whatever it is, at least they aren’t talking about clothes,
shoes, or sex. And trust me, given the
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