Page 27 of Haunted Spurs

STOLEN SHOT IN ELM HOLLOW: TEMPERATURES RISING (AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER)

The Elm Hollow Gazette newsroom can confirm a sudden heatwave hitting the ranches south of town.

The culprits? Two specific denim-clad emergencies.

Fire Chief Levi and our beloved Cowboy Ron Willers were spotted in the middle of a grueling session of agricultural labor. Both shirtless, dripping with sweat, and busy hauling bales of hay.

Witnesses report biceps in scandalous condition, abs not authorized by the town council, and looks of intense concentration capable of short-circuiting more than a few passing citizens.

Traffic on the adjacent dirt road has mysteriously increased by 300%.

The newsroom advises caution, blasting your AC, and staying hydrated to avoid a nervous breakdown.

[Below it, a crystal-clear photo.]

Fuck.

I nearly choke on the wine. I take a massive gulp, trying to swallow down the surge of lust that just completely flooded me.

"Well..." Carolina comments, tapping her ring-studded finger against the rim of her glass with a wicked smile. "The guys around here are definitely not sexy at all, huh?" Then she whips around to face the blonde. "Emma, honey, when are you going to make your move on the fireman? That guy is so obviously into you."

Emma turns even redder, if physically possible, mumbling something incomprehensible into the rim of her glass.

Then, Carolina turns to me. Her eyes are sparkling. "By the way, Selene... the other cowboy in the photo is yours! I mean, the one you're doing the reality show with. Are you guys a thing?" she winks.

Oh, dammit.

Now I'm actually choking on my wine. The air gets trapped in my lungs and I start coughing convulsively, doubling over, my eyes watering.

"Carol!" Indya scolds her, her eyes wide. She drops her phone and rushes to the open kitchen, pouring some water into a glass before handing it to me.

I take a sip of water, trying to scrape together some semblance of dignity as I wipe the corner of my mouth.

"Oh! I'm taking that reaction as a massive yessss!" Carolina cheers, bouncing on her toes.

"NO!" I croak, my voice still raspy from the coughing fit. I straighten up, shooting her a withering glare. "We are absolutely not a thing."

"No?" Emma chimes in mischievously. "And yet... I'm pretty sure I saw him at your book club."

I narrow my eyes, aiming my serial-killer glare right at the blonde. Emma, whose side are you on? Et tu, Brute?

"Yeah," I shoot back with fake innocence, "exactly like I'm pretty sure I saw Levi there, too."

It's a low blow, but a perfect one. Emma's eyes go wide as she gasps for air, while Indya and Carolina burst into a booming laugh that fills the living room.

And, without me being able to stop or control it, a genuine, spontaneous smile slips out, and I find myself laughing with them.

Am I... having fun?

Two hours, a lot of popcorn, and almost three bottles of wine later, Carolina's living room is plunged into darkness, illuminated only by the cold, flickering flashes from the TV screen.

We're all scattered on the floor, sinking into the fluffy pillows. On screen, the classic, inevitable storm is raging over an isolated cabin in the woods. Lightning splits the sky, and the massive figure of the killer suddenly appears behind the glass door, his face hidden by a blank, white plastic mask.

"Ah!"

Emma lets out a high-pitched shriek, grabbing a pillow and pressing it to her face, sending a handful of popcorn flying across the rug.

Audrey, lying comfortably on her stomach with her chin resting in her hands, bursts out laughing. "Emma, sweetie," she teases gently, "can you please explain to me why the hell you signed up for a haunted house casting if you jump out of your skin at the sound of the wind?"