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Of course, it’s not a date. I’m not in high school, and I recovered quickly.
“I don’t get it.” Owen wrinkles his nose. “Who wants to look at this when they can look at stuff on their phone?”
“Local news is actually pretty important to the community.” Britt’s tone is gentle, like one of Owen’s teachers. “It lets you know about events that directly affect you. It keeps you informed about changes in city government, what’s happening at the schools, who’s getting married, who died… All that creates a bond in the community.”
He squints at her like he doesn’t believe her. “What does that mean?”
“Well…” She turns a page back. “See this story here about the high school bake sale? It has pictures of the students raising money and the nursing home residents happily receiving the donation. It has quotes from the teenagers and the residents. All that makes the town feel closer to each other. It establishes trust.”
“What about this one?” He turns to the front page, where a photo of Britt’s truck plowed into the phone pole is above the fold, under the headline “Courthouse Employee Arrives with a Bang.”
Her lips twist, and I almost think she’s going to laugh. “That one shows how the sheriff is very forgiving when the newest member of his team flies into town with no brakes, almost kills him and Doug, and then hits a phone pole.”
“Someone was watching over you,” I tease from where I’m taking the reheated burgers off the grill. “Do you want cheese on yours?”
“Yes, please.” She hops up, walking to where I’m placing the burgers beside toasted buns on a large platter. “These smell amazing.”
“Dad puts a secret ingredient in his burgers that makes you dream about them for weeks!” Owen skips in the middle of us, talking loudly. “Maybe I should tell Ms. Piper about that so she can put it in her paper!”
“Don’t sell my secrets to the media!” I scrub the top of his head.
“I could sell it to her?” His eyebrows rise, and Britt shakes her head, carrying the platter to the table.
“Now you’ve done it. You’ve created a monster.”
“You want another beer?” I open the outdoor refrigerator and grab one for myself.
“I’m good.” She returns to her seat beside Owen, who is arranging plates, napkins, and silverware at our three places.
It’s a crisp spring night, laced with the occasional singing of a frog from the nearby creek. Citronella lanterns and jar candles are positioned around the perimeter, and yellow lights are hidden in the rafters of the covered deck behind my house, where we’re sitting.
Twinkle lights are wrapped around the beams, and the golden glow reflects off her smooth skin, her soft, blonde hair. She’s fucking gorgeous.
“You have such a beautiful place here.” Britt looks around the backyard as I set a bowl of potato salad and another bowl of chips in the center of the table. “Should I be asking for a raise?”
“Most of this is dividends from the family business.” I take a seat across from her, twisting the top off a fresh beer, doing my best to keep my eyes from devouring her. “When Alex decided to expand the distillery, we all chipped in to get him started.”
“That’s right!” She smiles. “Stone Cold is really doing well now, isn’t it?”
“My brother might say it’s doing too well. I think he needs to hire more help.”
Owen jumps forward, grabbing a big handful of chips. “Did you know zebras communicate nonverbally?”
“Easy on the chips, little man.” I motion to his plate. “Eat your hamburger.”
“Is that true?” Britt smiles as he wiggles on the bench beside her.
He takes a huge bite of hamburger, nodding. “If they’re happy to see you, their ears go forward.” He drops the burger on his plate and demonstrates, cupping his hands on each side of his head. “But if a predator is around, they go flat against their heads.”
“Sounds like my grandmother’s cat.” Britt takes a bite of burger and makes a little noise, covering her mouth with her hand. “Oh my gosh—this is delicious! You have to tell me the secret ingredient!”
“Nope!” Owen shakes his head. “I’m selling it to Ms. Piper!”
That makes me laugh. “My little mercenary. I don’t know if it’s much of a secret. I chop up some mushrooms, add a little soy sauce and black pepper, and mix it with the ground chuck.”
“Soy sauce, of course!” Her eyes widen, and she nods. “It was so familiar, and it makes total sense.”
“Do you know why zebras are black and white?” Owen has eaten half his burger and two fists full of chips. “It’s to keep them cool in the hot sun because the white stripes reflect the heat. And it camouflages them in the tall grass!”
