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“It’s a nice place. Not as nice as our hometown, of course.”
They drove into a main street, and she got her first glimpse of Ryker Falls. The shops were cute, and she thought maybe it was less cluttered than Lyntacky and classier, but she kept that to herself. The street had ornate lamps dotted down it. Leafy green trees provided shade for the seats underneath.
“It’s a more polished version of Lyntacky,” Brody said.
“You hush your mouth, boy,” Sheriff Dans said.
“Asher, you know it for the truth,” Robyn Duke said. “We love our town, and it’s quaint, but it’s got so much stuff all over the place, and none of it matches.”
“And don’t get me started on the signs. Some hand drawn, others painted. It’s not aesthetically pleasing,” Brody said.
“You don’t know squat about aesthetics,” Sawyer said.
“They have weird customs here like us,” the sheriff said before Brody could speak.
“No one is as weird as us,” Ally said. “The square dancing is pretty crazy.”
“True,” everyone agreed.
She saw a store called The Chocolate Place, which if she had time, Birdie was going to investigate. Then she saw the teacup in the window of a place called Tea Total.
“These shops look good, don’t you think, Ally?”
“If you go to The Chocolate Place, go to Tea Total too,” Ally said. “It’s a rule Autumn said because when The Chocolate Place opened, the Tea Total owners got piss—”
“Do not finish that word,” Sawyer said.
“Annoyed that it was competition,” Ally said.
Birdie giggled.
“It’s not funny. She has a foul mouth,” Sawyer said.
“You and your brothers all swear,” Birdie said.
“And have earned the right because we’re adults. Ally is a child.” He frowned, his dark brows meeting in the middle.
“Are you always angry and grumpy?”
“Yes,” came the reply from everyone in the van, except the driver, who didn’t know him yet.
Sawyer raised his middle finger, shielding it from Ally.
They drove down the street, and Birdie studied everything she saw. This might be the only time she got to visit Ryker Falls, so she was taking it all in.
“How come you’ve never traveled or left home before?” Sawyer asked her.
“I’ve been a few places,” Birdie replied. “How come you’re such a bear?”
He shut up. When they passed through a set of impressive stone pillars, the breath literally caught in Birdie’s throat. The building before them was huge, a sprawling place in wood and stone. She’d seen nothing like it before.
Climbing out of the van, Birdie took in everything she could see. Two huge mountains stood sentry over the small town.
“Those are called Phil and Roxy, apparently. The founding fathers of this place had twins, and they are named after them,” Sheriff Dans said.
“It’s a beautiful sight.”
“It is. Come on, let’s get checked in.”
