Page 76 of Cookout Carnage
‘Look, there’s nothing in Midway. It’s dull,’ she said, flapping her arms. ‘And you’re wearing a vest,’ she concluded, as if that made her argument irrefutable.
Tristan reached for her, but she stepped back and stared at the sidewalk.
‘Hot Sauce, I’ve only seen places like this in the movies. To me, everything here is interesting. I want to see where you grew up, learn more about you.’ He cleared his throat. ‘I think you’re incredible.’
Well, shit. Her purse vibrated and she pulled out her phone.
Amy: Get off the street. Museum is ready. I can’t stop Mrs. Jeffries leaving.
‘Is everything okay?’ Tristan asked.
‘Yeah, come on.’ She strode away from the diner, beckoning him to follow. ‘I’ll take you on a tour of Main Street, then we’ll go to the museum.’
He jogged after her. ‘The Midway Museum?’
‘What?’
‘I googled things to do here. It was top of the list.’
Sherilyn didn’t break stride. ‘It’s shut.’
‘Tomorrow then?’
She shook her head. ‘They’re renovating. We’re going to a different one.’
‘Oh, okay.’ He slowed as they approached the ice cream parlour. ‘Can we get ice cream?’
Sherilyn sped up. The couple who ran it kneweveryonein Midway. ‘Um. We can’t.’
Tristan caught her up. ‘Why not?’
‘Shit!’
‘What?’
‘Oh, um, sorry! Not shit, um, salmonella. Yes! Salmonella. They had an outbreak yesterday.’
‘Oh, okay.’
Next was an independent bookstore, famous throughout Rockcastle County. She could see his head turning to look.
‘Is this—’
‘Book lice.’
‘Are they dangerous?’
Sherilyn shuddered as she imagined Mrs. Thomas’s face beholding Tristan as if he was the reincarnation of Mr. Darcy.
‘Erm, kind of. You’ll be itching for days.’
He pulled a face. ‘Okay, not there then. How about the general store?’
Fuck, fuck, fuck! ‘Bedbugs.’
‘What is it about America and bedbugs? Did you bring them from Chicago?’
She let out a hysterical laugh, then clamped her mouth shut. Every person in every establishment knew her parents and who she was. This was impossible. She kept walking.
