CHAPTER 4 - BRYNN
“Why do people like road trips?” Jovie groans from the backseat, shifting uncomfortably for the third time in five minutes.
It’s been twenty-four hours since we left home yesterday, and we’ve spent at least sixteen of those sitting in this car.
The short stop at a roadside motel during the early hours of this morning did barely enough to keep us both human, so at this stage, I’m running on caffeine and pure adrenaline, while Jovie is being fueled by skittles and the fact that she has control of the music selection.
“People like road trips because they get to spend time with their families—”
“Boring,” she chimes loudly before I can finish.
“—And because they stop at a lot of places on the way. Like cool towns or landmarks they’ll never see at home,” I add with a yawn, leaning my head toward the crisp evening air spilling through the cracked window.
“Can we stop and see something cool before we get to Aunt Scarlett’s?” Jovie asks with a heavy sigh. The kind that is so thick with exhaustion and frustration that it feels like someone is reaching into my chest and wrapping their fingers around my heart.
Squeezing it.
Guilt.
That’s what it is.
Jovie puts up with a lot.
Far more than a kid her age should ever have to.
And that’s one thing I want to change.
I don’t want her to have to miss out on playing sports because we can’t afford the gear. I don’t want her to not be invited to parties because of other parents' views on our lives.
And I don’t want her to not experience seeing cool shit on a family road trip, just because I want to get to Scarlett’s and relax.
I open my mouth to tell her we’ll find a place to stay tonight and maybe do some research about interesting places we can visit before we get to Scarlett’s tomorrow, but before I can get the words out, my headlights brighten a sign up ahead.
It’s not like a normal road sign. It’s wooden and well weathered, but the bright red writing practically screams at me.
HALLOWED SPRINGS – Next Right.
Come and Learn the legend of The Devil Pools!
While The Devil Pools sound absolutely terrifying, it’s the type of dark and mysterious that is right up Jovie’s alley.
And when I see the second sign swaying in the wind just below it, I make the instant decision and flick on my blinker.
Christmas Festival on NOW!
I do some quick math in my head, adding up how much cash I have left and how much I’m expecting to hit my account tomorrow from work at the bar—reminding myself that for once, there’s no rent waiting to swallow up three quarters of it.
Fuck it.
“How do we feel about a Christmas Festival?” I ask as we approach the off-ramp, my fingers tapping on the steering wheel. Jovie sits a little taller, interested, but not convinced. I roll my eyes before adding, “and something called The Devil Pools of Hallowed Springs?”
Her eyes widen, and a smile lights up her face. “Yes!”
I barely make the turn, a couple of cars behind me holding hard on their horns, but Jovie’s excited ranting quickly drowns them out.
“What do you think that means?”
“Do you think there’s some scary story that goes with it?”
“You think they’ll let me swim in the Devil Pool?”
Personally, I can’t think of anything worse, but a smile grows on my face as I listen to Jovie’s frustration blossom into excitement as we drive the windy, tree covered backroads, following the signs for Hallowed Springs and debating about what we’re going to find there.
It’s at least thirty minutes into the mountains before a welcome sign suddenly appears, and I can see the main street up ahead, lit up with Christmas lights, and barely dusted with snow.
“Holy shit,” Jovie whispers, and I choke out a laugh.
“Hey!”
“I mean, wow!” she corrects, sitting forward so her head’s next to my shoulder, poking through the two front seats. “It’s like a Christmas card.”
We cruise down the street, careful to avoid the people who seem to be using it as a sidewalk. There are string lights draped from every surface, and every shop is open and welcoming people inside, some advertising food, while others had clothes and knick-knacks decorating their front windows.
For a heartbeat, I think we’ve driven straight into a snow globe.
“Let’s find somewhere to stay, then we can have a look around,” I say, scanning up and down the streets for motel signs, but after hitting what seems like every corner of the small town, the consensus is the same.
No Vacancy.
“Guess this festival brings in more people than I thought,” I mutter, just as my stomach rumbles. “Okay, new plan. Food first. Maybe someone at that bar we passed will know of a room we can rent out.”
I pull up across from The Gallows Tavern, and Jovie and I both groan loudly as we get out of the car and stretch our legs, but the sound quickly morphs into chattering teeth when a cool breeze kicks up.
“Definitely didn’t plan for this kind of weather,” I grumble, grabbing Jovie’s hand and hurrying across the wet street. “We need to get inside where it’s warm, or I might start thinking The Devil Pools don’t actually sound too bad.”
The exterior of the tavern is brightly lit, lights shining skyward, giving each symmetrical window a spooky shadow.
It completely fits in with the aura of the town, but they could have at least tried to make it not so gloomy.
Maybe a few hanging planters from the windows?
Something to give it a pop of color, and not the hunter green that seems to fade into the background.
Large gold letters on the hanging sign announce that we are about to enter The Gallows.
The only place that didn't look like a tourist trap.
God, I hope it's kid friendly.
A group of tourists bundled up in scarves and winter jackets fall out of the swinging doors, laughter and music drifting out after them. Jovie looks up at me with an excited smile and we duck inside—a welcome rush of heat hitting us like a slap in the face.
Every table is packed, so I usher Jovie toward the far end of the bar where there is a single stool, lifting her up onto it and wiggling in beside her.
I lean forward, looking for a staff member, only to find two very overworked servers darting between taps and trays, their faces flushed with panic.
A young girl finally comes this way and the man on the stool beside Jovie leans forward. “Finally!” he snaps, banging his palm on the bar top and almost sending the poor girl shooting straight out of her skin. “I’ve been waiting for ten minutes! You better be ready to give me a discount.”
“I’m sorry, sir!” she answers, her eyes skirting around. The poor girl is young, but when a place gets this busy and doesn’t have enough workers, it’s easy for even the most confident bar staff to lose their minds. “I just…I need to fill another order first, but I’ll be right ba—”
“Hell no!” he snaps, getting to his feet, clearly trying to intimidate her. “I told you, I’ve been waiting—”
“And she heard you,” I interrupt loudly, rounding the end of the bar to where the girl is standing.
I place myself just slightly in front of her, glancing down at her name tag before looking up again and meeting the annoying man’s dark stare.
“Unfortunately, Sarah here is busy right now serving our more polite and unproblematic patrons. I, on the other hand, am happy to deal with assholes like you, so what would you like?”
His fingers curl into meaty fists, sitting atop the bar like a silent threat.
Now, I’m generally a quiet, introverted person who likes to keep to herself.
But I’ve been working as a server since I was seventeen, and behind the bar since I was twenty-one, and there is no way in hell this guy hanging out in Christmas Village here, is scarier than the bastards who infect the place I usually work.
“I want a manager,” he hisses through his teeth, and before I can even open my mouth to comment, a shadow moves at the other end of the bar and catches my eye.
I swallow hard as the broad shoulders wrapped in worn leather turn and there’s suddenly a six-foot-something biker closing the distance between us, his eyes locked on mine as if there's not another single soul in the building. His hair is long and pulled back into a knot at the back of his head, making it easy to see the tattoos climbing the sides of his neck and disappearing down into the crisp white shirt he’s wearing.
The angry customer shifts on his feet, shrinking back a little.
“Problem?” the biker snaps, his tone rough and gravelly.
The other guy stiffens, clearing his throat. “Just waiting on some service,” he mutters, shooting me a sharp glare, as if we’re in elementary school and I’ve just tattled on him.
“Then sit your fucking ass down and wait like everyone else,” the biker orders.
He doesn’t raise his voice.
He doesn’t make a scene.
Just one quiet command and the asshole lowers himself back onto the stool, his face flushed as he grumbles something under his breath.
The biker moves his gaze to Sarah, giving her a sharp nod. “Keep going, let me know if you need help.”
“Thanks, Grizz,” she says with a tired smile before turning to me. “Thanks for having my back.”
She’s gone before I can even say you’re welcome, so I just start to back away. “Apologies, I’ll get out of—”
“You new in town?” Grizz questions, one brow raised as his eyes slide the length of my body, taking in my jeans, tank top, and thin cardigan.
I clear my throat, drawing his eyes back to mine.
Maybe a mistake, because there’s this sharpness to them that feels like they’re looking through to my damn soul. “I uh,” I say, shaking my head before trying again. “My daughter and I decided to come through here as a last minute thing. We’re hoping to stay but everywhere is full.”
He follows my eyes to where Jovie is sitting quietly, playing games on my phone, in her own little world.
“You can work a bar?”
I nod eagerly. “Yeah, have for years.”
He lifts his chin. “There’s a furnished place upstairs. It stays empty for the most part, but it’s got everything you need if you’re willing to help out here for a few days, maybe a week, or until I can get some more help.”
I suck in an excited breath, but try to play it off and pretend as if I’m not completely desperate. “So you want me to trade my hard labor dealing with guys like this,” I say, pointing to annoying bar guy. “For a roof?”
“Take it or leave it,” he answers with a shrug.
This time, I can’t fight the smile tugging at my mouth.
“Meals are included for free, and I get to keep my tips.”
He clenches his jaw and the muscle twitches before he finally gives a single, deliberate nod. “Done.”
I hold my hand out with a wide grin. “I’m Brynn.”
He takes it, his large hand wrapping around mine.
“Grizz,” he says, giving a firm squeeze that forces my heart to leap up into my throat for a second, making it hard to breathe and impossible to move until he finally speaks up again. “That your kid?”
My hand slips from his grasp, and I mentally slap myself before moving over to Jovie, plucking my phone from her hands. “This is Jovie,” I say, sliding my arm around her shoulders.
The hardness in his eyes softens just a shade as he meets her gaze. “Like Bon Jovi?”
Jovie raises a brow at him. “Who?”
I swear I see the corner of his mouth twitch, but I blink and it’s suddenly gone. “You don’t know who Bon Jovi is?”
“I’m eight,” she deadpans with a shrug.
Grizz huffs a breath out his nose, probably the closest thing to a laugh he ever gives.
“We’re gonna fix that,” he says, pointing at Jovie before turning his attention back to the busy bar I had managed to block out momentarily.
“But first, we need help getting this running a little smoother before I lose my fucking mind.”
My eyes wander across the crowd of impatient and irritated faces waiting for food and drinks. “Crap, okay,” I say, rubbing my hands together and pushing my shoulders back. “You got an apron?”
Grizz nods, but before I can move, he points toward the kitchen.
“Get some food for Bon Jovi first,” he orders, and something warm and unexpected flickers in my chest. “I’ll get what you need from out back.”
And just like that, Jovie and I have our first place together.
Just ours.
And whether it’s for a couple of nights, a week, or who the hell knows…there’s already a feeling stirring inside me. Joy, maybe. Excitement? Anticipation?
I’m not sure.
But what I do know is that maybe there is something kind of magical and mysterious about Hallowed Springs after all.