Chapter 1
Simone
Stop looking at me like that.” I look down to find Tito’s small furry head tilted to the side, looking at me with concern.
My shop is empty. Not only is it empty today, but it’s been empty since I opened over a week ago.
At first, I thought it was just folks not knowing what I offered.
So after going around to businesses during the end-of-summer festival, I thought I would have more business, but nope.
Tito whines at me, suddenly jumping up, barely reaching my knee, and wagging his little stumpy tail furiously. I reach down to pat his head. “I know, buddy, I know.”
To make matters worse, the computers I do have on display have been glitchy all week, and even though I’m supposed to be some kind of computer genius, I can’t figure out what’s wrong with them.
The one I’ve got on the counter is doing some funky shit, and just as I’m about to pull a component out to clean it and see if that fixes it, another computer against the wall starts acting up.
“Okay, seriously?” I say to the empty shop. Stomping over there, I crawl under the table to unplug the unit entirely, when the bell over the door rings, causing me to knock my head against the table in my eagerness to see who it is. “Ow, shit!” Nice, Simone. Way to be professional.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and see warm, toffee eyes looking at me with concern. Her face is familiar.
“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, I did not mean to startle you. Are you okay?” She gushes.
I rub my head where it bonked against the table, but don’t feel any pain. “I think I’m good, my braids probably cushioned it!” I say, chuckling at my joke. I hold out my hand, and she takes it instantly. “I’m Simone, welcome to my shop, how can I help you?”
“Oh, I know who you are! You came into my boyfriend's restaurant during the festival to see if he would be up to getting a system in. He’s super excited about that, by the way. I’m Amaya!
I’m new in town as well and just wanted to check and see how you were and how everything is going, and see the store, of course! ”
I’m blinking rapidly, trying to catch up with her mile-a-minute way of speaking, but Amaya’s face is so sincere and lovely that it’s hard not to like her immediately. Plus, she’s been the only person to come in and welcome me to town, and she isn’t even from here!
“That’s so nice, Amaya. I appreciate the welcome. I was starting to feel like maybe people were giving me the cold shoulder or something,” I pause, gauging her reaction.
“You know, everyone is genuinely super nice and helpful, I just think it’s the lack of tech knowledge. I mean, have you met Mrs. Ames, the woman who runs the hotel? She literally has a rotary phone sitting on the front desk, and logs her customers in a paper book!” She is giggling now.
I sigh with relief, that it's not me, it’s fear of tech keeping people away.
“I did go visit her, actually, and she seemed super hesitant, but curious. I think you’re right, fear of the unknown and all that.
Hey, speaking of the unknown, the cabin I’m staying in has an ancient water heater, and I think something is wrong with it.
The property manager said the part has been on hold for months from Bozeman, but I was hoping someone around here might have it lying around. Any idea who I might go to for that?”
“Oooh, you definitely need hot water, my boyfriend said the weather is going to get freezing soon. But I don’t know anyone.
Kate, the manager for the bookstore, might.
She’s lived here since she was a teen. Wanna walk over and ask her?
” She wiggles her eyebrows at me. “She has pie, and I think a pie break is just what is needed.”
I laugh. “I would love some pie. Would she mind if Tito tags along? He’s attached to me and will cry if I leave him.” I gesture to Tito, who has been sitting between us, watching our conversation like one might watch a tennis match.
Amaya bends down, ruffling Tito’s white fur. “Of course he can come!”
A short walk down the sidewalk leads us to the bookstore, which I had wanted to stop at during the festival, but didn’t get a chance to.
Plus, their booth was mobbed with people grabbing books and pie at the time.
We enter the cozy space to find two women laughing by the register, one with satiny brown skin like mine and coily hair piled on her head in a bun, and the other wearing an eccentric tie-dye sweater and jeans with long flowing, wavy white hair.
“Amaya!” The woman with coily hair exclaims. They hug as I stand awkwardly to the side. “It’s so good to see you!”
“It’s good to see you, too, Kate.” She turns to me.
“This is Simone, she just moved in a few weeks ago and owns the computer shop down the street. And this is Tito! Simone, this is Kate, she manages the store, and this is Merna, she works here and is also in charge of the Crescent Coven witchy book club!”
Kate and Merna wave to me and Tito. “It’s so nice to meet you both. This store is awesome! Amaya said that you might know someone who sells a part I need for my ancient water heater that’s been acting up? It’s on hold from Bozeman, but who knows how long it will actually be.”
“I do know someone. His name is Dravik, and he owns a junkyard on the outskirts of town with all sorts of stuff. I bet he would probably have it.” I notice Merna gives Kate a look, but Kate doesn’t see it.
“I’d be grateful for his phone number so I can give him a call.”
“Oh, he doesn’t have a phone,” Merna says suddenly, the look on her face hard to read. “You’ll have to drive over and see him.”
“Sure, I can do that,” I give her a grateful smile.
“Well, he loves dogs, so be sure to bring Tito, that’ll warm him up.” Merna winks at me.
I’m getting the feeling this dude doesn’t like to be bothered, which makes sense as his place is on the outskirts of town, but he's just gonna have to deal with me stopping by. There is no way I am gonna make it here without some hot water!