Fauxmance in the Falls (Devon Falls Book 1) by J.E. Birk

Author:J.E. Birk [Birk , J.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Maple Mountains Press
Published: 2023-04-19T16:00:00+00:00

“Honey, are you okay? You’re doing that thing with your face that makes you look like you just ate Ellie’s goulash,” Mom says to me as we slide into a pew next to Ellie, Henri, and Harry, who’s already nodded off against a stack of hymnals and a program with a #transrightsarehumanrights sticker across the front.

“My goulash is excellent!” Ellie tells her, clearly affronted.

“Tell that to the forty people who got food poisoning after the last church potluck dinner,” Henri mumbles.

“My oven was acting up,” Ellie defends herself. “But Jack, you do look a bit like you took a bite of something rancid—definitely not my goulash—before you joined us here today. That wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that my opposing counsel was pacing the town hall in circles and talking to himself when I stopped over to pick up my shoes on the way here?”

“You had to pick up your shoes at the town hall?” Henri asks.

“Amelia insisted I wear them into the building today.” Ellie sighs. “I simply cannot convince her that a church which considers itself open and inclusive should be willing to cater to attendees who prefer not to wear footwear. Or garments in general.”

Mom coughs.

“Anyhoo,” says Ellie, “spill the tea. What’s going on?”

“I don’t understand that expression,” says Henri. “What tea? Why would I want to spill my tea? I don’t go around trying to spill anything.”

“Oh, it means to share the gossip,” Mom tells her. “I finally asked one of the Ryker kids what it meant when they kept saying it at the office. I thought they were thirsty or something. Oh! And I finally found out what ‘sus’ means!”

“I’m going to get some fruit punch,” I mumble, and I slide quickly off the bench and into the crowd of other people trying to get to the punch and cookies table in the back. Amelia used to have the snacks served after the service, but then someone accidentally put them out ahead of time and we all quickly discovered that sitting in a building with questionable heating and air conditioning for an hour is a lot more enjoyable if sugar and carbs are involved.

I smile and nod hello back at faces I barely see as I make my way to the punch. I’m in the middle of pouring my second cup—and why adding fizz to liquid sugar is so delicious is something that I understand scientifically but still never cease to be amazed by—when someone taps me on my shoulder. I turn to find Ellie standing behind me.

“You heard him talking to his grandfather too, I’m guessing?”

My eyes widen, and she quickly gestures for me to follow her outside. We step out into the mid-fall clouds of northern Vermont as organ music begins to swell inside the doors behind us.

“You heard that?” I ask.

“First time I tried to get the shoes,” she says quietly. “I left to give him some space and came back later. I assume you were there in the interim?”

“Must be,” I mutter.

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