Magenta was in Belle Musique.

Unbelievable. What were the odds? I was stunned by her brief appearance, so brief I wondered if I’d imagined it after spending more than twenty four hours straight on the road.

“Don’t mind Mags, she’s bent out of shape because I didn’t tell her I rented out one of the rooms. She’ll calm down and get over it soon.” Somehow I doubted that. I hadn’t seen her in too long, but I knew what a pissed off Magenta looked like, and that was the image she’d left me with. Green eyes blazing with fury, pale skin luminescent, nostrils flaring as two blooms of red appeared on her cheeks. Yeah, she was pissed off.

“You’re Mason. The brother.”

His dark brows dipped in confusion. “We know each other, Davis?”

I laughed and shook my head. “Nope. Met Magenta more than a year ago now in Vegas. She tattooed my smokejumper crew.” A lot more than that happened that weekend, but her brother didn’t need to know. It was a long lost weekend, one I put way, way in the back of my mind. “She talked about her brother Mason who’d lost his mind and moved to some backwoods town a cartwheel from New Orleans. I didn’t connect the two in my mind.”

“No reason for you to connect them, it’s a common enough name. You heard about this backwoods town and decided it was perfect for you?”

I scraped a hand over my face and shook my head. “Not exactly. I decided I needed a change of pace, and when this job opening popped up, I figured it was a sign.” That, or I’d lost my edge or my passion for the job which meant I was a threat to my brothers. So I left. “Here I am.”

I guess he was satisfied with that answer, because Mason nodded once and motioned for me to follow him. “I’ll show you around.” I followed Mason around the California style bungalow with one and a half stories. It was tidy and well lit. Not that it mattered to me since I was just paying rent to have a place to store my crap.

“This was my office, but I’ve since moved it all next door, where you’ll find me most of the time. With my wife,” he grinned proudly.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks. Anyway, this room is up in the air so feel free to use it for whatever. This other room is Magenta’s, so steer clear of it. It might take her a few days to calm down, but she’ll be back.” I wasn’t sure if Mason was trying to convince me or himself, so I kept my thoughts to myself.

“Your bedroom is up here with a half bath. If you want to use the tub, use the master, or the one on the main floor. The kitchen is that way, you and Mags can figure something out. Trash schedule is on the fridge, along with other stuff you might need.”

“New to being a landlord?”

Mason grinned. “Does it show?”

“Not really. I don’t think so, anyway.”

“It’s a small town, if you want to know something ask, but the truth is, you probably won’t have to, because gossip travels faster than light here. Enjoy your stay.”

I swallowed visibly, and Mason laughed. “Why did that sound like a dare?”

“I’m kidding, this place is great. I mean the old ladies will be all up in your business, but they’ll also come through for you even when you think you don’t need it.”

I didn’t know what the hell that meant, so I smiled and shrugged. “If you say so.”

He shook his head at me. “You’ll see. If you need anything, here’s my number and Trish’s.”

“I met her outside with her friends. Odd girls.”

“Weird as hell, you can say it. It’s true, but she’s amazing.”

“They all seem nice, just odd...”

This time he unleashed the full power of his laugh, the sound booming loud and bouncing off the walls. “That’s a perfect description of this whole crazy town. Nice, but odd.” Still laughing, Mason handed me the keys, each one on the ring labelled carefully, and left me alone in my new place.

I didn’t waste any time, unpacking my truck and the trailer of my meagre belongings and shoving them all in my room aside from a box of kitchen supplies. I started work the day after tomorrow, which meant I had almost two full days to get settled in, no, to get situated in my new home. My new town.