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I followed Eve’s gaze as it drifted across the diner to the giant window in the front. A group of neon lycra-clad senior citizens rolled past on inline skates, and the corners of my mouth lifted. Anything went in Tuft Swallow.

“Oh, hey!” she said, slapping her hands on the table. I jumped a mile, and so did the pancake family in the booth beside us. “That reminds me…” She dug her hand underneath her pink apron, into her bra, and pulled out a folded piece of paper before handing it to me. “Somebody pinned this on the notice board. I kept it for you before it got defaced.”

I drew my brows together. What did she mean, defaced? Tuft Swallow had a very low vandalism rate.

“I thought you might be interested.”

I unfolded the warm paper and smiled. Now I knew what she meant. The words Spitz Hollow Scalpers screamed from the top, along with a picture of some fierce-looking women on roller skates. Anything found in Tuft Swallow mentioning Spitz Hollow risked destruction. Though close in proximity, the two towns had a long-running feud to rival the Montagues and the Capulets.

The rivalry between the cornhole teams even made the national press a few years back with reports of a doping scandal. Someone found the captain of the Spitz Hollow Chokers lurking around the Mighty Swallows dressing room with a whole bottle of laxatives.

“Roller derby? Really?”

Eve pulled apart one of the sugar-coated swirls, dangling a piece above her mouth like a baby bird. “Why not? You’ve got skills, girl.”

I mean, she wasn’t wrong. My mum had been a champion roller dance skater in her youth. She’d taught me a thing or two, but dancing on skates was different from battling your way around a track wearing what looked like full body armor.

“You run the roller discos at the school. Policing those kids must be tricky,andyou can skate in a circle. How much different can roller derby be?”

I suspected a lot different, but I’d be lying if I said the idea didn’t intrigue me. I hadn’t done anything challenging since the Halloween pizza-eating contest last year. For that, I’d trained hard and won, but I’d never be able to look at mozzarella the same way again.

The tiniest tingle sprung in my chest at the idea of having a goal. A new interest. Something exciting to get my bloodpumping. My Etsy store was ticking along nicely, and life in Tuft Swallow was all kinds of fun, but a part of me needed something more. Something that wasn’t just reliable old Ro showing up and ticking the boxes. An aspiration to work toward. To remind me I wasn’t being left behind. With a nod, I refolded the paper and stowed it away in my bag for later. “I’ll think about it.”

“Oh, come on, Ro! Besides, your mom would be so proud.”

My chest tugged. I missed my mom so much, but I wasn’t sure a derby-playing daughter was what she had in mind as a legacy. “But it’s in Spitz Hollow. They wouldn’t take me because of where I live.”

Eve grinned. “Orthey’d give you a top spot and install you with a wiretap to get our cornhole secrets.”

I giggled. “Well, that’s true. Being head of the cheerleading squad, I have access to privileged information. I don’t know if I can risk it.”

“Okay, you think about it,” Eve said, reaching out to give my arm a squeeze.

I nodded, tightening my ponytail with a tug.

Eve sat up straight again. “So, subject change. I’ve done some digging online, and… Flock’s currently single.” She literally sang the last three words.

“What?”

Eve leaned in, placing her elbows on the table and resting her chin in her hands. “I know, right? That deity of a man who youaren’tsleeping next to is up for grabs.”

I grimaced. “Why do I need to know that?”

“You could start a support group.”

“Why would I start a support group? I’m sure he can handle his own love life.”

Eve shook her head like I was stupid. “Not for him. For us. Flock being on the market means that while he’s in town, there’s hope for us desperate, sex-starved women of Tuft Swallow.”

I snorted, again startling the pancake family. “Speak for yourself. I’m not desperate, and it would be weird. He’s like a brother to me.”

Eve lifted one eyebrow. “Oh, come on, Ro. You can’t let the opportunity pass. The nearest we get to such a quality specimen of manhood in this town is the new chiropractor. I can’t get an appointment with him for love or money. He’s totally booked out. Have you seen the throngs of women in his waiting room? The atmosphere in there is like a crowd waiting for a Magic Mike show.”

“What do you need a chiropractor for?” I asked, trying not to choke on my last mouthful of pastry.

“Maybe I need some adjusting. Maybe I want some hands-on attention.”

I barely covered my giggles with a napkin.