“A falling star is a meteor shower,” I say. Maybe there’s a little defensiveness to my tone. I wanted to escape Star Falls so badly when I was younger, but I can’t see what a stranger passing through town would have to complain about. “Meteor showers are… cool.”

She laughs, and I realize I sound a little unhinged. “I guess. I don’t know why, but it makes me think of someone who has fallen out of favor. A Hollywood movie star no one likes anymore. She doesn’t belong.”

My eyes widen at her description. We couldn’t be coming at this from any further apart. Star Falls says “interstellar wonder” to me and “washed-up misfit” to her. “Wow. That’s… depressing. You have had a bad day.” As soon as I say it. I wish I hadn’t. If she walked out on her wedding ceremony, a bad day will be a massive understatement. “Sorry if I’m being insensitive.”

“Why? Because of this old thing?” she says, pulling at her dress. “Gives me away a little, doesn’t it? Yeah, well, however bad a day I’m having, a guy I know is having a worse time.” She glances down at her lap.

I want to ask more, but I don’t want to prove my heritage as a Star Falls native son. No nosey gossip-hunting from me. It helps that our journey is at an end.

I pull off the main road and park in front of the two cabins.

“Here we are,” I say.

She ducks to look out the window. “A perfect place to be murdered,” she mutters.

I push my palm over my jaw and blow out a breath. “We haven’t had a murder in Star Falls for at least twelve months.” My tone is deadpan.

She snaps her head around to look at me, her eyes wide and wondering.

“I’m kidding,” I say.

“Oh yeah, I can tell you’re a real joker,” she replies sarcastically.

I was trying to make a joke, but I don’t know why. It’s not like I’m trying to get to know her. But something inside me wants her to feel okay. “You’ll be safe here. I’m next door. There’s nothing to worry about.”

I bet at least half the town doesn’t lock their houses at night. She doesn’t need to be concerned about being murdered.

I pull my mouth into a contorted smile. “I’ll get the key.”