Page 11 of The Maine Attraction

I nod. “I think so.”

“Why?”

“Who knows? I’m not newsworthy these days. Even my retirement announcement was barely a blip on nation’s radar.” I wave a hand in the air dismissively. “You know what? It’s probably just a tourist taking pictures of the lighthouse. I doubt it has anything to do with us at all.”

She bites her lower lip. “That makes sense. People love lighthouses.”

I rise back to my feet and start making the descent again. “I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.”

Chapter 7

Charley

“There’s something to worry about!” I tell Lindy, shaking my cell phone in her face. “TMZ has released photographs of your brother and me that look—” My voice trails off as I scroll through the photographs. “Good grief. Look at these!”

Lindy holds her hand out for my phone. Her eyes widen as she scrolls through the pictures. “What exactlydidhappen between you and Luke today?”

“Nothing!”

She raises an eyebrow. “I’m looking at these photos with my own eyes, and it looks like he’s holding you and stroking your hair. That’s notnothing.” She scrolls through more photographs and gasps. She holds out the phone for me to see. “He’s holding your face in his hands! It totally looks like you’re about to kiss.”

“We’re not! I was crying and he was brushing the tears from my face.” I stare down at my feet sheepishly. “I was stupid. I leaned against the rail, and it gave way. I would have died. Luke saved my life.”

Lindy’s eyes widen. “He did?”

“He did,” I confirm. “And I was shaken, you know? I was kind of hysterical, actually. So, he had to calm me down and—”

“And he kissed you?”

“No!” I yank the ponytail out of my hair just to have something to fiddle with. “If I can’t even get you to believe me that we weren’t kissing, there’s no hope of convincing anyone else.”

“Who cares?” she asks. “My brother’s not exactly a troll. He’s handsome, he’s rich, and he’s famous. What does it matter if people think the two of you are seeing each other?”

My mouth falls open. “Because it isn’t true!” I pride myself on being honest. Trust is important for a small business owner.

Lindy smiles. “It’ll blow over soon. In the meantime, I know what’ll make you feel better.”

“So, help me, Lindy, I love you but if you offer me a freaking pickle right now—”

Her face lights up. “But Charley, they’re the best bread and butter pickles I’ve ever made. Trust me. You’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.”

I whimper. “It’s too soon to mention me and death in the same sentence.”

She laughs, handing me a pickle spear in a napkin. I nibble on the end and have to admit that it’s delicious. “You’re the Fog Harbor Pickle Queen.”

“Oh,” she says, “I like that.”

Her phone trills in her pocket and my heart starts to race. Is it Luke? Has he seen the photographs yet?

“It’s my mom,” Lindy says, swiping the phone to answer the call. “Hi, Mom. How’s Florida?” My friend winces, holding the phone away from her ear. “Sheesh, Mom, not so loud.”

She holds her phone over the speaker and says to me, “She’s a little excited.”

I don’t ask what she’s excited about. I have a feeling I already know.

“No, Mom,” Lindy says. “Charley says they’re not together.” She pauses, shaking her head. “I know, Mom. It totally looks like they’re kissing, but Charley says they’re not.”

I bury my face in my hands. Could this get any worse?

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