Page 119 of Banter & Blushes

Bluebell Bay: Where Summer Comes to Stay.

He winced at the bright clip art and Comic Sans font.

A dolphin wearing sunglasses? Seriously?

“Wow. This is … impressively tragic.”

He could already see the changes he’d make, how he’d tie it to a social media campaign, geo-targeted ads, coastal influencer outreach…

Beck scowled.

“You tricked me into brainstorming.”

“I absolutely did.”

“You’re dangerous.”

“I’m persistent.”

He took a step closer, arms crossed.

“You will not let this go, will you?”

“Not even a little.”

Beck sighed, looked at the flyer again, then at the woman who’d stormed his porch without warning, and turned his quiet morning into a strategic planning session.

“You have coffee in your bag?”

She reached in, pulled out a travel mug, and handed it over.

“Hazelnut creamer, two sugars.”

He stared at her. “You asked Gigi, didn’t you?”

“Gigi has a very detailed bingo card, Mr. Beckett. Don’t flatter yourself.”

He chuckled despite himself. Took a sip. She wasn’t wrong. It was exactly how he liked it.

“Okay,” he said finally. “One meeting. Just one.”

“One’s all I need. Be at my office at 1 o’clock sharp. Wear shoes.” She turned and headed back toward The Hollis Express, hips swaying with victorious satisfaction.

“Nice binder, by the way,” he called after her.

“Don’t mock the binder,” she tossed over her shoulder. “It’s saved more lives than sunscreen.”

He watched her drive away, her wild curls whipping like a victory flag, determination written in every inch of her posture.

Beck took another sip of coffee.

Well,he thought.There goes my quiet summer.

And somehow … he wasn’t mad at all about it.

Beck had barely steppedthrough the doors of Bluebell Bay’s town hall when the scent of burning coffee hit him in the face and paper shuffling reached his ears.

She was already there.

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