Page 44 of My Silver Lining

“Very mature!” she shouted from the other side of the door.

I heard the outside door close, and I bent over the sink and closed my eyes. I needed to rein it in. We’d be back home tonight.

We’d forget all about this.

I brushed my teeth and quickly dressed, wearing my dark jeans and a black sweater, before making my way downstairs. Lulu was already walking toward me with wide eyes.

“Are we busted?” I whispered in her ear, and the smell of pear and vanilla had my body reacting all over again.

“Nope. He wanted to tell me that you have a lot of Benjamin Franklin characteristics, and that’s why I’m so drawn to you.” She was shaking her head and smiling. “We’re still good. However, my cousin failed to mention that this interview is a bit more serious than she let on.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a reporter from theWeekday Morning Show. So it’s sort of a big deal.”

“TheWeekday Morning Show, as in the most popular morning show in the US?”

“That’s the one. So, we need to keep a low profile. We’ll take the photos with the family, and we’ll say we want to go take the boat out on the water so we can spend some time together. Just follow my lead. They’re here for my Uncle Charles and Hunter. They just want a photo of everyone, and then we can slip out.”

“Wow. I’m shocked when I’m in theTaylor Tea.I can’t imagine being talked about on theWeekday Morning Show.”

“I actually love theTaylor Tea,” she said. “It’s small town meetsGossip Girl. The anonymous factor makes it much morecharming. It’s like having your neighbor talk about you, but the whole world isn’t listening. I like it.”

TheTaylor Teawas a sore subject for my family, since we were constantly a topic of conversation in the gossip column that had become a Rosewood River guilty pleasure.

“Of course, you do,” I grumped. I was trying to tame down the boner that wouldn’t go away, and this woman was getting under my skin. And now I had to think about everything I said because there was a reporter here.

“What’s with the attitude? We need to join everyone in the library, so you best start doting on me now, you big baby. Your penis will recover, I promise,” she chuckled as she slipped her hand in mine. “Now, turn on the charm and look at me like you can’t live without me.”

I barked out a laugh. “You’re absolutely insane.”

“You got that right.” She waggled her brows. “Let’s do this.”

She led me into the room where a camera crew was set up, and her entire family was sitting on the two couches and chairs, looking like the Kennedys. The men were all in sports coats, and the women were all dressed fairly formal.

And then there was us.

Me and Lulu.

She wore her cute jeans that were cut off at the bottoms with heeled boots, and I was dressed for a casual Friday at the office.

We stood out like sore thumbs.

And everyone had their eyes on us.

twelve

. . .

Lulu

“There’s my Lulubelle,”Gramps said, as he pushed to his feet and pulled me into a hug.

“Good morning. We’re just going to take some photos with you, and then I’m going to take Rafe out on the boat.” I was putting it out there early so we could slip out shortly after the photos.

“Well, you certainly didn’t dress for family photos,” Charlotte snipped as her eyes scanned me from head to toe.

Of course, she was wearing red-and-blue-plaid dress slacks and a white collared shirt with a navy cashmere sweater. Her blonde hair was perfectly styled in a sleek bob, ending at her chin.

---