Page 13 of Rumors in Bayberry
When he caught up to her, she said, “I’m sorry about disappearing on you this morning.There was an emergency.Well, from the message, I thought it was an emergency.”She couldn’t keep the exasperated tone from her voice.“Turns out everything is all right.”
He sent her a puzzled look.“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Oh.Yes.It is.”She shoved aside her frustrations with her parents and smiled at… What was his name?“By the way, my name is Sadie.”
There was a distinct pause before he said, “Nice to meet you.I’m Reed.”
“Are you staying in Bayberry for a while?”
He nodded.“At least for a few days.”
“That’s good to hear.”The smile returned to her lips.Maybe they’d run into each other again.The thought definitely appealed to her.“Well, Reed, I have to go.I’m supposed to be at the hay bale maze now.”
His eyes lit up with interest.“You’re going to a maze?”
She nodded.“It’s part of the Pumpkin Festival.Would you like to walk with me?”
His brows rose.“You don’t mind?”
She shook her head.“Not at all.”
Sadie kept walking, and he fell in step next to her.“The Pumpkin Festival is the best around.And I’m not saying that just because I was on the planning committee.”
They approached the center of town where the festival was being held, which of course, made a nightmare for traffic, since they’d absorbed the roadways into the festival.The hay bale maze took half of the town square and into the roadways.
But the maze was a huge hit.People would come from all over New England to attend the festival and go through the maze.The whole affair was a boon to the town, especially the specialty shops that lined the square.
Sadie had to admit she did miss Bayberry when she wasn’t there.And when she was in Bayberry, she missed exploring the world.It was a tough spot to be in.
“So, where’s the maze?”His voice drew her from her thoughts.
“It’s on the other side of the town square.Do you do mazes?”
He shook his head.“I can honestly say that I’ve never done one.”
She studied him for a moment.“Let me guess.You’re from the city?”
“Something like that.”
She waved at him.“Come on.Let me be the first to introduce you to the hay bale maze.”When he didn’t make any move to follow her, she paused and turned back to him.“Are you afraid I’ll make it out of the maze first?”
His eyes lit up.“Is that a challenge?”
She pressed a hand to her rounded hip as she lifted her chin ever so slightly.“Yes, it is.”
His gaze met hers and, in that moment, her heart skipped a beat.“You probably have the maze memorized.”
She averted her gaze.“To be fair, I did see the initial layout of the maze, but that was a while ago.And I promise I don’t have it memorized.”
He continued to stare at her with what felt like a penetrating gaze, like he was trying to decide if she was telling him the truth.“All right.You’re on.”He sent her a smile that warmed her from the inside out.“Wait.”He got a serious look on his face.“What’s at stake?”
She thought about it for a moment.She considered letting him off easy, but she enjoyed his company, so she decided to throw a curveball at him.“If I win, you work the maze with me this weekend.”
His eyes widened at the suggestion.“Um, I don’t know.”
And then she had a thought.“Unless you have a family or significant other to get home to.”
He shook his head.“It’s not that.”
