Page 18 of Rumors in Bayberry
Their salads were delivered.Hers looked delicious.Her appetite was coming back.Was it the air conditioning?Or the great company that was putting her at ease?
“I’m doing some business in New England, and I saw Bayberry on the internet.I had a few days, so I came to visit.”
She had a feeling there was a lot more than he was telling her, but that was okay.There was more to her story than she was telling him.They only had this one weekend to enjoy before their real lives stepped back in and took them in different directions.There was no need to dig up details that wouldn’t mean anything in the long run.Come Monday, they’d be going their separate ways.
Besides, she didn’t have to know everything about him to know she liked him—liked spending time with him.Maybe it was an escape from all of the worrying about her father—about his health—about his disapproval—about the sale of the newspaper.She glanced across the table at Reed.He was a really good distraction.
They continued to chat for the rest of the meal, mostly about the maze and the people he’d met there.It was one of those rare meals where she allowed herself to order dessert.It wasn’t just that she wanted a sweet treat.It was more about extending their time together.
Chapter Six
Thistripwasnotturning out how he’d planned.
It was so much better.
The next morning, Reed closed his laptop.He hadn’t gotten much work done.His thoughts kept returning to Sadie.The more time he spent with her, the more amazing he found her.
But there was a potential problem.She could complicate matters if he was to proceed with the purchase of theGazette.What were the odds that the first person he connected with in Bayberry was the daughter of the owner of the newspaper?
In many cases, the decision to buy or not buy made the difference between the paper remaining viable and it shutting down.Was that the case with theBayberry Gazette?He didn’t know.He hadn’t seen the paper’s financial records yet.
He couldn’t imagine what went into the determination to sell those small town papers that had been around for more than a hundred years.It couldn’t be an easy decision.
He’d had numerous offers to buy Rumor Quill Media, but he wasn’t willing to part with it.Thankfully, neither was Brad.They were in it for the long haul.
Reed didn’t know why his initial vision for theRumor Quillhad changed from just a startup to a mission to keep small town papers alive—maybe it was because he’d grown up in a small town.Maybe it was because he saw those newspapers as the threads that stitched neighbors together, from the birth announcements and wedding news to the obituaries.It was the Cliff Notes to life in a small town.
Whatever the reason he’d become so invested in Rumor Quill Media, it was now rolling into a massive business that would soon crisscross the country.
So, what did he do about Sadie?Tell her his reason for being in Bayberry?Or avoid her until after his meeting with her father on Monday morning?
He had no good answers.He supposed he could call off from working the maze that day.But then again, it wasn’t like they were together at the maze.He was at the entrance, and she was in a lookout spot.And truthfully, he wanted to see her again before business had a chance to come between them.
Hopefully, she’d be on board with selling the paper.Then again, he wasn’t sure it mattered since it sounded like she was leaving town soon.The thought of never seeing her again left a sour feeling in the pit of his stomach.She was unlike anyone he’d ever known before.
Shoving aside his conflicting thoughts, he closed his laptop and headed out for the day.He was supposed to meet Sadie for lunch at Mel’s Grille.He didn’t know about her, but he was craving another steak salad.It hit the spot on a warm autumn day.
He was a few minutes early.When he reached the Grille, he stood on the sidewalk and pulled out his phone.
Reed:I’m at the restaurant.Do you want me to get us a table?
Sadie:Already did.
He turned and approached the door to the restaurant.When he stepped inside, he found the place crowded.It appeared everyone else had the same idea about grabbing a bite to eat before heading to the Pumpkin Festival.
And then he saw a hand waving.It was Sadie.A smile tugged on the corners of his lips.He headed in her direction.
He slid into the booth across from her.“And here I thought I was a little early, and you still beat me.”
She smiled and shrugged.“I know how busy this place can get on Sunday, especially after church.And we don’t have time to wait around.They are counting on us to get the maze up and going.”
He nodded in understanding.“Do you take all of your obligations seriously?”
Her eyes momentarily widened.“Of course.”Then she narrowed her gaze on him.“Why?Don’t you?”
“Yes, I do.”He saw the relief in her eyes.
Little by little, he was finding that they had a lot in common.He wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.If they didn’t have anything in common, it would be so easy to walk away when it came time for him to move on.But finding out that they had things in common made him wonder what it would be like if they had more time together.
