Page 39 of Rumors in Bayberry
For a quiet moment, they stared at each other.He felt as though they’d come to an impasse, and he wasn’t sure how to sway her over to his way of thinking about things.But he wasn’t giving up.This was only Monday.He had the rest of the week to pull a rabbit out of his hat.He was starting to think that was what it would take to get her to stay.
Chapter Thirteen
Finally,thesuncameback out.
Sadie finished her lunch.She couldn’t believe that not long ago she was furious with Reed, and now he was sitting at her kitchen table sharing a meal.And her cat had made nice with him too.
She looked over at Binx, who was sitting on the windowsill, staring out at Bayberry.He seemed totally distracted with something outside, or he was avoiding looking at her since he crossed over to the enemy’s side.
“Thank you for lunch,” Reed said.“I was wondering if you were working at the festival today.”
“I am.Why?”
He shrugged.“I don’t have any pressing work this afternoon, and I was thinking of going to the festival.I could help out.”Then he smiled at her.“After all, I do have experience working the maze.So, what do you say?”When she didn’t immediately answer, he said, “Come on.You know you could use the help.”
She hated that he was right.She sighed before saying, “Are you sure?I know you have a lot to do as far as the newspaper is concerned.”
“They are gathering the information I need.They’ll have it to me tomorrow.So, I’m all yours for the rest of the afternoon.”
Her mouth opened to say something when the implication of his words registered in her mind.He was all hers.Her heart fluttered.Oh my!She pressed her lips together, trying to remember what it was she was just about to say to him.
And then it came to her.She got to her feet.“I should get the dishes cleaned up and then we can go.”
“I can help.”He gathered his dishes and followed her to the kitchen.
At the sink, she set down her dishes and turned for his.When he hesitated, she said, “I’m just going to rinse them off and place them in the dishwasher.”
He hesitantly handed them over.“I feel like I should be doing something.”
“You will be very shortly.”
She rushed to change her clothes and fix her ponytail.Then she decided to put on a little makeup, including mascara.She assured herself she would have done all of this, even if Reed wasn’t waiting for her.
She shifted her thoughts to a safe topic: the maze.Someone else was working the early shift, and she was scheduled to take over at two o’clock.She knew she would be late because of her interview.
But it wasn’t the festival that held her attention.It was the man who had shared lunch with her that she couldn’t stop thinking about.As much as she wanted to be angry with him over keeping his identity a secret until after he’d kissed her, it was hard to stay upset with him.He was genuinely a nice guy, and that was a problem.
She should have turned him down when he offered to help with the maze.But how could she turn him down when they needed all the help they could get?Each year the Pumpkin Festival was getting bigger and bigger.And it was hard to find enough volunteers to run all of the booths.
She didn’t know how she’d gone from being angry with him to having him accompany her to the festival.He was being so agreeable it was hard to be mad at him.And when he smiled at her, her heart started to flutter, and it became impossible for her to think straight.
Now that she knew more about his business model and the reason he’d started his business, she wasn’t as vehemently opposed to the sale.She was now just opposed to the sale.
And she knew it wasn’t logical, because her father could no longer run the paper, and she had a job that was going to take her out of the country.But maybe her editor wouldn’t call.Maybe they wouldn’t find a story for her.Yeah, right.
She was good at her job.She wasn’t being conceited.She’d won awards.People liked what she wrote, and they wanted more.
She yawned as she joined Reed in the living room.She hadn’t slept well the night before.And it was all Reed’s fault.
He looked at her and asked, “Do you want to stop and grab a coffee?”
She shook her head.“Maybe later.I don’t want to be late.”
As they made their way along the sidewalk, Mrs.Smail walked toward them.Her eyes lit up when she noticed Reed by Sadie’s side.A smile puffed up her ivory cheeks.“Hello, Sadie.Reed.”
They both said hello and kept walking.
The next person to approach them was Sophie Miller.She smiled broadly.She didn’t even bother with a greeting.“You two make such a cute couple.”
