Page 44 of Rumors in Bayberry
Reed leaned back in the chair, as though the words had smacked him in the face.How did he not know this?He felt as though he wasn’t on the top of his game.And he knew what the problem was—Sadie.She had him totally distracted.
He focused on the man across the desk from him.“Why wouldn’t you want Sadie to take over?It’s a part of her heritage.And then there’s the part of her being an exceptionally talented wordsmith.”
Samuel’s bushy brows drew together.“I thought you were getting to know my daughter.How could you have missed the part about her being anxious to explore the world for the next big story?”
Reed rubbed the back of his neck as he chose his next words carefully.“But have you noticed that she’s putting down roots here?”
Those bushy brows rose on Samuel’s face.“How so?”
“You mean other than the obvious—making this paper her own by modernizing it?Then there’s the part of her being on the Pumpkin Festival committee.And she even has a cat.”
“A cat?”Samuel sat forward.“My daughter doesn’t have a cat.”
Reed nodded.“She does.He’s coal black, and his name is Binx.”
“Oh.”Samuel looked flustered.“I didn’t know.She didn’t tell me.”
“Have you ever sat down and talked to Sadie about the paper?Have you ever even considered giving the business to her?”
Samuel shook his head.“I didn’t want her to feel obligated to run it.That’s what happened to me.I wanted to play football, but my father pressured me into working in the family business.He said football was for kids.He didn’t think I’d make it in college.And if I did get that far, I’d get injured and be washed up.Anyway, I don’t want to put my daughter in a similar position.”
Ouch.It didn’t sound like Samuel had an easy time of it as a kid.Now Reed finally understood why Samuel was determined to sell the paper, but Reed didn’t feel that was right either—not without Sadie’s consent.
“Maybe if you would just talk to her the way you just did with me, she’d understand that she was free to make her own decision.”
Samuel shook his head.“She’s already made her decision.”
Reed sighed.He wasn’t sure where he was supposed to go with this conversation.If Samuel was going to be that stubborn, Reed had no choice but to lay all of his cards on the table.
Reed leaned forward.“Sir, I’ve gone over all of the numbers, and I think theBayberry Gazettewould fit well within our program...”
“That’s great.”A smile lit up the man’s face, easing the worry lines.“Why didn’t you say so?”
“I wasn’t finished.The deal will only work if Sadie is a part of it.”His voice was firm because this stipulation was non-negotiable.
Samuel’s eyes grew dark as his brows furrowed together.“I told you that isn’t going to happen.”
“Then I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t buy the paper.”
“Get out!”Samuel’s face grew red as his anger flamed.“Get out.And don’t come back.”When Reed opened his mouth, Samuel shook his head.“I don’t want to hear it.Just go.”
Reed gathered his things and headed out of the office.He thought Samuel was making a big mistake.He didn’t know why the man was being so stubborn.Sadie was a grown woman who could make up her own mind.
His hand rested on the doorknob.He hesitated.Everything was telling him to go back and try to reason with the man, but one glance over his shoulder at Samuel slamming files down on his desk told Reed that now wasn’t the time for that discussion.
He opened the door and stepped out into the cool evening.He’d taken no more than two steps when he heard,“Mrrr…”
And then there was a cat rubbing over his ankles.Reed squinted into the night.“Binx, is that you?”
“Mrrr…”
“What are you doing out here?”He reached down and picked up the cat.“Sadie must be worried about you.I think we better get you home.”
He walked the few steps to Sadie’s front door.He rang the doorbell and waited.Binx purred as he rubbed against Reed’s jawline.
He rang the doorbell again.And he waited some more.
“It doesn’t look like she’s home.”Wanting to keep the cat from running off again, Reed tried the doorknob, but it wouldn’t budge.
