Page 75 of No More Secrets
Summer had expected to feel a bit of relief returning to the city, back to her routine. Back to everything that was so familiar to her. Instead, she was antsy and distracted. She spent her first week — and a better part of the second — back bogged down in the work that had piled up while she was gone and sneaking out of events to call Carter.
She had gotten a lot of compliments on her “glow” when she returned, which she told everyone had to do with the fresh air and sunshine. Not a sexcation.
Hmm, a sexcation. She scribbled a note to herself to see if any of the other big monthlies had covered that topic before.
She was rapidly becoming an expert on them. They had planned to wait two weeks before seeing each other again. They hadn’t even made it one full week. He met her at the train in Rhinecliff on a Thursday and they spent the entire night making love in a motel.
Dinner came from the vending machines. Carter put her back on the train at six the next morning and it was back to work for both of them.
They had done it twice now.
The second time, there had been a delay at the station and Summer arrived at the office in a panic having missed two morning meetings. It was a warning from the universe, she decided. Focus on work. Stick with the plan.
To cheer herself, she opened the email Joey had sent her a few days ago.
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From: [email protected]
You’re officially Blue Moon famous. Let me know next time you’re in town and we’ll go to Anthony’s house to make sure he’s never heard from again.
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The email contained a link to the The Monthly Moon story, which skirted the rules of good journalism by speculating that while Summer had left for Manhattan, it wouldn’t be long before she returned to their fair community to permanently end her search for a husband after one of Blue Moon’s most eligible bachelors won her heart.
It included a bulleted list of her qualifications for a good man and how Carter Pierce rated in each category. The only category he didn’t rank highly in was “chiseled jaw.” An asterisk educated the reader that his jawline was unable to be properly measured due to his beard.
Joey Grier was quoted as saying that Summer was looking forward to starting a large family.
The article ended with, “In related news, Ms. Grier is looking to rekindle her high school romance with Jackson Pierce. It looks as though two of the Pierce bachelors are officially off the market.”
Summer rolled her eyes. If her father thought what she did for a living was a disgrace to journalism, he would be horrified byThe Monthly Moon’scoverage.
She turned her chair to take in the view out the window.
She had felt off-balance ever since returning to the city. It was harder than she imagined to divide her time between work and a personal life. She wasn’t exactly used to having a personal life, having dedicated so much of herself to her goals since college.
She was just getting used to a new normal, Summer told herself. She could make it work.
“Must be nice to have time to just sit and do nothing,” the cat-like voice of Kira Nakano purred.
All five-foot-ten-inches of her leaned against the wall of Summer’s cubicle. Everything about her was sharp. Candy pink nails that her manicurist shaped into points and black hair that hung to her shoulders in a razor’s edge bob.
“What can I do for you, Kira?” Summer said, her tone as sweet as sugar.
“I just wanted to stop by and see how you’re doing since your vacation.” She examined the talons on her right hand.
“I was on an assignment,” Summer reminded her.
“I just assumed it was a vacation, since you’ve had so much trouble getting back into the swing of things,” Kira said, pasting a phony look of concern on her face. “Missing those meetings earlier this week?” she tut-tutted. “Since you weren’t there, I thought I’d get you up to speed. Katherine gave me the piece to do on Sylvia Van Brennan’s new album.”
Summer smiled sweetly. “Oh, the two hundred words on her holiday album? How nice. I bet that will keep you busy for a while.”
Kira’s eyes narrowed. “I’m also coordinating the anniversary issue contributors. Gosh, isn’t that something you did last year?” She tapped a pink nail to her chin. “Maybe Katherine is just realizing that you don’t have as much to offer as she thought you did.”
“I guess that’s for Katherine to decide,” Summer answered shortly. “Maybe you should go remind her how invaluable you are.”
