Page 29 of The Lighthouse at the Cove
“That sounds super fun,” Kamryn said. “Wish I could come down there to help you, but you know how it is during tax time. We’re swamped. Actually, we’resoswamped that I’d better get back at it. Call me soon, sis.”
“I will,” Kaiah promised before ending the call. After grabbing a pen and notepad, she rushed out the door, almost running into Reid.
He took a couple of steps back. “Hey! I was coming to see you.”
“And I was coming to see you,” she said.
They both laughed.
“You go first,” he said.
“I convinced Libby to let me write about Coral Cove,” she explained. “She wants to see the first article in a couple of days.”
“That’s great! Becks is coming over tonight to talk about a marketing plan.”
“Awesome.”
He rubbed the back of his head and almost seemed sheepish for a moment. “I’m going to pick up Piper from school. Any chance you’d like to ride with me?”
“Oh,” she said, surprised by the offer. “You know what? I’d love to. I need to see more of Coral Cove for my first article, anyway.”
“Great.”
They drove out to the elementary school and took their place in the long pickup line. Kaiah looked toward the far end of the one-level brick building where nearly all of the windows were boarded up. “That’s the section that burned?”
“Yeah.” Reid shifted the Suburban into Park before leaning toward her. The scent of sandalwood, mixed with soap and something... uniquely Reid drifted over her, and her pulse picked up speed. “The fire started in the heating system, and if you can believe it, the fire alarm system was on the fritz too. So by the time we found out the school was on fire, the entire wing had been damaged.”
She shook her head. “That’s a shame.”
“I know. But you’re going to help us to raise the money to renovate it.”
“Right,” she said. “No pressure.”
He looked into her eyes, his face brightening. “I’ve read some of your articles, and you’re a talented writer.” The warmth in his chocolate-brown eyes caught her off guard.
“You’ve read my articles?”
“Of course I have,” he quipped, resting his arms on the steering wheel. “I googled your name after you mentioned you’re a journalist. Your series on the beaches in Maine were brilliant. I mean, your words swept me away as soon as I started reading them.”
A lump began to form in her throat.
Then a loud bell rang and movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention to the front of the school, where students began filing out and a line of adults ushered them to the waiting cars.
Reid pushed the button to roll down Kaiah’s window and slowly motored along with the line until they reached Piper waiting with a woman who seemed to be in her mid-sixties.
Piper grabbed the woman’s arm. “Mrs. Thompson, this is my new friend, Miss Kaiah!”
The older woman waved to Kaiah and Reid before opening the back door of the Suburban. “See you tomorrow, Piper.”
“Bye!” Piper buckled herself into the back seat as Reid slowly steered through the parking lot toward the road. “Miss Kaiah! I didn’t know you were coming to get me today.”
She turned back and beamed at her small friend, touched by her enthusiasm. “I didn’t either, but it turns out I’m going to be at your house for a few more weeks.”
“For real?” Piper squeaked. “We’re going to have so much fun!”
Reid’s eyes met Kaiah’s as he gave her a sidelong smile.
Kaiah settled back in her seat, taking a deep breath full of fresh spring air and basking in the warm rays of the sun. For a moment she wondered what it would be like to live in a town like Coral Cove forever, to feel part of a community, part of a family.
