Page 75 of Riverbend Gap (Riverbend 1)

“You should tell Avery and Gavin what’s going on. I’ll let Jeff know, of course, but your siblings should hear it from you first. That way if someone brings it up, they won’t be caught off guard and they’ll have a ready answer.”

“I will.” He’d tried to call Megan today from Rodriguez’s phone, but Megan hadn’t picked up from an unknown caller either.

“The people who know you won’t believe the gossip. I’ve already done a few things to help put the rumor to rest. I certainly set Shirley Black straight, and I’ll do the same to whoever has the nerve to spread the rumor.”

“Thanks. But plenty of people will believe it. Or they’ll at least question it, and I don’t like having my integrity questioned.”

“Of course you don’t. You have to find Megan and get her to make this right.”

“I found out where she works now—she’s a sales rep for theHerald. I’ll go over there after work.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t wait that long. Why don’t you just call her at the paper and straighten this out?”

Cooper’s neck muscles tightened at the thought of what the woman had done. “I want her to look me in the eye and explain why she’s doing this. And I have a feeling that convincing her to retract her statement won’t be easy.”

“Fair enough. But you need to nip this in the bud. I’d hate to see a false rumor impact your campaign. You’ve worked so hard to make this happen.”

“I don’t plan to let it go that far.” The rumor might spread around town, but the locals were likely to support him—weren’t they? In other towns, though, he was largely unknown outside the people he’d met briefly at events. But the rumor wasn’t likely to travel that far.

They ate in silence awhile. The whole Megan debacle weighed him down so much he hardly tasted his club sandwich. He bagged his chips for later when his stomach wasn’t twisting with worry.

He needed something else to think about. “How’s the planning for Trail Days going?”

“Pretty well. I was going to see if you and Avery wanted tohang flyers in a couple of the towns we haven’t hit yet, but you have enough on your plate right now.”

“No, I’d rather stay busy. Maybe Saturday after the clinic closes? Besides, it’s always beneficial to show my face and shake a few hands.”

“That’s what I was thinking. I’ll try and find another volunteer or two to go along. The more people you have, the less time it’ll take.”

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

They finished lunch, then she loaded him up with a box of flyers and gave him a big hug at the front door. “This, too, shall pass, honey. Let me know how it goes with Megan.”

“I will. Thanks, Mom.”

Later, after a day that seemed to drag on and on, he sent Kate a text.

Headed to Megan’s work to confront her. Prayers please.

Her response came a moment later.

You got it.

29

Katie was patting the dirt around a new hydrangea plant when Lisa Robinson’s Tahoe pulled into the driveway. Sitting back on her haunches, Katie swept the back of her gloved hand across her forehead. She’d put her hair up in a messy knot and dressed in her gardening clothes. But when Lisa gave a hearty wave, Katie felt a rush of delight at the woman’s beaming smile.

“Hey, sweetie. I was going to call, but I was in the neighborhood so I just decided to pop by. Hope that’s okay.”

“More than okay. You’re welcome anytime. I’d get up and give you a hug, but I’m covered with grime and sweat.”

Lisa’s gaze drifted over the two other hydrangea plants sitting off to the side. “Need some help? I’m no plant whisperer, but I know how to get one in the ground.”

“If you don’t mind getting dirty. The game comes on at seven, and I’d like to get these planted before that.”

“Jeff’s already got the chips and dip out. Cooper and Gavin are coming over.” Lisa squatted and grabbed one of the plants. “Where were you thinking of putting it?”

Katie pointed. “Right about there, I think.”