Page 18 of Rumors in Bayberry (The Bayberry, Vermont #3)

If this was going to be her last article in the Bayberry Gazette , she wanted it to be extra special. And this story definitely fit the bill. But she kept getting distracted by the handsome man with cow poop on his shoes.

His shoes were ruined.

Reed hosed them off before getting into Sadie’s car. Now they were both ruined and wet. His feet were freezing, but he wasn’t going to let on to Sadie. She’d gotten far too much entertainment out of his predicament already.

He noticed since they left the pig pen that she’d grown quiet. He wondered what she was thinking about. Was she already writing her article in her head? Or was she still upset with him? Or perhaps she was tired?

They sat in a comfortable silence on the way back to town. It was lunchtime by the time they arrived. As Sadie parked the car in front of the newspaper office, he was about to ask her to lunch, when her phone rang.

She reached into her purse and grabbed her phone. She checked the caller ID. “It’s my editor.”

Without another word, she opened the door and hopped out. He sat there for a moment, watching her animated expressions. She nodded and smiled. Was she that anxious to get out of Bayberry?

The thought weighed on him. He didn’t want the Bayberry Gazette if she didn’t come with it.

She was the one who made the words sing on the page.

He supposed he was going to have to tackle that subject with her sooner rather than later.

Although, he supposed he didn’t have to rush it.

He still had the rest of the week to iron out things.

Just then a few drops of rain splashed onto the windshield.

The sky had been threatening rain all morning.

He opened the car door. As soon as he stepped outside, the light rain switched to a downpour.

The raindrops bombarded him as he ran for the overhang by the front door.

Sadie must have made a run for it, too, because they reached the stoop at the same time and practically ran into each other.

As the large raindrops pounded off the asphalt, Sadie spoke into the phone. “Thank you for keeping me updated. I look forward to hearing more from you.”

When she slipped the phone back into her purse, he said, “Good news?”

She shrugged. “No assignment yet. But they want me back. It’s just a matter of time until the right story comes along, and then I’ll be out of here.”

There was a bright flash of lightning off in the distance. A short time later, thunder rumbled through Bayberry. And then, if it were possible, the rain came down harder. The wind blew the rain toward them.

Sadie quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside. He thought she was just going to leave him there, but then she turned back to him. “Come on before you’re totally soaked.”

He wasn’t going to argue. He ducked inside and was happy to be out of the rain. He swiped the rain from his face. “Boy, it’s really coming down out there.”

She waved at him to follow her. “Come on upstairs.”

He hesitated. “Are you sure?”

“Well, you don’t want to go back out in the storm, do you?”

Before he could answer, another crack of thunder shook the floor he was standing on. “I think I’ll wait until it passes over.”

“That’s what I thought.”

After he kicked off his shoes by the door, she led him upstairs.

When he made it to the landing, he found it opened up into the living room.

It was spacious and bright. The walls were painted white and had some landscape paintings on them.

There was a large flat-screen television on the wall.

The décor up here was modern, while downstairs, the newsroom, looked as if it were stuck in the nineteen fifties.

His gaze moved to the big navy-blue couch, and that was when he noticed a ball of black fluff. It wasn’t until it moved that he realized it was a cat. “You have a cat?”

Sadie smiled. “I don’t exactly have a cat. The cat claimed me. I named him Binx.”

The cat stretched. He was a big kitty. “How did he claim you?”

“I found him one night in the alleyway a few months ago. He followed me to the door, so I got him some food and water. He downed both. When I went to take the bowls inside, he slipped through the doorway. He made himself at home. He didn’t have a tag or anything.

I posted his picture all over town. When no one claimed him, I took him to the vet to get his shots and everything.

Binx now considers himself a house cat.”

The cat jumped down and approached him. Reed stared down at the cat, not sure if the cat wanted to make friends or claw his eyes out.

“Go ahead,” Sadie said. “He’s very friendly.”

Reed looked into the cat’s green eyes. He didn’t see any malice. So, he bent over and slowly lowered his hand to pet the cat’s head. A few moments later, he heard Binx purr.

“Well, now that you met my roommate, you can make yourself comfortable.” Sadie dropped her stuff onto the table in the small dining room. She returned a moment later with some paper towels in her hand. She handed them to him. “These might help you.”

“Thanks.” He took them from her and ran them over his face and his hair.

He glanced down at his pants. There was no helping them. They’d have to air dry. At least it was just below his knees that got wet.

“It’s past lunchtime,” she said. “Would you like something to eat?”

He glanced at the window, where the rain was still coming down. “I don’t want to put you out. I can wait.”

“It’s up to you, but I’m going to make a grilled cheese with a bowl of tomato soup. I have enough for two.”

“I haven’t had that since I was a kid.” It brought back good memories.

She smiled at him. “Am I to take it that you want some?”

“Well, if you really don’t mind making extra, then yes.”

“Oh, no. I’m not serving you. If you want lunch, you can help.” She turned around with two cans of tomato soup in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other. “So, which will it be? Soup? Or sandwich?”

He looked back and forth at his options. Just then there was a loud crack of thunder, and the lights went out. Even though it was lunchtime, the outage caused long shadows in the apartment.

Just when he was about to say that lunch would have to wait, the lights flickered back on. There were beeps and buzzes around the apartment as the electronics powered up.

“I didn’t know we were supposed to get bad weather today,” he said.

She nodded. “It’s supposed to clear up this afternoon, and then there is a possibility of more rain tonight.

I think there’s a possibility of bad weather the rest of the week.

I hope it doesn’t ruin the Pumpkin Festival.

” Taking the decision out of his hands, she handed him the soup.

“The bowls are in the cabinet to the right of the sink. We better hurry before the power goes off again and stays off.”

“Agreed.”

They worked quietly together in the kitchen.

Sadie had him add half water and half milk to the soup and a bit of margarine.

Before it went into the microwave, she added a dash of black pepper.

He wasn’t so sure about her concoction, but when he tasted the soup, he was surprised by its cream, tangy flavor.

It no longer resembled soup that had come from a can.

“This is really good.” With the spoon in his hand, he pointed at the bowl.

“I guess you did a good job making the soup.” She dunked her grilled cheese in the soup and then took a bite.

“But all I did is what you told me to do. You’re the one that made it taste so good.”

“Well, I’m glad you like it. Now, you can do it when you go home.”

“Speaking of going home,” he said. “I can’t do that until I make a decision about the newspaper.”

She was just about to dunk her sandwich in the soup again, but she paused. “Why are you talking to me about it?”

“Because I don’t want the paper without you.”

“What?” She sent him a puzzled look. “You don’t need me. I’m sure you can install your own people.”

He shook his head. “That’s not what we do. In most cases, we keep the staff that’s already running the paper.”

“Oh. I didn’t know that. But I was only filling in for my father.”

“Who is planning to retire.”

“Then you could promote someone else to managing editor.”

“But that doesn’t fix my problem.”

“Yes, it does. The staff can continue to run the paper, and you can go back to Chicago.”

He shook his head. “That’s not my problem.”

She sighed. “What problem?”

“I need your voice. It’s what drew me to the paper.

I really like the way your pieces are uplifting and make me want to go explore whatever place you’re talking about.

Just like visiting the Anderson farm. I enjoyed it, even if it cost me a pair of shoes.

I can’t begin to tell you how rare your voice is. ”

Color bloomed in her cheeks. “Thank you for the kind words, but I can’t stay at the paper. When my editor calls with my next assignment, I have to go. You understand that, don’t you?”

“What would it take to get you to stay?” He was perfectly serious.

Her mouth gaped. “Didn’t you hear me? I’m leaving.”

“But maybe there’s something I could do to persuade you to stay. After all, it’s your family’s newspaper.”

“And I already have a successful career.” She frowned at him.

“But the paper is your heritage.”

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.