Page 21 of Rumors in Bayberry (The Bayberry, Vermont #3)

Chapter Fifteen

T he line went dead.

Reed lowered the phone. He had no idea where Sadie was, but he hoped she’d get there quickly. He shifted Binx’s weight in his arms.

“Don’t worry. Sadie will be here soon.”

With a cry, Binx tried to jump out of his arms. Reed tightened his hold on the cat. This time Binx meowed, and it wasn’t a friendly tone. Reed tried petting him and scratching behind his ear, but Binx wasn’t having any of it. This time he growled his displeasure with being held against his will.

Reed braced himself to get bit or mauled with Binx’s claws, but to his surprise neither happened. Binx settled in his arms, and Reed loosened his hold on the cat.

“I’m really sorry, buddy. Sadie should be here soon. I really hope that’s true.”

Reed didn’t know how long he stood on the sidewalk with a disgruntled Binx in his arms. It felt like an hour or two, but in reality, it was probably no more than five or ten minutes, the longest of his life.

At last, Sadie’s car pulled up. She jumped out and ran up to them. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.” For just a second, Reed thought she was talking to him. But as she took the cat from him and said, “You naughty little boy. You shouldn’t have run away.”

Of course, Binx was all lovey-dovey with Sadie. He couldn’t exactly blame the cat. She was pretty special.

With her arms full of cat, she held out her keys. “Would you mind unlocking the door?”

When Reed went to take the keys from her, their fingers touched. It felt as though a spark of static electricity started in his fingertips and pulsed up his arm. The sensation settled in his chest, making his heart thump.

He swallowed hard as he pulled his hand away. He hoped Sadie hadn’t noticed anything unusual in his reaction to her touch. Even though she’d told him which key to use, he took his time finding it. It gave his heart a chance to slow down and for him to get his head on straight.

After all, now that Samuel wasn’t speaking to him, there was no point in him staying in Bayberry any longer. It was time to say goodbye to Sadie and this most interesting little town. When he got back to the B he needed to say the rest. His gaze met hers. “I told your father that he needed to reconsider having you take over the paper.”

“Let me guess. He refused.”

Reed nodded. “I take it that stubbornness runs in the family.”

“I’m not stubborn. My father is. That man is impossible. I am not anything like him.”

Reed arched a brow at her. “Then, will you consider staying and running the paper?”

“No.” She crossed her arms. “I told you I’m leaving.”

He rolled his eyes. “Pot meet kettle.”

She glared at him. “I am not just like my father.”

“Wanna make a bet?”

“No.” She turned and moved to the window.

He followed her. He maintained a reasonable distance. In the glow of the street light, he could see the orange and yellow leaves pulling from the tree branches and rushing through the air as a gust of wind blew hard.

He knew if he told her what he’d learned about her father’s motivations for not asking her to take over the paper that she wouldn’t believe him. She needed to hear it directly from her father, but Reed didn’t know if those two would ever have an open and honest conversation.

But he had to give it one more shot. “Would you please go talk to your father? Maybe if you would tell him that you’re interested in running the paper…”

She spun around and practically ran into him. “I didn’t say that.”

“But it’s true. Isn’t it?”

“No.” The answer came out too quickly and vehemently to be believed.

“Just talk to him.”

“I can’t. Any time the subject of the paper comes up, he gets worked up. And with his bad heart, he can’t get upset.”

Reed thought about his prior conversation with Samuel and how her father had gotten worked up. Reed felt bad. That was definitely a tactical error on his part. Honestly, he didn’t think Samuel would get so angry.

“I… I need to get packed,” she said.

“I thought you weren’t leaving until Friday.”

“I am but I have a lot of things to sort through. Obviously, I’m not going to be able to take much with me.” She pulled out her phone and started checking her messages.

He could take a hint. He understood her decision. He didn’t like it, but he understood it. Although he couldn’t help feeling that her avoiding her father was a mistake, it appeared there was nothing left he could say to her to change her mind.

“I should go. I still have some work to do before I call it a night. I just wanted to tell you goodbye.”

Her gaze rose from her phone. “As in this will be the last time I see you?”

He nodded. “Since there’s no reason for me to remain in Bayberry, I’m going to bump my flight to tomorrow.”

“Oh.” For a moment, she looked crestfallen. Did that mean she’d miss him like he’d miss her? He didn’t get a chance to ask as she rushed on. “Well, I hope you have a good flight. Thank you for the help with the maze.”

“I’ll, uh…keep an eye out for your work. I always enjoy reading your pieces.”

She smiled brightly. “Be careful or you’ll become a fan.”

He stared deep into her eyes. “I’m already your biggest fan.”

She continued to stare into his eyes, making his heart thump-thump.

Her rosy lips parted, as though she were going to say something, but then she wordlessly pressed them together.

He wondered what she’d do if he were to lean forward and kiss her goodbye.

He just wanted one more kiss. He’d hold on to the memory of it for a long time, because when he left Bayberry, he wasn’t going to forget Sadie Jane Plummer. She was unforgettable.

She took the decision out of his hands. She lifted up on her tiptoes and just as quickly leaned forward before he realized what she was about to do. Her soft, smooth lips pressed to his.

The breath hitched in his lungs. His arms automatically wrapped around her waist, pulling her in close.

He breathed in her jasmine scent. He tried to impress upon his mind every single detail of her kiss.

He wanted to remember this moment when she was across the world from him and sleep refused to claim him.

Her lips moved over his mouth, deepening the kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck as her fingertips raked up over the nape of his neck and then through his hair.

He could live in this perfect moment for the rest of eternity. Lip to lip. Heart to heart. This was the only place he wanted to be.

He knew he was never going to meet anyone as special as Sadie. He didn’t want to lose her. He was falling hard and fast for her.

As quickly as she’d kissed him, she pulled back. Her eyes were rounded, as though the intensity of the kiss had caught her off-guard.

“I, uh…” Her cheeks grew rosy. When her gaze met his, her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. “I’ll miss you.”

This was it. This was the moment he’d been dreading. This was goodbye.

A lump formed in the back of his throat. He swallowed hard. He hoped when he spoke, his voice sounded normal. “I’ll miss you too.”

They stood there in an awkward silence, staring into each other’s eyes.

Every cell in his body wanted to take her back into his arms and kiss her until the sun came up.

Although, he knew no matter how many times he kissed her, they would end up back at this awkward, miserable place.

It was time to rip the bandage off—quickly.

Before he lost his nerve, he said, “Safe travels.”

She blinked repeatedly. “The same to you.”

And then on stiff legs, he walked over to the couch and pet Binx’s head. “No more running away. Okay?”

Not letting himself look back at Sadie, he made his way to the stairs. He rushed down them. He didn’t take a full breath until he was outside in the crisp, cool air. Autumn had definitely arrived.

It was time to go call the airlines and move up his flight. In less than twenty-four hours, he’d be back in Chicago. In forty-eight hours, Sadie would be winging her way to Brussels. And this week, what they’d shared, would be nothing but a memory—a very good memory.

Everything within him was telling him this was the biggest mistake of his life. And yet, he kept going. He didn’t have another choice.