Page 26 of Rumors in Bayberry (The Bayberry, Vermont #3)

Chapter Nineteen

P lease, let him be all right.

Sadie’s heart raced as they walked down a long hallway. She wrung her hands together. They made a right-hand turn at the first corridor. She kept looking for him.

As soon as she made sure he was healthy, she had questions for him. So many questions. But first, she needed to hug him.

They passed by the nurses’ station that was situated in the middle of the room.

There were blue curtained beds along the walls.

At last, the male nurse stopped and gestured to the bed.

There lay Reed with a nasal cannula and an IV in his arm.

His face was pale, and there were soot smudges on his face.

She rushed to his side. She wanted to throw her arms around him, but she didn’t want to hurt him. So, she stopped and stood there, awkwardly. “How are you?”

He coughed, and when he spoke his voice was raspy. “I’m good.”

“You don’t sound like it.”

“The nurse”—he coughed again—“said my girlfriend was waiting to see me.” After she shushed him, he lowered his voice. “I didn’t know I had a girlfriend. Did you happen to see her?”

Heat rushed up Sadie’s neck and set her cheeks ablaze. She lowered her gaze and then she spoke softly. “I…uh, had to tell them something. If they thought I was your girlfriend, I was hoping they’d let me back here to see you.”

He reached out and took her hand in his. He stared into her eyes for a moment. “You were that worried about me?”

Her heart pitter-pattered. She didn’t know if it was from his touch or from him staring deep into her eyes. Maybe it was from both.

Realizing he was expecting an answer, conflicting answers clogged her throat. She swallowed hard and decided this was the time for the truth. “Yes, I was worried. You had me scared to death. Don’t ever do something like that again.”

“I thought you were in the apartment.”

“I was at my parents’ having dinner.”

His gaze searched hers. “Because you’re leaving tomorrow?”

“Not any longer.”

His eyes widened. “You changed your mind.”

“I didn’t say that.” She had no idea what she was going to do. “I haven’t had time to think about anything but you.”

“Me?” He smiled as he attempted to stifle a cough and lost the battle.

“Yes, you. I didn’t know if we’d ever get to talk like this again.” And then she thought of him rushing out of the burning building. The fresh images in her mind sent chills down her arms. “You’re a hero.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You saved Binx. Although, he’s not very happy with you for wrapping him in a blanket.”

“I know. I feel bad but I had to. I didn’t have a leash for him, and I…” Cough. Cough. “Needed to keep him safe from the fire. How is he now?”

“From what I hear from Kate, he’s fine. A little mad and hiding under the bed.”

“That’s where I found him…under your bed.”

Her heart swelled with gratitude. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if”—her voice cracked with emotion—“if something had happened to Binx…or you.”

When she looked into his eyes, she felt herself being drawn to him. It was as if there were a magnetic draw between them. The next thing she knew, she was leaning down to him. Her eyes fluttered shut, and then her lips touched his.

His arm reached up and wrapped around her back. His fingers combed through her hair, sending goosebumps cascading down her spine.

Boy, had she missed his kiss. It felt as though their lips hadn’t touched in years, and in reality, it had only been days. With his lips moving over hers, she could lose track of everything.

She loved him. She loved him in a way that she’d never loved anyone in her life.

Lip to lip.

He didn’t think this would ever happen again.

When he’d been caught in the fire, Reed didn’t think he’d see her again. And now that he was with her, he never wanted to let Sadie go again. When he’d been in that fire—when his exit had been cut off—when he wasn’t sure he would make it out—he’d thought of her.

He had no idea where they went from here. The one string that held them together had just burned. Perhaps the newspaper hadn’t experienced much damage. Maybe they’d put out the fire before it was able to reach the office. He could only hope.

Because if the newspaper burned to the ground—if the Bayberry Gazette no longer existed—then their careers would pull them apart. She would end up in Brussels. He would end up back in Chicago.

Sure, they’d talk often in the beginning. But as time went on, the calls and texts would grow less and less. There would be no future for their long-distance relationship. And now with her in his arms, well, his one arm, he knew that a part-time relationship wouldn’t be enough for either of them.

“Excuse me.”

Sadie jumped back like a firecracker had gone off between them. Color bloomed in her cheeks as she avoided his gaze. A smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. If he’d had any doubts that she felt something for him, too, he didn’t any longer.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the hospital staff said. “I’m here for your breathing treatment.” The woman looked at Sadie. “It’ll be a little bit. You can wait in the waiting area.”

“Can’t she stay here?” Reed asked.

The woman hesitated. “I suppose.”

After the treatment, he was feeling better.

All he wanted to do was leave the hospital, but they wouldn’t release him.

They kept telling him his oxygen level wasn’t where they wanted it to be, so they were keeping him overnight.

And the problem with that was that they didn’t have a room upstairs for him.

So, he stayed in the ER, and it wasn’t the quietest place.

He told Sadie to go home. When her bottom lip quivered, and her eyes glistened, he realized the fallacy of his words. She didn’t have a home to go to. Then he made matters worse when he apologized to her, because then the tears rolled onto her cheeks.

Making a mistake every time he opened his mouth, he shut up.

She settled back in the chair and stared at some videos on her phone.

He found that when he put his head back and closed his eyes, he was exhausted.

He tried to stay awake, but his eyelids grew heavier.

He fought it, and then the calm, soothing blackness took over.

The peaceful oblivion didn’t last long, because the hospital staff kept poking and prodding him throughout the night.

Sadie stayed quiet and out of the way, but she was there for him.

And when anyone asked, he introduced her as his girlfriend.

It felt surprisingly normal. In fact, he could easily get used to it.

In the next breath, he reminded himself that anything more than friendship was never going to work. And yet he clung to the idea that the newspaper office might have survived the fire. Maybe then he could talk Sadie into taking over the paper.

In between the needles and the exams, he would drift off to sleep. It was amazing how running into a fire and then escaping it could wipe a person out. He felt guilty for being stretched out on a bed while Sadie was trying to get comfortable in a hard plastic chair.

By 8:00 a.m., his oxygen was where they wanted, and he’d been examined by the third or, maybe it was the fourth, doctor. Either way, this guy said he could go home and rest. Reed couldn’t wait to get out of there. It felt like he’d been there for a week or more.

Sadie pulled the car around to the entrance to the ER, and he walked out. He still felt wiped out. He assured himself he would be fine once he got a good night’s sleep.

Once he was seated in her car, he realized he couldn’t go back to his room at the B&B. Today, he had to vacate the room. And he’d already missed his flight first thing that morning. Now what was he supposed to do?

Sadie pulled to a stop at the end of the hospital parking lot. She glanced over at him. “What’s wrong? Do we need to go back to the hospital?”

“Uh, no. It’s nothing like that. I just realized that I have to vacate my room at the B&B today. They are booked full tonight. There must be a lot of people attending the Pumpkin Festival.”

She sighed. “You have nothing to worry about. I can find you a place to stay.”

He shook his head. “It’s okay. I’ll figure something out.”

“No. I’ll take care of this.” She made a quick phone call. When she hung up, she turned to him. “Kate and Wes said you can use their guest room.”

He shook his head. “I’m not going to impose on your friends.”

“It’s not an imposition. After all, you’re a hero.”

“A hero?” He smiled. “I don’t think so.”

“Well, you’re my hero.” She reached out and placed her hand on his. She gave it a squeeze. “I’m so relieved that you’re all right. Now, we need to make a quick detour.”

“Where?”

“The store. I need some essentials. I don’t even have anything to sleep in. I have nothing.” She grew quiet as though the knowledge was still sinking in. And then in a soft voice full of pain, she said, “It all burned up in the fire.”

“I’m sorry.” He placed his hand over hers. His thumb stroked her skin. “I’m so relieved that you’re all right too.”

After a quick shopping spree at a big box store, they headed back to Bayberry. When they got into town, he knew exactly where he wanted to go. He had to know if the newspaper still existed before he told her he was in love with her. He had to know they had a legitimate chance to make things work.

“Can we drive to the newspaper?” he asked.

“The paper?” The surprise rang out in her voice.

He nodded. “You’re going there, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but are you sure you want to go there?”

“Yes. Now.” It’s important.

She cast him a quick side glance, but she turned in the direction of the paper. As they neared the right street, the breath caught in his lungs. This would be the sign he needed to know what to do where Sadie was concerned.

She made a left turn. The building was just ahead. He squinted, trying to make it out. Surely, he wasn’t seeing clearly. That couldn’t be right.