Page 26

Sydney found the sheriff’s department without too much trouble. She walked in and immediately saw Birdie, sitting behind the reception desk. The place was quiet, but Birdie seemed occupied with something.

Sydney cleared her throat softly.

Birdie looked up, a big smile breaking across her face. “As I live and breathe, it’s Sydney Marlowe. Hello, beautiful!”

Sydney smiled. “Hi, Birdie. How are you?”

“I’m just fine. How are you?”

Sydney exhaled. “I’m all right. Is this an okay time? I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

Birdie looked around. “You see anything happening in here? Because I sure don’t. Now is a fine time. What do you need?”

Sydney clung to the strap of her purse. “I was kind of hoping for a little advice. If you have a minute.”

Birdie stood up and leaned toward the open office door that was right near the desk. “Hank, I need to go out for a bit. Can you get the phones?”

A noise that sounded very much like a growl answered her.

Birdie nodded. “We’re good. Let’s go get some coffee and maybe a little snack.”

Sydney glanced toward the office. She hadn’t meant to pull Birdie away from her job. “You sure it’s okay?”

“Yep.” Birdie grabbed her purse, a white hobo bag covered in silver studs and trimmed in fringe, and came around the desk. “Hank, you want a coffee?”

“We have coffee here,” came the gravelly response.

“Well, we don’t have cake. You want a slice of that?”

After a brief silence as if he’d been considering it, another gruff response. “No.”

Birdie shrugged. “Suit yourself.” She headed for the door. “You don’t mind walking, do you, Sydney?”

“Not at all.” Sydney picked up her pace so she didn’t get left behind. Birdie was shockingly spry for an older woman. “Where are we going?”

“Best sweet shop in town, Delaney’s Delectables. You know, as in the same Delaney who emceed the auction?”

“Oh, right.” Sydney didn’t generally eat a lot of sweets, but since she wasn’t getting in front of the camera anytime soon, a little something couldn’t hurt. Even if it wasn’t quite lunchtime yet.

As if understanding that Sydney didn’t want to ask her questions in public, Birdie kept up a steady stream of small talk, telling Sydney about the shops they were passing and pointing out a few people.

They turned a corner and were in front of Delaney’s Delectables. Without even going inside, Sydney could smell the chocolate. “This place looks dangerous.”

Birdie laughed. “It is, in the best kind of way. Come on.”

They went inside, the overwhelming aroma of sweets making Sydney pause just to savor it. “Wow. This would have sent me over the edge in my modeling days.”

There was almost too much variety to take in. Display cases held trays of chocolate truffles, cupcakes, cookies, bars, and, in a tall, refrigerated case, there were gorgeous cakes of every description.

Sydney just stared, feeling much like a kid in a candy store. Literally. She leaned toward Birdie. “What are you getting, and how do you decide?”

“I was thinking about a slice of the flourless mocha chocolate cake. It’s divine with coffee. The cake is so rich and fudgy. If those flavors appeal to you, I don’t think you can go wrong.”

“Oh, that does sound good. I’ll have the same thing.”

“You’re sure? You don’t have to get it just because I am.”

“No, I want to try it.” Sydney smiled. “I live here now. I have time to try all the other things.”

“That’s my kind of thinking. Okay, let’s order.”

They got their cake and coffee and settled in at a small table by the window where they’d have a little privacy, although the shop wasn’t exactly mobbed at the moment.

“So,” Birdie said, picking up her fork. “What’s on your mind?”

Sydney sipped her coffee. It was very good. “It’s about Adam.”

Birdie nodded like she’d been expecting that answer. She sliced off the point of her cake and ate it. “What about him?”

Sydney sighed and went into the whole story about how she’d overdone things and then accidentally fallen asleep on his couch last night. “Anyway, I sort of made a fool of myself and rushed out because I was so embarrassed. I’m sure he thinks I’m not all there.”

She forked up a bite of cake. “I like him, a lot, but I don’t think he feels that way about me at all, which is fine, because he clearly needs time to get over the relationship he just got out of, but I don’t want to lose him as a friend, either.”

She ate the cake, almost moaning at how good it was.

“Sweetheart, listen to me. You’re a smart, beautiful young woman with a lot going for you.

If you think a man is going to be bothered by you accidentally falling asleep on his couch, you don’t know men very well.

I doubt Adam thinks you’re crazy. Granted, folding his laundry might have been a little odd, but you’re just asking for wrinkles if you leave warm clothes in a cold basket. ”

Sydney threw her hands up. “Thank you! That’s what my mother taught me.

And I’ll be honest, my experiences with men aren’t typical.

The men I’ve dated have all mostly been celebrities in their own way.

I promise you, if I’d acted that way with one of them, they’d have assumed I was entering stalker territory. ”

“The good news is, regular guys don’t think that way.

And they aren’t always taught about folding clothes right out of the dryer, so like I said, he might have thought that part a little odd.

I bet he still thought it was sweet, and I’m sure he appreciated it.

Men are highly unlikely to complain about not having to do a chore. ”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“Here’s the thing, though. I don’t know Adam very well, but he must be a nice guy if he agreed to do the bachelor auction?—”

“And he adopted that little dog, Sugarbelle, that he was paired with.”

“He did? Aw, that’s so sweet.” Birdie tipped her head. “And funny. That great big guy with that tiny little dog?” She laughed. “I love it. Anyway, he has to be a good, decent man, but you’re … Sydney Marlowe. You were on the cover of Sports Illustrated ’s swimsuit issue wearing sand and a smile.”

Sydney rolled her eyes. “Birdie. I had a bikini on.”

“Made of what? Cling film? It was barely visible. My point is, he’s probably not even thinking that you’re interested in him. He probably just thinks you’re incredibly nice and he’s somehow hit the neighbor lottery to have you living next door to him.”

Sydney stared at her. “I don’t know … I don’t think he even knows who I am. Who I was, I mean. Which I’m perfectly fine with. I like it, honestly.”

“Honey, there’s not a man in this town who doesn’t know who you are. Even the gay ones know who you are.”

“That’s slightly depressing news. I came here to live a normal life.” She poked at her cake, her appetite diminished by Birdie’s revelation.

“Is that what you’ve been doing?”

Sydney looked up. “What do you mean?”

“Has life here been pretty normal?”

Sydney shook her head. “Birdie, I have no idea. I don’t know what normal is.”

“But you haven’t been hounded for autographs or been stared at or followed by adoring fans, have you?”

“Not really. Some girls recognized me last night at the fountain, but they were tourists, so?—”

Birdie made a strange face. “What were you doing at the fountain last night?”

“I took Sugarbelle and Mackie, my dog, out for a walk. I thought it would help get Sugarbelle calmed down. She seemed upset about the accident.”

“And you ended up at the fountain?”

Sydney nodded. “Not by any plan. It is in the center of town.”

“True.” Birdie seemed relieved, but Sydney still didn’t understand why she’d been bothered in the first place.

“Is the fountain off-limits for townsfolk or something?”

Birdie laughed. “No, nothing like that. It’s just a … really touristy spot.”

“Yeah, there were definitely tourists there.” Sydney drank her coffee. “So you basically think I’m overthinking this whole thing?”

“I didn’t say that, but yes, I do. I’m sure he has no idea how you feel about him. You should just tell him. And tonight’s the perfect opportunity.”

“Right, after he finds out that I spent twenty-five thousand dollars so that he wouldn’t actually have to go out on a date with anyone. Because that’s perfectly normal.”

“Well, it’s more normal when you can afford it, but I really don’t think he’s going to be bothered by it. If anything, he’ll be flattered. Most men would be.”

Sydney stuck her fork into the cake again, freeing a small bite. “But he’s already told me he’s not looking for a relationship. I know he just got out of one, and from the little he’s told me, it was not a good breakup. Not for him anyway. He’s sworn off women.”

Birdie snorted. “Sure he has. But that’s only because he doesn’t know you’re an option.”

Sydney finished the cake she’d just eaten, then leaned forward. “I’m not just looking for a boyfriend, though. I want … more.”

Birdie’s brow furrowed. “How much more?”

“I want a husband. And babies. At least two. I want the whole thing. The happy family.”

“You think he doesn’t?”

“I think he wanted that at some point, but after that breakup, who knows.”

“He might need some time to get over her and whatever she did to him, but can she really compare to you?”

“Birdie, you’re sweet, but I might be a homicidal maniac for all you know.”

Birdie gave a quick shake of her head. “Pretty sure they don’t put homicidal maniacs on the cover of Sports Illustrated . Even the hot ones.”

Sydney suppressed a grin.

“What are you wearing to the date?” Birdie asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe just a little black dress.”

“I’m sure you have some great ones, but is that really your best option?”

“Depends what I’m going for.”

“Say you want him to forget the name of every other woman he’s ever known. What are you wearing then?”

Sydney laughed. “Well, I do have this emerald-green lace number…”

“Wear it. Make an impression. Let him see you not as his cute, helpful neighbor but as the knockout you really are. Then see how the rest of the night goes.”

“I don’t know, Birdie. What if he rejects me?”

“It’ll suck, but isn’t it better to know that now than to keep wondering what might have been?”

Sydney stabbed another bite of cake. “When you put it that way…”