Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79433 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
With a long sigh, I followed and sat at the table, opened the newspaper, and found the column. I started to read—and then quickly stood again. By that point, Brody was back with my coffee.
“How can you stand to drink this black?” he asked as he set the mug down on the table.
“Extra hours? How in the hell do they know I’ve been working extra shifts? And how did they know I went to Reef Jewelers? Does this person have eyes everywhere?”
Brody laughed. “My favorite was the part about Adelaide breaking your heart all those years ago.”
I dropped back down in the chair and let out a groan. “Adelaide is not going to be happy about this.”
With a wave of his hand, Brody said, “She’s not going to care. It’s Adelaide; she doesn’t let things like a little gossip in the town newspaper bother her. I’m sure she hasn’t even seen it.”
I slowly nodded and reached for the coffee. “Yeah, maybe not.”
We both looked at each other, knowing it was a damn lie. Everyone in Seaside read the gossip column. It was the first thing you did on Thursday mornings. It didn’t even have an official name. Every week it was titled something different. This time it was Buzz Bait. Had to hand it to the author, they were creative with their wording.
Brody’s phone went off, and he pulled it out of his pocket and read a text. When he lifted his eyes to meet mine, he grimaced. “It’s from Brax.”
I sat up some in my chair. “And?”
He glanced down at the text, then back up at me. “Let’s just say, Adelaide has read the column, and I was wrong. She isn’t happy.”
Adelaide
I stared down at the article and read it again for what had to be the fiftieth time.
* * *
THE SEASIDE CHRONICLE
July 7, 2022
BUZZ BAIT
Seasiders,
News on the docks is, Adelaide Bradley is back in Seaside, and rumor has it she’s here to stay! (No ring was spotted on her finger, I might add!) After eight long years of living in the big city and working for Massachusetts General, she’s decided to return to the shores. One can only imagine how thrilled Barbara and Keegan are to have their oldest daughter back. But it makes you wonder if Adelaide will continue to pursue her nursing career or if she’s here to help at her family’s restaurant, The Seaside Grill.
A little seagull has planted in my ear that Gannon Wilson is taking the news rather well, considering Adelaide broke his heart all those years ago. I did notice Gannon has been working more than usual, piloting that precious cargo through our shipping channel. Maybe he’s picking up extra hours to purchase a piece of jewelry, considering he was seen in Reef Jewelers only days ago.
We’re rooting for the two of them to reunite at least as friends. Everyone knows the former homecoming king and queen had a bright future ahead of them until…well…that’s another story for another issue, Seasiders!
Fairwinds and following seas!
* * *
“Adelaide, maybe you should sit down,” my mother said as she motioned for me to take a seat on the sofa.
I continued my pacing. “I never broke Gannon’s heart. We broke up mutually. And what in the hell is this…the former homecoming king and queen had a bright future ahead of them until…until what? What is she trying to say?”
“Or he,” Harlee said before she took a sip of coffee.
I shot her a dirty look.
Holding up her hand to keep me from throwing every curse word I knew at her, she went on. “Listen, all I’m saying is the writer might be a guy.”
“Harlee, please,” Sutton stated. “No guy gets into gossip like this.”
Palmer laughed. “Oh, Sutton. You clearly don’t know men very well.”
My sisters exchanged middle fingers.
Harlee smiled. “Mr. Hall does. As a matter of fact, I overheard him last night in the grocery store telling Laney Reynolds and Charlotte Hathaway that Gannon turned down your mom’s dinner invite because he was enraged with you.”
I froze. “What? Why would he be mad at me?”
“He’s not mad at you.”
I spun around to see my brother walking into the family room.
Braxton shook his head. “He told old man Hall he couldn’t make dinner because he was otherwise engaged.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “How do you know that’s what he said?”
“Because he told me last night when I spoke to him. Even said he was sure the column would claim he was engaged or something. Whoever it is clearly got his words mixed up.”
Sutton and Harlee exchanged a look.
“So, if Mr. Hall was the writer of the column, he would have put that in there,” Harlee stated while Sutton nodded. “I guess we can rule out Mr. Hall then.”
Sutton smiled. “I think so!”
“For the love, I don’t care who the writer is…” I snapped. “They have this all wrong!”