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)
Braxton sat down. “Not all of it.”
All eyes swung to him.
“Well, you are back in town for good. They got that right. Gannon has been working extra shifts, but only because he wants to get his full bar pilot license. And he was at Reef Jewelers.”
“Why?” all the women in the room asked at the same time.
Braxton’s eyes went wide before he laughed. “He was picking up something for his mom. That’s all.”
I sighed. “Great. All these years I’ve managed to not make it into this stupid column, and now here I am.”
“I hate to tell you this,” Harlee said, “but now that she…or he…has written about you, they most likely will again. Especially since they kind of left it on a cliffhanger.”
Sutton giggled. “Oh my God, it did end on a cliffhanger. I’m dying to find out what you did to ruin the future the two of you had!”
Groaning, I sat on the sofa and pulled a throw pillow up to my face so I could scream into it.
“Welcome home, sis!” Braxton laughed.
I dropped the pillow into my lap and shot him a dirty look.
Launching off the couch, I pointed to each person in the room. “We need to make it our mission to find out who in the heck is writing this column.”
My mother stood, shook her head, and waved her hands around like crazy. “Oh no. Count me out on this. I’ve managed to stay out of that column since it started ten years ago. Besides, I don’t really want to know who’s writing it.”
“Why not?” Sutton asked.
“Well,” my mother started, “it’s kind of neat not knowing who the writer is. It could be anyone. The pastor at the Methodist church, or Mrs. Pritcher, even.”
“The librarian?” Harlee asked. “No, she’s too sweet and doesn’t bother anyone. Plus, she never leaves the library to know what’s going on. And she keeps it so quiet in that place, I highly doubt she could even hear any gossip.”
“Fine, then Mrs. Pritcher is off the list. But, like I said, it could be anyone. And I, for one, don’t want to find out who it is,” Mom said.
“I do,” Sutton and Harlee replied at the same time. I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Harlee, you can’t find out who it is?” I asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve already told you. The only person who knows is my father. It was agreed that the writer would remain anonymous.”
Exhaling, I looked at my mother. “I get why you don’t care to know, but I want to know so I can avoid the person.”
With another wave of her hand, my mother laughed. “Please. Even if you knew, that doesn’t mean they can’t still get their information. I mean, who knows how many seagulls they have planted around town.”
Sutton let out a humorless laugh. “I’m glad it’s not about me this time. I had enough of it when I was going through the divorce.”
I gasped. “They wrote about the divorce?”
Sutton shrugged. “Nothing really bad. They actually made Jack sound like an absolute asshole.”
“Because he is one,” Harlee added.
Braxton lifted his hand and high-fived Harlee. “That’s my girl.”
Did Harlee blush? I looked between her and my brother and, for a moment, I thought I saw something exchanged between the two of them.
I’d have to think about that later. Right now, I needed to figure out a way to stay out of the town gossip column. “How many more columns do you think they’ll write about me and Gannon then?” I asked.
“I mean, that could be it. Something or someone else might draw their attention away from you guys,” Harlee said with a soft smile.
“Ugh,” I said. “I can’t believe I’m in the Thursday gossip column when I’ve barely been back in town!”
Braxton rolled his eyes. “For Pete’s sake, Adelaide, it’s not like they wrote anything bad. Just take it in stride, sis.”
I glanced at my brother and nodded. “You’re right. I’ll take it in stride. I guess I was a little surprised by being in there. I mean, I just got back home.”
“And your history with Gannon fascinates people,” Harlee stated. “You should be happy; some people would die to be written about in that column.”
“Like who?” Sutton asked.
Harlee shrugged. “We have a tip line set up at the paper.”
I turned to Harlee. “Really? Then how does she—or he—get these little hints if they’re anonymous?”
“They call in and leave them on voicemail.”
My mother leaned in. “And only your father knows who it is?”
Harlee laughed. “Yep. He’s been offered some pretty crazy things to spill the beans over the years.”
“I bet,” my mother said with a giggle.
Sighing in frustration, I turned to Braxton. “Do you think Gannon is upset about this?”
He smiled. “Only one way to find out. Ask him.”
“Yep,” Sutton said with a giggle. “Ask him, Addie.”
Crossing my arms over my chest again, I replied, “I will.”