Page 7 of Resorting to Romance

Chloe’s face blanches.

“Good afternoon.” My aunt, Phyllis, says from the kitchen doorway, saving Chloe from answering—for now. I’ll circle back, for sure.

“Hey. What brings you here?” I ask Aunt Phyllis.

“I can’t stop in on my niece?”

“You definitely can. It’s just that you usually don’t simply drop in out of the blue. Want a cookie? I just pulled a batch out of the oven.”

“I’d love one. I could smell those from all the way out on the front porch. They’re magic.”

I grab a cookie for Phyllis as she slides onto a stool. She and Chloe exchange a look.

“What is going on?” I ask both of them.

“Just checking in on you,” Phyllis says in a tone I’m sure is meant to be nonchalant, but comes off slightly high-pitched and very telling. She was in the movies ages ago. Her acting skills are far better than the show she’s putting on right now.

“Funny, that’s exactly what Chloe was doing. Why is everyone checking in on me?”

“Hey, everybody,” Aunt Joan says from the doorway.

“Joan?” Phyllis asks her sister. “I thought I was coming over here.”

“What do you mean? We decided I would be the one.”

“No. We clearly said I would stop by Mila’s place and you would ask around at Corner Market.”

“Ask what?” I ask.

No one seems to remember I’m even here.

“Hey, sweeties!” My Aunt Connie sidles up next to Joan.

Joan looks over at Connie. “I thought you were going to C-Side to ask Clarissa what she knows.”

“I thought you were going to C-Side and Phyllis was going to Corner Market and I was coming here. Remember? We sorted it by age.”

“Yes. And I’m the oldest,” Phyllis says. “I’m the one who was given legal custody of Mila when she came to live with us. So I was the one coming here.”

“You’re always pulling that card, Phyl. It’s not right. We all raised her. Am I right, Mila?” Connie looks over at me with a pleading look.

“You all did raise me. And would someone, for the love, tell me what is going on around here?”

All four sets of eyes fix on me, as if I just appeared out of nowhere.

No one speaks.

I cross my arms and make eye contact with each of the women gathered in my kitchen in turn. These are my people. I’d do anything for any one of them. And they’ve got a secret, obviously—one they are doing a lousy job of hiding from me.

“It’s just a rumor, dear,” Phyllis says.

“Yes. Complete gossip. Probably unfounded,” Joan adds.

“I’d guess someone has their facts wrong.” Connie nods along.

I land on Chloe. She steps toward me, placing her hand on my shoulder. She takes a deep breath. Her face softens.

“Someone heard something about Brad. He’s supposedlyexpanding his second-hand sports equipment business to include watersports. And … well … Ashley heard from Dan. And then she told Brynn. And Brynn said something to Abbie. And Abbie told me. So … it’s basically a game of telephone. Probably nothing.”

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