Page 54 of Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance

“Oh, my gosh. Of course. Kelsey. I’m Livia. I took over this bed-and-breakfast from my grandmother. I come from a long line of Dillville residents.”

Yeah, and I come from a long line of dairy farmers. “Do cucumbers even grow here?” I ask as she leads us inside the back of the house.

She laughs, and it’s like the tinkling of a bell.

I laugh like a horse.

“Of course! That’s how Dillville got its name. Now, in the higher elevations, it’s not as easy. But Dillville has a warmer climate, being so south and west.”

Zachery cuts his eyes at me as if to say, “Of course, Kelsey,” and I want to go hide in my room for a while. Maybe Iamacting eighteen to his thirty-six. I feel like it.

Livia leads us up a curving staircase. “Your two rooms are on this end. There’s an adjoining bathroom between you.”

So, we share a bathroom. I know we did it last night as well. Shared a bed, even.

But today, I’m over it. I want to get out there and find someone, anyone, who will make me feel like I’ve made some progress.

She hands each of us a physical key, the ordinary kind like I have for my apartment. “For your rooms. Sorry they aren’t antique anymore. They kept getting stolen. Now please, excuse me. I have to get the cart over to the park. Please feel free to walk around and help yourself to any drinks and snacks in the main fridge in the kitchen. It will be alittle hectic with Dillfest, but I’m sure you are here for that, so I know you’ll understand.”

She mainly says all this to Zachery.

“Will we see you there?” he asks.

She blushes again at the question, and I catch him glancing at her left hand.

No ring.

“I’ll be giving rides around the park. I’m more than happy to include a ride around the grounds of the festival for you as part of your stay, Mr. Carter.” Her eyes glitter as she waits for a response.

“Zach, please.”

“Oh! Yes, Zach, then.” Now even her neck is pink, what you can see above the high collar of the lacy blouse.

“It sounds delightful.” Zach lifts her hand and kisses the back of it.

Ugggh. It’s one thing to see Zach working an actor at Desdemona’s request, but this is another thing entirely. He’s on his own time. I turn to open my door.

“Oh, and you, too, Kelsey!” Livia croons, as if realizing she ought to be nice to me, since I’m clearly Zach’s underling, or niece or ward or something.

“Sure, thanks!” I don’t turn back, but go through my door and shut it.

There is another burst of giggles from old-timey Livia, and I flop on the bed. I’ll fetch my bigger suitcase in a minute, when the two of them aren’t flirting in the hall.

The room is gorgeous, with wood insets and classic paintings and everything in shades of pale peach and cream. A window overlooks the street and the festival beyond it, mostly a line of tent-topped booths.

I listen as Zach walks around his room, the floors creaking.

I roll over to determine which door is the closet and which is the bathroom.

I can’t tell from the layout.

Then one of the doors pops open, and Zachery’s head appears. “Boo.”

Dang it. I can’t help but smile.

“Hey.”

He sits on the end of the bed. “You all right?”

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