Page 53 of The Magical Bed & Breakfast

“Okay, be honest. This is my latest attempt at muffins.” She centered the plates on the colorful placements and stepped back.

Rory studied the presentation in front of him. The little breakfast casserole in its white circular dish looked amazing. The generous serving of bacon smelled heavenly. But the shriveled muffin just cried out in agonized sadness. He pursed his lips. “Um, bacon looks good.”

“Ah, come on. Taste it.”

“The bacon?” he said hopefully.

Kate lips pinched tight. “The muffin. I worked extra hard on these. They’re…”

He took a careful bite and blinked three times fast.

“…not awful?”

Rory swallowed, hard, and took a swig of the orange juice placed next to his plate, before he schooled his expression. “There are no words.”

Kate let out a huff. “Okay, fine.” She plopped into her chair and snatched up her napkin to drop in her lap.

Rory gentled his voice. “Have you reached out to Ivy? You said something about lessons.”

Kate took a nibble of her own muffin. “I guess I’ll have to. At least this one didn’t fall apart. Progress, maybe.” She motioned at the basket of extra muffins on the table, but what caught his eye was the gazette folded up neatly next to his place setting.

“Is this now part of the inn’s morning offerings? The local paper?”

“It is today. But you may not like what you find.”

Rory nibbled on another piece of bacon and opened up the paper. He perused the front page and laughed out loud. “That Hazel Bestwick! She outed me just like that, listing me as a performer with “…our fabulous new innkeeper Kate Mayfield,” he quoted.

Kate sighed. “I appreciate the praise, but you don’t mind? Really?”

“It was inevitable. I’m sure Seymour had a hand in it as well and probably Lydia.”

“Marjorie?”

“Likely the only dissenter, but easily won over by the others. Is this what you were worried about?”

“Only a little. Look inside.” Kate grimaced.

Rory turned the page. “Surely, it can’t be that bad. What could possibly be in the town gazette that…ah,no way.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Rory started reading. Everything in the interview made it sound like Sunny Briscoe was his long-standing girlfriend. She talked about each of the concerts she had attended and her visits backstage as if she had been invited and not crashed her way there, or sneaked past security.

She shared little personal tidbits about his life, ones that she’d no doubt gleaned by spying on his daily habits. She even talked about the other band members like she was some kind of insider, about Dustin’s new baby coming and Ven visiting his family in India. It made his stomach roil. He looked up at Kate.

“It isn’t as bad as you think.”

“How can this not be…can we get a retraction? She makes out like she’s my girlfriend!”

“True, but she never comes out and says it. She doesn’t malign you or the band in any way. It’s all quite flattering.”

“Except she’s inserted herself into our lives, and that’s a total deception.”

“Likely her own. She comes across as delusional. But what concerns me most is how she implies a connection to the band, like she’s related to one of the members. Did you pick up on that?”

Rory stared at Kate. He went back and read through the piece again. “I see that now. But that’s a total lie.”

“Are you sure?”

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