Page 4 of No Place Like Home
Rosalyn rushed past the secretary—Pearl, she’d said?—and kept her head ducked, hair curtaining the side of her face as she hurried to the elevator.Don’t talk to me, don’t talk to me…
“Where are you going, honey?”
Shoot. She couldn’t be rude.
She forced a smile, turned to see the kind older woman posed with a stapler in hand, brow wrinkled. A desk fan hummed atop a tower of file folders next to a Chug a Mug coffee cup.
WherewasRosalyn going? Wasn’t that the million-dollar question. “Just…away.” She punched the elevator button with a shaky hand. Away…backward…in circles. Pick one.
Down the hall, the door to Cade’s office rattled. Despite her mother’s assurance, he hadnotbeen happy to see her—and why would he be, after she’d ignored his email asking her to perform at Magnolia Days. She hadn’tmeantto ignore it, of course. It’d simply fallen off her radar after a skim-read a few months ago. Before…well, before a lot of things.
Her gaze darted to the bandage wrapped around her knee. She’d have hidden it under yoga pants, but after so many years touring abroad, she’d forgotten how hot it got here in the Bay. Plus, she’d come home to heal. Physically and mentally.
Emotionally might be asking for too much.
The AC hummed and she tapped her sandaled foot, willing the elevator door to open. She’d been back in town several days now, and her mom had kept not-so-subtly leaving a flyer advertising “Magnolia Days’ First Ever Cajun Circus—Details to Come” strategically around the house until she’d taken the bait.
“What’s this?” Rosalyn had asked earlier that morning, watching her mother blend a smoothie.
Elegant as always, Mom wore a high-necked blouse patterned with a swirl of emerald that brought out her eyes. “The town’s fundraiser effort could use a little help.” Mom scooped in a handful of berries, poured a measuring cup of milk. “And how convenient to have such a talented performer back at home—right on time.”
“But I don’t even know how long I’m staying.” The excuse sounded as weak as it felt. But what was she supposed to say—that she couldn’t risk media attention right now? She’d just sound like a diva. She crossed her arms over her workout top, going for the stronger excuse. “I have to take it easy on my knee.”
Mom’s all-knowing gaze dropped to Rosalyn’s bandage, then back to the bowl of blueberries. “I thought you’d been given the all-clear.”
“That doctor didn’t know what he was talking about.”
“Ah, I see. Well, it’s a good thing second opinions exist in Magnolia Bay.” The whir of the blender cut off Rosalyn’s protest, and the urge to see Cade again—to participate in something bigger than her that wasn’tabouther—nudged until she couldn’t resist. The next thing she knew, she’d changed clothes and driven to the mayor’s office to find Cade exactly where her mother claimed he’d be.
Just not apparently where Rosalyn needed to be.
Down the hall, Cade’s office door rattled again.Wherewas the elevator? Rosalyn jabbed the lit button one more time, despite logic proving it made no difference. She hadn’t seen him since that Harvard-Yale football game five years ago, when they’d had a…whatever you call it. Near-moment? Maybe that’s why he’d been so annoyed to see her. Or maybe he’d somehow heard about?—
“Rosalyn!” Cade hurried down the hall, all sandy brown hair and pressed clothing and…smiles?
Oh. She frowned, hesitant. So, not annoyed, then? “Hey…”
He passed Pearl’s desk, clearly not noticing the way the woman’s eyebrow hiked. Then again, Rosalyn sure hadn’t noticed the cut of Cade’s designer button-down, or the way it hugged his biceps, when she’d glimpsed him from his doorway a moment ago.
Someone had started working out since college.
“Sorry about that. The door sticks.” Slightly winded from his battle, Cade’s smile shifted from brilliant to sheepish. Five o’clock shadow graced his cut jaw line, his brown eyes sparking with the charm that had always kept him popular in high school. “It’s a little low on the priority list of fixes around here.”
“I’m sorry I interrupted. I should’ve made an appointment.” Rosalyn shoved her hands into her shorts pockets, hating she wasn’t sure where else to put them. Normally, poise and grace came easy for her—she was a performer. No one wanted to watch clunky and awkward ten feet in the air. But since coming home, she seemed to have slid back into the role of nerdy, unsure teenager.
The girl Cade used to have no problem ignoring until it was time to compete.
“Oh, that had nothing to do with you—just work.” He waved one hand in the air, the movement as confident as he’d always been. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
A bit of tension eased out of her shoulders. Not that she ever caredtoomuch what he thought. Not since that one time in sixth grade when he’d added too much vinegar—make that too mucharrogance—to their volcano experiment and ruined going to regionals in the science fair competition for them both.
She shifted her weight off her knee. Tested a smile. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t email you back.” She winced. “I was traveling, and I’ll be honest—it fell through the cracks.” For good reason, but that wasn’t a story for an old rival and a delayed elevator. Wherewasthat thing?
Though maybe she wasn’t in quite as big a hurry as before.
