Page 90 of You Were Invited
Subject: Article Edits
Dear Miss Turner,
I just finished reading your article, “Powdery Mildew: You’re Not Alone in This Fight.” I wanted to express my appreciation for your clear writing. While this isn’t a new topic, this was upbeat, refreshing, and a great motivator for our gardeners who need a little extra push. Your article will help them realize their problem is typical and solvable, and that they truly aren’t alone.
I’ve noted a couple of changes. Keep the good writing coming.
Yours, Leonard Princely
At the Root Level, Head Editor
Annie sat with her hands on her cheeks and a wide smile on her lips. Princely had praised her writing before— just never to this degree. She really had seen herself as a failure, and this was exactly the boost her starving ego needed.
A laugh bubbled from her chest and a wave of embarrassment hit her as tears misted her eyes.Well, heck, I deserved that praise. These are happy tears, and they’re mine.
Annie helped Molly with a few chores and made them salads for lunch before they settled down, eating snacks and streaming shows. Having come home after bedtime the night before, Annie now told Molly about her weekend– the good and the awful.
It was a mystery how Chris had found the cabin, but their best guess was that he’d seen Molly’s public No Wait Diner repost on her social media.
Molly swiped at her eyes with a shaking hand. “I’m so sorry, Annie... I forgot to change the share setting to friends only. It slipped my brain. I’m so sorry. And we were worried he’d stalk you. And this was all my fault.”
Annie took Molly’s hands and stared her dead in the eye. “Things happen. There’s no way you could’ve predicted he’d super sleuth his way to Julian’s cabin.”
“God... that’s scary. He didn’t cause too much trouble, did he?”
Annie hesitated. “He cussed us out and left when his movie-inspired demonstration didn’t win him any points,” she fibbed. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Molly the whole story. The less stress her friend endured, the better. In the end, Annie and Julian had taken care of it. She was, however, considering filing a restraining order.
“I’m so sorry...”
“It’s alright. I think he’s got the message.”He can think about what he did while he’s in jail for that DUI.
Julian had followed up with the sheriff’s office, just in case Chris had slipped away. He hadn’t. Annie had no idea how harsh a punishment Chris would get, but Julian assured her it wouldn’t be light.
“Good.” Molly hugged a pillow and smirked. “So... the rest ofyourgrand gesture went well. Before dingus showed up, of course.”
Annie smiled shyly.
“Awww, you love him, don’t you!”
“Maybe...”
“Have you said it yet?”
“It?”
“You know... that you love each other...”
“Maybe...?”
“Annie!” Molly growled, hitting Annie on the shoulder with her pillow. “You totally said it, didn’t you? You like-like him... Considering all that K-I-S-S-I-N-G in the trees!”
Annie burst out laughing. Moments like this reminded her of their younger days when they’d gossip about their crushes — well, usually just Molly’s. It’d felt like she’d had a new one every week. “Remember Stephen Rosling?” she said. “He was next to you in alphabetical order, so you’d walk next to him when we’d have to line up, and you thought he was the best thing ever–"
Molly rolled her eyes. “Yeah, until he gave me a flat tire in the hallway and called me a klutz when I tripped. I couldn’t look at him for the rest of fifth grade. Everyone knew you like-liked Neil-something-or-other.”
“Of course. He always had an amazing mom lunch, and he shared it with me,” Annie laughed. “He only wanted the store-bought cookies.”
“Very generous. Good quality.”
