Page 15 of This Thing Between Us

“Of course, I remembered.” Barb brushed her hair behind her ear. “Besides, don’t think I don’t know that you’ve been sending your sister in here every six months sniffing around for my recipe. I saw right through her not-so-innocent questions.” She wagged her finger in my face.

“I have absolutely no idea what you are taking about,” I told her with a straight face. She just gave me “the look” in return.

I dug right in when my pie arrived, savoring every single morsel that went into my mouth. My memory hadn’t done it justice, that’s for sure.

I shoved another bite in my mouth. “Don’t mind me.”

Barb just chuckled. “What brings you back here? From what Savannah tells me, you had no intention of ever stepping foot in this town again.”

For someone who didn’t have a great mother figure growing up, Barb served as a great substitute. Not only had I confided in her as a teen, but she even let me work in the diner on summer breaks to earn some cash of my own. I owed her a lot.

“Did Savannah tell you yet?”

Barb leaned forward. “Tell me what?”

“I guess that’s a no,” I said. “She’s pregnant.”

“Pregnant!” Barb practically shouted, throwing her hands in the air.

I lunged forward, grabbing her outstretched arms and placing them on the table, shooting a look to see if she drew the attention of any of the other patrons.

“Act cool, Barb. Thank God nobody is in here right now, otherwise there’d be a rumor going around town in no time that I’m the one that’s knocked up.”

Barb threw her head back, laughing with her whole body. I gave her my best exasperated look, but I wasn’t too mad. Barb was a hard woman to stay mad at.

“Seriously though, I don’t know who Sav has told, so please don’t say anything,” I begged her. I really didn’t want to get chewed out for telling the whole town my sister’s business.

Barb reached over to my clasped hands and squeezed tightly. “I promise I won’t say a thing.”

The hostess came over and refilled our coffee cups. I thanked her as she walked away.

“What happens now? You had a big fancy job in California. What are you going to do for work here?”

I took a sip of coffee. “Well, I think I’m going to see if I can pick up a few clients here. Admittedly, there isn’t as big of a market for event planners in a small town, but if I pick up little gigs or expand my radius to the neighboring towns, I’ll be able to make it work.” Truth be told, I was great at planning events, but I thought I’d take some time to figure out what else I could do. The change in scenery might make for a fresh start.

Barb launched out of her seat. “I have the perfect thing for you to work on,” she said as she walked toward the back of the diner, leaving me alone. Drinking my cup dry, I signaled for another refill as Barb came back with a bright blue flyer in hand.

I glanced between the fluorescent-colored paper and Barb’s face. She looked way too satisfied with herself.

“What is that?” I asked as she slowly sat back down, eying the paper wearily.

“This my dear, is your first assignment as Haver’s Creek’s resident event planner.” She slapped the flyer on the table between us. I stared at it reluctantly before picking it up with two fingers.

Save the Date: Haver’s Creek Police Department Annual Fundraising Galait read.

“Really?” I asked.

“Don’t give me that look. Yes,really. I think this would be perfect for you. You need a job, and I need someone to take this monstrosity of a fundraiser off my hands. It’s a win-win.”

Barb and Darrell, the police chief, had married at eighteen and supported each other’s endeavors ever since. I’d heard about the gala when I was younger, but never actually attended any of them.

That would have required connections and money.

Both things we lacked growing up in the Rose household.

“There isn’t much money, but we could pay you a little,” Barb promised me. “And besides, once people in this town see what you can do, you’ll have clients lined up in no time.” She leaned back and crossed her arms, practically daring me to challenge her.

I squinted my eyes and read the limited information on the flyer. This offer was too good to be true.

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