Page 12 of Silver Fake

They are both staring at me with wide eyes like I just announced that Santa Claus doesn’t exist. I shake my head at them.

"Um, I don't know what you mean by 'the' John Barton," I say slowly because they look like they are ready to go over the edge. “But yes, that’s my boss’s name.”

“I can’t believe you never told me his full name before.” Denise crosses her arms, putting on a full phony pout like I’ve wronged her somehow.

“I didn’t think it was relevant.”

Sheila shakes her head. “You do realize where you’re at right now, don’t you?” Lifting a brow, I just stare back at her in question until she says, “You’re in Barton Beach.”

“And?”

Denise throws her arms in the air dramatically. “John’s last name is Barton. I live in Barton Beach. How have you never made this connection?”

“Barton is a common name," I reply. "I never assumed there would be a connection. Plus, John knows that I visit here. And he's never mentioned that it's his hometown. It could just be a coincidence.”

Denise lets out a soft chuckle, shaking her head incredulously. "If it's the John Barton I'm thinking of, it's not a coincidence. We went to high school together." She takes a sip of her coffee, her smile widening. "Even back then, he was grumpy. It makes sense he's a lawyer now."

"The Bartons are practically royalty here," Sheila chimes in. "The town is literally named after them. And they run the Barton Beach Hotel. I can’t believe you work fortheJohn Barton and had no idea about this."

I can't believe it either.

John Barton, my boss, is a part of the family that this town is named after. It feels...surreal. All this time I've been coming to Barton Beach, falling in love with its charm, appreciating the peace it offers me, and I had no idea that my boss has roots here.

I feel a strange sense of connection. And confusion. Why has John never mentioned it to me?

"This is... a lot to process," I finally manage to say.

"Do you think John will be in town this weekend?" Sheila asks.

I wrinkle my nose. "Why would he be in town?"

"The Mayor Reynold's daughter, Angela, is getting married. Everyonein town is going to the wedding. I figured maybe he would be there too."

I shrug, unsure. "Maybe? I don't know."

“Did John know you were coming to Barton Beach?” Denise refills my mostly empty mug while she waits for my answer.

I nod, taking a sip of the freshly poured coffee. "Yes, I always tell him when I'm coming here. He knows I visit Barton Beach frequently. But, like I said, he's never mentioned any connection."

Sheila interjects thoughtfully, "Well, perhaps he's not coming then. You would think if he was vacationing in the same town as you, he would at least let you know."

I shrug. “John doesn’t really share things about himself or his life. All we talk about is work unless I bring up another topic, and he’s pretty quick to bring our discussions right back to work stuff when I do.”

Sheila makes a scrunched up face. “He sounds like a blast.”

That makes me laugh.

“He’s really not a bad boss. I’ve had worse. And I think he respects me professionally. He just doesn’t share personal details.”

Even as I say it’s okay, I can’t help the annoyance I feel that John has never once shared that my favorite vacation spot is his hometown. I shouldn’t care, but it’s nagging me for some reason. What are the chances John is either in or on his way to Barton Beach now? Will I run into him while I’m here?

Suddenly it dawns on me - a memory from just before I left for vacation. John had asked me to clear his meetings for the rest of the week because he had to go out of town on urgent business.

"Oh my gosh," I groan, slapping a hand to my forehead. "John did tell me he was going out of town. He said it was an urgent business matter. I didn't even think to ask where he was going."

Denise gives me a comforting smile, reaching over to pat my hand gently. "Let's cross that bridge when we get to it. No need to worry about the 'what ifs' right now," she says. She then glances at her watch, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Isn't it almost time for your meeting with the matchmaker?"

I blink, momentarily taken aback. I'd completely forgotten about it in the midst of all the John revelations. "Oh, right. Yes, I'm supposed to meet her in about an hour."

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