Page 25 of A Little Luck

“Tell me about it. I’ve always given him free coverage anytime he does anything at the Popcorn Palace.”

“Gran just wants to keep Eureka like it is. If tourists want to stay at a big resort, go to Disney in Hilton Head. If they want to golf, go to freakin’ Kiawah!”

Edna emerges from the courthouse where her office is located, and I jump to attention, holding out my phone. “Any comment on Bo the Dog, Madame Mayor?”

Inhaling deeply, Britt’s grandmother shakes her head. “No, Piper. I won’t dignify any of this with a comment.”

“I understand.” I tuck my phone into my pocket again.

Drake has been nothing but trouble since he came to Eureka for Britt and Aiden’s wedding. The only good thing to come out of it was he pushed Alex and Cass together, even if it was through a fake-engagement scam.

Edna heads to her Lincoln Town Car parked in the lot, and I put my arm around her granddaughter’s shoulders. It’s mid-October, which means we’re only a few weeks away from the election and even closer to the wedding.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better.” I give her a nudge. “Does this mean you’ll be able to help me finish up the wedding? I’ve got the caterer booked and the florist, but I have no idea who to get for entertainment. Would Cass prefer a DJ or a live band? And how can we ever top her snickerdoodle cake?”

Britt slides a hand across her forehead. “I have the name of a baker in Oceanside I can give you, but I think I might’ve overdone it today.”

“Do you need something? Ginger ale? Barf bag?”

“I just need to let this wave of nausea pass.” She waves a handful of Bo fliers in front of her face like a fan, and I wait until she’s able to start moving again.

It’s a crisp fall day, sunny, with clear blue skies, and Halloween decorations are all over town. Across the street, Gwen has her tarot studio decorated in neon purple, black, and orange.The Nightmare Before Christmasfigures, skeletons, and ghosts are scattered throughout the town square and in the gazebo.

Even the courthouse has an orange and black garland around the door.

“I can grab Owen when I pick up Ryan from school if you want.”

“Aiden told him to come here as soon as he gets out.” Her brow furrows. “I’ll be glad when Adam finally comes home. He’s been gone too long.”

My stomach twists at her statement, and I can’t argue—it’s been a long three weeks. “We probably relied on him too much when he was here.”

“Adam is family.” Britt shakes her head. “He liked spending time with the boys. He’s one of the few people who can handle Pinky, and he was practically a father to Ryan.”

Swallowing the ache in my throat, I force a smile. “It’s true. He’s always been such a good friend to us.”

“Have you heard from him?”

“No.” My voice is quiet. “I’m sure he’s too busy to think about us.”

“That doesn’t sound like him at all. Did something happen? Maybe somebody said something.”

“He talked to Alex the night he left.” That part still hurts, and I’m ready to end this conversation. I’ve been doing my best to get past the emotional spiral I went down the last time I thought too much about Adam. “Anyway, I’d better get moving if I’m going to get this story in the Sunday edition.”

She makes some comment about deflecting, but I hustle away from her questions and how much I miss him. Our last night is stuck on replay in my mind, and I’m doing my best not to obsess over how it could’ve gone differently—or if I’ll ever get the chance to try again.

* * *

“What’s happening here?”Mom points at the large desktop computer holding the layout for Sunday’s paper. “You don’t have a single headline on the entire front page!”

“I’ve got to get this story right before I send it to the printer.” My hair is twisted up on my head with a pencil, and I’m giving the Dog-Mayor story a final read-through.

It’s a sensitive one, and everyone’s going to read it.

“How much time do you have?” Mom walks over to where I’m chewing my thumbnail and staring at my laptop.

“Twenty minutes.”

“You’re going to finish that story and fill in all these headlines in twenty minutes?”

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