His mouth fell open in a stutter. “B-but— you’re not sick.”
She pointedly coughed and edged around him to the other side of the bar. “Listen: you’ve got this, okay? The cafe closes early, and most of the Cove will be busy prepping for the festival. You only need to hold on for a few hours.”
Cameron blanched. “A few hours!”
“Yes.” Rachel hesitated and rubbed her eyebrows. “You have my cell number. Remember: for emergenciesonly. Got it?”
He nodded, nearly jumping out of his skin when Margot came through the door. Rachel sent him a wide-eyed, insistentlook and motioned to the register. She turned to me, leaning her back against the counter, and crossed her arms.
“So. Where do you need me?”
I smiled. “Have I said recently that you’re the best?”
“All the time, actually,” she replied, stretching across the bar to retrieve her drink.
“Ah, look!” The thick clunk of Margot’s heel sounded against the floor as she strode toward us. “Everyone’s alive, just as I predicted.”
She was slightly more appropriately dressed for the occasion, this time wearing a long, belted skirt and a cardigan with her boots.
“You got here just in time,” I replied. “I havebignews.”
Margot peered at me curiously as she accepted her coffee from Cameron.
By the time Margot pulled her car into the gymnasium parking lot, I’d blurted out the festival update for the second time that day. She drummed her nails against the steering wheel after we’d parked, berry-colored lips pursed in thought.
“What?” I asked, terrified that I’d forgotten something.
Margot sent me a cunning smile. “Oh, nothing.” Without another word, she popped open her door and slipped outside.
Crowds had already gathered by the gym’s doors when the three of us walked up. I nearly spilled my coffee with the force of Janice’s hug, a surprising amount of strength for such delicate looking arms. Frank welcomed me with a pat on the shoulder once she let go, and Emma asked for a high-five as I navigated through the crowd. Shoes scraped against pavement as they shifted aside, the low hum of chatter quickly subsiding.
“Good morning, everyone!”
They cheered in response, their spirits no doubt heightened by blue skies.
“As some of you may have already heard, I have some great news to share,” I started. “With a sunny forecast for the rest of the day, we’ve decided to move the festival back to Main Street.”
Rachel began to clap, but no one joined. A sea of faces blinked back at me, frozen, as if confused by the announcement. I glanced at Margot for help, but she merely shrugged.
“We’re all prepped for the gym!” Someone shouted from the back.
“Yeah!” Another responded. “How are we supposed to get ready in just seven hours?”
“Our booths! We have no booths!”
I dragged a hand over my face while they devolved into frantic conversation. They ignored me as I waved my hands in the air and tried to refocus. My head began to throb. Margot looked like she was ready to start a brawl.
The sound of a car horn blaring through the air silenced them in a ripple.
I whirled on my heel, pulse speeding into overdrive as Rhett stood on the driver’s side step, eyes sweeping the crowd until they landed on me.
“What’s all this fuss about, Wheeler?” he shouted, one corner of his lips lifting.
“We’re moving the festival to Main Street,” I replied, voice cracking.
Rhett patted the roof of his car and appeared to think. “Well, it’s a good thing I’ve got nothing else on the calendar today.”
My chest cracked open and the warmth flooded back in as if someone had parted the curtains. For one, devastating moment, nothing else existed. Just those dark eyes, looking at me like he saw nothing else.
