“Oh, wow. Of course.” My thumb whips through the pages until I land on the four-page spread about our town. A little rock grows in my throat when I spot the giant photo of the Kings superstore. Why would Hayley consider this a peace offering? She must know I would have killed to have had this media coverage for Quinn Brothers.
She sits forward, her elbows digging into her thighs. “Read it.”
I inhale deeply and begin scanning the words. The rock in my throat loosens when I realize that Iris did the interview on behalf of the King family. She’s a natural at this sort of thing, and her comments are smart and insightful. When my eyes trail the text over to the third page, a little gasp leaves my lips when I see two beautifully sunlit photos of the Quinn Brothers booth from Fall Fest. In one of them, I’m talking to a customer while holding up one of Magnolia Sloane’s ghoulish head sculptures.
“Dylan took those,” Hayley says as I trace my fingers over the images. “He sent them to Sunny, and they’re obviously great, so she put them in. And that’s not all.” Hayley leans closer to tap the next page. “Read the first few paragraphs there.”
I read where she’s pointing, and my eyes grow wide at the long write-up about the Quinn Brothers store. Iris talks not only about our wide variety of groceries and supplies but also about our unique local homewares, crafts, and artworks. It’s more than a mention—it’s a sales pitch.
My eyes fly to Hayley’s. “Iris did all this?”
She smiles. “If I’m honest, it was Dylan’s idea. But it was a great one, and we all agreed. Iris actually suggested to Sunny that she interview you for that part, but she was too close to her deadline.”
My smile inches wider, and warmth moves up my chest.
It was Dylan’s idea.
Could that man be any more wonderful? If I hadn’t already fallen for him, my heart wouldn’t have a chance. And he hadn’t said a word to me about any of this. He hasn’t looked for praise or boasted; he just silently made sure to take care of me the way he has since we reconnected.
Hayley stands up with a smile. “I know you’re probably in a rush to get to the store, so I’ll get out of your hair.”
She’s right. I really need to get going, but I hate saying goodbye so quickly. I set the magazine on the coffee table and jump up beside her. “How long are you in town? Maybe we could grab dinner tonight?”
“Absolutely. I’ll be here for a few more days.” She steps forward for a hug, and I meet her halfway, holding on tight. Against my hair, she says. “I know things between us have been strained, but I really wish you would’ve told me how bad things were at the store.”
My brows gather as I pull away. “What do you mean?”
A look of confusion tightens her face like she doesn’t understand why I’m not spilling every single detail. I would’ve told Hayley eventually, but I wanted it to be on my own terms. “Aren’t you guys struggling to make ends meet?” she asks.
My heart begins to pound. “Did Dylan tell you that?”
She shakes her head. “No, Iris did.”
Iris?“You guys have been talking about my store?”
Hayley struggles to reply, which sets my mind racing. What else did Dylan tell them? What must they think of me? My gaze lands on that magazine. Did Iris say all those nice things out of pity? Do they pity me? The thought of Dylan telling his sisters all about the sorry state of my store makes me sick to my stomach. Why would he do that?
Dylan has asked me before if we would ever consider selling…
The Kings already own the two buildings next door…
It all clicks.
Dylan told me that his sisters asked him to escort Sunny around town to get that article.
Is he doing the same thing withmeto try and get the store?
No. That’s insane. I hate that the thought even crossed my mind.
But as I glance back at my friend whose surname isKing, the more I wonder… “Are you guys conspiring to buy out Quinn Brothers?” I ask.
Hayley’s face pales, and I suck in a sharp breath.
Before I can ask more questions, my phone buzzes from the glass table, and my furrowed gaze darts to the notification. After scanning the first few words from Nate, I snatch up the handset.
Shithead
I’m at work and just heard about the fire! Are you ok??
