Page 85 of Manors & Mischief

While I’m standing there, a few people pull up to the front of the office. A few of them point at me, so I wave at them but beeline it out of there. I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. I find the first place of refuge, but that also has an aroma that’s been known to pull me in.

As soon as I walk through the door, Bea moves around the counter and comes to give me a hug. For a second, I feel as if she already knows what I just told the mayor, which would have to break a record for how fast news travels around here, but then she says, “How are you doing? Have you written the proposal yet?”

“In order to answer that, I’m going to need one of your pumpkin spice concoctions.”

“On it!” one of Bea’s staff calls out, and within a few moments, I hear the steam of one of the machines.

With her apron on, she sits with me at a secluded table in the corner. When my drink is done, a warm face and inviting smile drops it off. “Sorry about the haunted house. It’s not right.”

“Thanks,” I say, and then drink the delicious concoction. I swear all the employees here are witches brewing up these tasty delights that are so good they’re definitely potions of some kind or another.

For the next forty minutes, Bea listens to me talk about the manor and Devon. I tell her everything, and for once, the rumor mill isn’t working with his injury. But when I tell Bea, her face goes white. It’s as if she knows right away what it means for him and me. She reaches over and gives me a hug, no other words needed to explain the situation.

“The last time he got injured, we couldn’t get through to him for months. I can see on your face that you’re struggling with that now.”

Not even. I could take the fact that he would struggle with his injury, but I can’t take the idea of him pushing me out completely.

“Worse.”

“No,” she says, shaking her head.

“Afraid so.”

She frowns. Like the good friend she is, I feel like she pieces together the story, the things I didn’t tell, and has come up with the same ending that I just told the mayor. Tears well in her eyes. “I’ll always be here,” she says.

“I know.” I try to give her a smile but it comes out flat, like I can’t even force my face to fake it right now, let alone any other part of me.

“The manor?”

“I’ll finish up what I started, but that might be the end of it for me.” I don’t know why I keep leaving myself the openness to stay. I really don’t want to believe I have to say goodbye to this place. That’s just my heart talking though, and I’m done listening to my heart since it’s brought me to this place.

“You know there’s a farmer’s market in the square that starts in…” She peers at her watch. “A half hour. Come with me.”

I hesitate. I want to tell her no, but her eyes are looking at me like that.

“I’m not taking no for an answer. Plus, you have to see Harvest Falls at its best so you can take home the memories with you.”

Not sure I even want the memories. They’ll be too hard to relive while I’m in Greenville, knowing a place like this exists. Knowing that for a few short months, I had everything I ever wanted. It wasn’t easy. I never expected it to be. But it was fun. It was memorable. I lived. I laughed.

Bea hugs me again, and I let her.

Harvest Falls sure will be hard to say goodbye to.

31

DEVON

“Come on,” Trav says.

I give him the smile I know he wants, but I make sure it looks as fake as can be. “I don’t want to be here.”

“Who wouldn’t want to be here? The weather is beautiful. The town is bustling. There’s cider over there. I know this is your favorite time of year.”

It’s hard to lie to your best friend, but it’s harder to see everyone staring at my leg. That’s one thing about small town life I wish I could change. The things you don’t want aired out in public, eventually get aired out in public.

“I’m not in the right mind for this, and you know it.”

“Well, kudos to me that I know from previous experience that letting you sit and wallow in your own house does nothing for you, so I’m going to be the annoying gnat dragging you around town for the foreseeable future, making sure you know that you have people who care about you.”