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Since she’d begun her stroll down Main Road, she hadn’t experienced the feeling of claustrophobia she often got when shopping in Portland. The town was quiet, peaceful, everyone moving at a much slower pace than what she usually saw in the city. People weren’t rushing past each other, not noticing anything else like they did in the city. They stopped and actually talked to one another.
There were a few people in the pharmacy, but she couldn’t find anyone to help her. The only woman who seemed to work there was behind the counter, talking on the phone, loud enough for all to hear.
“Really? You don’t say?” The woman inhaled sharply, her eyes widening. “I don’t believe it…”
After another fewoohsandaahs, Riley leaned forward. “Excuse me…”
The woman had seen her, but it was clear she wasn’t about to end the conversation anytime soon.
“Is there someone else who can help me?” Riley asked again.
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Betty, I’ll call you back just now; another O’Sullivan just walked in. Hmm, the very same.”
“Tylenol, please?” Riley asked.
With a nod, the woman turned around to look for it on one of the shelves behind her.
“How do you know who I am?” Riley asked, trying to be friendly.
With a sniff, the woman put the bottle in a small paper bag. “The red hair. I hear Mitch Miller can’t keep his hands to himself around you.”
Riley inhaled sharply, aware of the blush creeping up her neck. “I beg your pardon?”
“And Betty has heard he’s kissed you right there on his sister’s porch.”
Completely thrown, Riley threw bills on the counter before she stormed out of the pharmacy. Outside, she bumped into Risa from the flower shop.
Risa grabbed Riley’s arm to steady her. “Don’t tell me—you’ve met the town gossip, Carol Bingley?”
“That’s Carol Bingley? Of course, it all makes sense now.” Rubbing her face, Riley exhaled. “So it’s really true what they say about small towns?”
Risa laughed. “That everyone knows everything about your business?”
Still rattled, Riley nodded. “Yes, that. And I have just been thinking it may not be such a bad idea to live in a small town.”
Smiling, Risa touched her hand. “You get used to it. What is also true, though, is that when you’re in any kind of trouble, every single person in this town would go out of their way to help you.”
“She knows I’ve kissed Mitch!” Riley cried out. Only after the words had left her mouth, she realized what she’d said.
Risa chuckled. “Everyone in town knows that by now. Who kisses whom around here is high on the list of topics for the gossipers. If you don’t want anyone to talk about you, rather do your kissing behind closed doors.”
“I’m not kissing… I mean it was a one-time thing, okay, maybe two or three…”
Risa was shaking with laughter. Stepping forward, she gave Riley a quick hug. “You should seriously think about moving to a small town, to this small town. Lots of kissing going around here.” She pointed over Riley’s shoulder. “I have to go; there’s someone at my shop, but stop by again anytime.”
As Risa left, Riley noticed the door of Risa’s shop was wide open. “You’ve left your door unlocked?” she asked.
“Of course. It’s a small town,” Risa called over her shoulder. “Everybody knows everybody.”
As Riley stepped into the street, the sun appeared from behind a cloud, shining on the snowcapped top of Copper Mountain. Beautiful. Inhaling the fresh air, she lifted her camera. The mountain was breathtaking; this one should definitely go up on Annie’s website.
Her fingers were still shaking, and she took a few shots before she was happy. Who on earth could’ve seen Mitch kissing her? And why would anyone rush and tell the rest of the town what he or she had seen?
Back in Portland, she’d met one neighbor, an older woman who’d introduced herself. Sally, if she remembered correctly. She didn’t know the others, and she doubted if they were interested in anything she did. They waved and nodded to each other, but no one was bothered enough about anyone else to go around spreading gossip.
Sighing, she walked toward her car. If Risa was right and everyone knew, it meant her brother and cousin had also probably heard about the kiss. Seriously.
Chapter Thirteen
