Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Whatever. But I can tell you there’s no way it’s my mother. I’ve never heard her utter a single bit of gossip.” Unlike her daughter.
“Not once?” Brax asked with an amused smile.
“Nope, not once. I’m crossing her off your list.”
He gave me a one-shoulder shrug. “Suit yourself, but I still think it could be her.”
I huffed, then read the next name. “Laney Reynolds, the cashier at the grocery store?”
“Yep,” he said without looking up.
“Maybe. I could see that.”
“You honestly think it could be Trish?” Brax asked, pointing to another name on my list.
“Just because she works at the port authority doesn’t mean anything. I’ve heard her gossiping during women’s bible study. Bible study, Brax! Who gossips in the Lord’s house?”
He gave me a sarcastic look, and I waved him off. “Fine, they all do. But I still think it could be her. She knows everyone.”
“It’s a small town, Harlee. We all know each other.”
I ignored him and went back to his list.
He laughed as he said, “Olivia Newman?”
I nodded. “She’s top of my list.”
“No, she’s down at the bottom.”
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Figuratively. I mean, I have a feeling it’s her. Call it a gut instinct.”
Brax stared at me for a beat too long.
“What?” I asked.
He shook his head and softly said, “Nothing. It’s nothing.”
Ruby came over with our food, and we gave each other our lists back. We ate in silence for a few minutes before Brax said, “What about Joyce Miller?”
“The music teacher?” I asked with a giggle.
“Yeah. I see her chatting all the time with Mr. Hall. How do we know she doesn’t get her info from him, or maybe he’s one of her…seagulls.” He snarled his lip. “That’s so stupid.”
I cleared my throat to hide my sudden irritation. “What is?”
“The way she writes the whole column. I’ve got my ear to the docks. A little seagull told me. And how she calls everyone her little fishes. She clearly isn’t a very educated person.”
I nearly broke the glass I’d picked up, my orange juice sloshing inside.
Easy, Harlee. Calm down, he has no idea he’s talking about you. Deep breaths.
“That’s a little mean, isn’t it?”
He looked up at me like I’d said something insane. “Mean? Mean is writing an article about me and calling it ‘master baiter.’ That was mean. Do you know how many of my friends sent me jokes about that?”
I took a bite of toast to hide my smile.
“Weeks, Harlee. For weeks that shit went on. Fucking Brody kept sending me how-to videos on safely jacking off nearly every damn day.”
I lost the battle and started to laugh. “How to masturbate?”
“Yes! The bastard.”
“Well, I think she’s kind of clever with the titles she makes up.”
He finished chewing, then set his fork down and took a drink of juice before he asked, “And you’re not bothered by the way she takes digs at you for being single?”
I shrugged. “Nope, not at all.”
“Well,” he said with a sigh, “you’re a better person than me. It bugs the hell out of me when she writes about me or my family. She seems to love writing about the Bradleys.” He paused for a moment and then looked at me. “Maybe it’s because she’s close to us.”
My entire body shivered, and I prayed Brax hadn’t noticed. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. This Ms. Seaside sure seems to know a lot about my family, and she writes about us often. Why is that?”
Because their best friend is the jerk writing the articles? That was what I wanted to say, but I didn’t have the nerve. “Maybe because your family is so well known in Seaside, and with all three Bradley sisters finding love, it gives Ms. Seaside a lot of material?”
A small part of me realized something in that moment. Had I been jealous of Addie, Sutton, and Palmer? Was that why I’d been so focused on them? The thought made me queasy.
He frowned. “Fine, I’ll give you that.”
I put my napkin down on the table, trying to push the guilty feelings away. “Besides, she doesn’t only write about your family. Did you see what she wrote about Terri and Tim Hassle? I mean, it sure did bring business to their bed and breakfast, but my goodness.”
“Oh yeah, the whole orgy thing she hinted at. Honestly, I don’t think she was far off. I like Terri and Tim, but they definitely give me orgy vibes.”
“Right?” I said with a giggle.
Brax looked at me and smiled. “This is nice, Harlee. For once, we’re not throwing jabs at each other.”
I returned the smile and winked. “Don’t get too comfortable with my cease-fire.”
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Noted.”
“Who’s paying?” Ruby asked as she brought the check over.
Brax pointed to me. “That would be her, since she invited me.”
I snarled at him. “Only because you dragged me into this little chase of yours.”