Normally, being at the cabin brought him peace, particularly when he was outside. But all he felt was turmoil. He did take a stab at writing another chapter in his novel but managed to get out four words before hanging it up. Yeah, he was moping. Big-time. And the best way to get out of a mopey mood was to dive back intowork. He probably could do just that if everything didn’t remind him of Jade and her duplicity.
Seb went over and over what had happened, from the moment she showed up at his office in Clementine until the ledger fell out of her briefcase. Every single time it came back to one thing— his gullibility. The past rolled through his mind, including their relationship ten years ago. Jade was extremely independent and could be aloof. But once he got to know her, he saw her vulnerability, and that was his Achilles’ heel.
Not just with her. Giving Logan a place to stay without knowing anything about him. Hiring Kalista because Bo asked a favor, not because she was the best qualified. He’d only fired two people in his life, but there were a few others he should have given a pink slip to, and he kept them on, costing him time and money. Even now, despite his dangerously low bank account and every single cent he’d made on his book going to the paper, he was trying to figure out ways to keepThe Timesin business. If he didn’t stop, he’d go completely broke.
“There you are.”
Seb groaned but didn’t turn around.Evelyn Margot.Of course.
She plopped herself right next to him on the semi-grassy patch of embankment.
“You’re supposed to be at work,” he muttered.
“So are you.”
“What, I can’t have a vacation?”
Evelyn scoffed. “Sure you can. But Sebastian Percival Hudson—”
“For the love of—”
“—never, ever takes a vacation. What gives, bro?”
“Mind your own business.”
She did a double take. “Wow. It must be bad if you’re almost growling at me.”
He should apologize, but he didn’t have it in him. He tossed a couple more stones into the water.
“You’re scaring me a little,” she said. “I called you five times. You didn’t answer.”
“Phone’s off.”
“Yeah, I know. Talk to me, Sebastian. I know you hate doing that, but I need to know that you’re okay. Because right now you’re definitely acting like you aren’t.”
Seb turned from her, pressing his palm to the back of his sun-warmed neck. “I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Do what?”
“KeepThe Timesgoing.”
“Sure you can. I know things are bad, but you’ve always found a way.”
“Not this time.” He turned to her. While he never wanted to see Jade Smith again, she had done one thing for him—snapped him back to reality. For years he’d been riding on hope that things were going to get better withThe Times. That he could save it. “The press is down again,” he said. Paul had called him on the way to the cabin yesterday and given him a dismal report on Ol’ Bessie.
“I know. He and Cletus are working on it. They’ll have it fixed for Thursday’s edition.”
“What if they don’t? Or what if it breaks down permanently? I don’t have the money to buy a new one.”
“We can farm out the printing.”
“Right. And then we go to digital. Better yet, let’s just put the whole thing on the internet.”
“Why not?” She held up her hands. “Lots of newspapers are going in that direction.”
“Then it wouldn’t beThe Times!” He stared at the river. “Not Buford’s anyway.”
“Or yours.” Evelyn looked at her lap and tugged on the fringed hem of her sixties throwback top. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”
