Thiswasthe place. A wash of certainty flooded Pepper, confirmed a moment later when her sister whooped.
“Got it!” Tuesday brandished the medallion in the air. It had been stuck under the historical marker. “We did it. We did it.” She ran toward them, arms flung out wide.
“You did it,” Pepper whispered.
“Not without your help.” Rhett drew her in. “We make a great team.”
“Now we have to get this bad boy over to theEverland Examineroffice and claim the prize. Decide what to do.” The smile slipped from Tuesday’s face as reality sank in. Fun and games were over. Time for real life.
So many decisions, but which was the right path?
“Honey, are you sure you don’t want to go back to New York?”
Her sister’s headshake was adamant. “There’s nothing for me back there.”
“Except for oh, say, five hundred theaters,” Pepper persisted. She couldn’t stop pushing this line of thinking. If her sister reverted back to her original plan, it would be easier to follow suit.
“Do you need me to hire a skywriter to write ‘New York won’t make me happy’? What about you? Your happiness?”
“I’m working on it.” Pepper was unable to meet Rhett’s gaze. No fun being in the hot seat.
“Let’s call Dad. At least he’ll be excited.” Tuesday slammed the phone to her ear and after thirty seconds rolled her eyes. “No answer.”
“This is weird.” Concern skimmed Pepper. “I’m starting to worry.”
Tuesday shook her head, her mouth twisting wryly. “Imagine a world where a sixty-plus man doesn’t feel the need to check in with his daughter like she’s his mother.” Her tone was light, but the intent was not.
Ouch.
She saw Rhett’s sympathetic expression out of the corner of her eye, but shrugged it off. He didn’t have to swoop in. Nothing to rescue. Move along. Nothing to see here. Her footsteps grew louder; she’d started to stamp. With a deep breath, her gait resumed something less militantly annoyed.
So much for fun.
The walk to the Bronco was silent. Even the dogs were subdued. It was a ten-minute drive back to town and the modest two-story brick shopfront a block from Main Street, home to theEverland Examiner. Pepper and Rhett hung back, allowing Tuesday to pose for the check. She enjoyed the spotlight, and Pepper found her own mood too unsettled for celebration. The deep furrow between Rhett’s brows, coupled by the fact that he kept his hands balled in tight fists, told her he felt the same.
After he took the dogs for a stroll around the block, a stout reporter wandered over.
“Nice day,” he said. He wasn’t much taller than her. Unfortunately that meant it was harder to avoid his direct eye contact.
Pepper gave a polite smile that faded as he brought out an audio recorder.
“Oh no, please,” she protested. “My sister is the one you want to talk to about finding the medallion.”
“What do you want to know?” Tuesday bounded over.
“What next?” He clicked the play button. “Do you have special plans for the prize money?”
“Indeed we do. My sister and I are going to move to Chicago as soon as possible. We’ll stick around until the end of the festival and then it’s off on a new adventure.”
“I see. We can’t entice you to stick around longer?”
“Don’t get me wrong. Everland is great. Beautiful. Romantic. Quaint. But there’s nothing for us. Not in the long term.”
“Ah, Rhett, just the man I’d hoped to see,” the reporter broke in ahead of Pepper. “Do you have any comment on these women leaving town? Rumors have been flying you’ve gotten involved with one. A Miss Pepper Knight, allegedly from Maine by way of New York City and soon to be Chicago.”
A crowd gathered, humming with speculation.
“No,” Rhett said automatically.
