Mia blinked once. “That’s so not true.”
“I know,” Dana said quickly. “I told her you’re just good at what you do. I know Sabrina pretty well, and … she tends to get dramatic. And Heather? Well, she’s always looking for gossip.”
Damn. It was one thing to hear the rumors at the event, but to have Dana repeat them hurt.
Her stomach flip-flopped. The last thing she needed was anyone going around stirring up trouble. Especially since she worked hard to build trust, not step on toes.
“What exactly did she say?” Mia asked.
Dana bit her lip, pretending to hesitate. “Nothing specific. Just that people are talking. But she’s telling everyone that you stole the Barton-Mercer party.”
“That is a lie,” Mia replied. “Sure, they interviewed Sabrina, but they never told her she had the contract.” Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut?
“I believe you,” Dana said, tilting her head like she was trying to soothe her. “I told her you would never do that. But rumors have a way of growing, especially in a small town. You might want to keep an eye on it. Sabrina plays dirty, so be careful.”
Mia sighed. She was just trying to make a living, not steal anything from anyone. She didn’t have time for Sabrina Masters’s petty jealousy.
“Thanks for telling me,” she said, keeping her voice polite, although she felt anything but.
Dana gave a small smile, pretending she’d done Mia a favor. “Just looking out for an old friend.”
Mia doubted that. But she nodded anyway.
Dana stood and smoothed down her blouse. “Well, I should get going. Just wanted to stop by, say hi, give you a heads-up.”
“Sure,” Mia said, walking her to the door. “Have a good rest of your day.”
“Oh, I will.” Dana smiled brightly. “And don’t worry about Sabrina. People talk. It’ll blow over.”
Mia forced a smile. “Right.”
Dana slipped on her sunglasses. “See you at the farmers’ market.”
“Okay. See you.”
Dana stepped outside and gave a little wave before heading to her car. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the kitchen in silence.
For a moment, Mia just stood there. Her pulse thudded a little faster. Why had Dana stopped by? Was it just to tell her about rumors? It wasn’t exactly like they were BFFs. It felt too intentional. Too timed. Like Dana wanted her rattled. She let out a slow breath.
Haywood Lake didn’t need any more drama. She didn’t either, and having Sabrina starting rumors behind her back… Mia just shook her head.
The dishwasher hummed softly in the background. Outside, she heard the faint rumble of construction starting up near the pond.
Work was good. It was progress. It was a future she’d earned.
She slapped her hands on the counter. “Let them talk,” she murmured. She had things to do. Jobs to finish. And a business to protect.
And she wasn’t going to let gossip get in her way.
Still, a flicker of unease stayed with her, a shift she couldn’t name, but she felt it all the same.
CHAPTER 16
The sawingand hammering had stopped as Mia stepped outside. The late afternoon quiet felt almost strange after the steady rhythm of power tools and men’s voices. Her prep for an upcoming engagement party was finally done, and apparently the barn crew had called it a day too. The guys had framed it and started sheathing the exterior.
The skeletal outline of the new barn stood tall against the sky, all promise and possibility.
She waved to Caleb, who was rolling up an extension cord near his truck. He lifted a hand in return. Even from a distance, she felt the tug of him.
