“You need to get that?”
“That’s okay. I’ll call her back.”
Sadie finished the story and let Marcel have the book. He flipped through the pages, gazing at the pictures while Keisha told Sadie about her extended family.
“Well, it’s getting late,” Keisha said after a while. “We should get going.” She stood and held her arms out for her baby. “Come here, little guy.”
Sadie gave the toddler a squeeze. “Oh, don’t take him away. I haven’t gotten enough of his baby smell.”
Keisha chuckled. “Stick around—the smells won’t be so great. But I promised Derick chicken parm tonight, and I haven’t even gone to the grocery yet. I’ll stop by later this week if you’re around. And Iwilltake that walk on the beach. These thighs need some exercise.”
“Stop it. You look great.” Keisha had stopped by the Little Library to return the Higgins novel she’d borrowed, and the two had gotten into a lengthy book discussion that had preempted her attempt at exercise.
“You’re lucky to be so tall. When you’re short you can see every single donut.”
“You don’t look like you eat many donuts.”
Sadie snorted. “Why do you think I jog?”
“Which book should I take next?” Keisha asked. “I’m in the mood for romantic suspense.”
“Try the Coble novel—someone dropped it off last week.Edge of Dusk.But I’ll warn you, it’s the first of a series and you’ll end up ordering book two.”
“Ooh, sounds perfect. Thanks. It was fun chatting with you. Good luck with that plot.”
Sadie had opened up to Keisha about her current writing dilemma—just not the part about her canceled contract. So humiliating.
After waving goodbye to Keisha and her sweet baby boy, Sadie awakened the screen on her computer. The sun was low in the sky, and though she now had a few pages of notes on her characters, the document for her actual synopsis was still blank.
She’d been sidetracked by that engagement ring. She opened up Google and searched again forRick Clemmons—Mary’s boyfriend still on that cruise. If she could just find his number, maybe she could get ahold of him without clueing Mary in about the proposal.
“Hi, Sadie.” A woman waved from the pathway, wearing a huge pair of sunglasses on her delicate face. “I see you’re hard at work again.”
Sadie greeted the young couple. “You’re back already.” Nick and Anna had stopped by a few times since she’d put up the library. They lived on the island and had been dating two years.
“You have to enjoy the summer sunshine while it lasts.” Nick’s Braves cap cast a shadow over his smiling face.
Anna opened the Little Library’s door. “We were out getting a bite to eat and decided to get a beach stroll in. Got anything new for me?”
“A friend of mine just returned a Jenny Hale novel. Have you read her?”
The woman found the novel and glanced over the back cover. “Don’t believe I have. It looks good though.”
“I think you’ll like this one. It’s romantic and heartwarming.”
“Oh, come on now,” Nick said. “I won’t see her face for a week.”
Anna swatted him with the book. “Don’t be silly. I’ll have it finished in a day or two.” She addressed Sadie again. “I’ll stop and grab it on our way back by.”
“I’ll guard it with my life.” Sadie grinned at the pair as they waved and headed for the beach.
They seemed like such a happy couple, walking closely, hand in hand. Did they always get along so well? Did they ever get into loud arguments? Had Nick ever left for weeks on end as her dad was prone to doing?
Did Sadie have what it took to sustain such a long relationship? Her longest so far had only been five months, and that was an anomaly. She wanted true love—who didn’t?
Caroline said she only looked for flaws in the guys she went out with. Maybe her friend had a point. But wasn’t it also wise to go into relationships with your eyes wide open? Too many women projected positive traits on men they didn’t really know. That only set them both up for disappointment.
Perhaps Sadie was too picky. But she wanted a man who was kind and forgiving. She wanted a man with a generous heart and a flexible spirit. She wanted the kind of devotion that promised they would work things out instead of just giving up.
