“Two minutes!” McKenna ended the call and smiled. “Sorry about that. My brother-in-law.Futurebrother-in-law. He’s in the hospital. You know how it is.”
The lady’s smile faltered. “My nephew called and said there was a gal at his gas station needing a place to stay. Was that you? Because I can have this place ready. Just give me thirty minutes.”
“Yes.No.Sorry. It was me, but I don’t need a place to stay.”
The lady’s smile vanished.
“I’m looking for the—” What was it called again? “Something Hicuppy Bed and Breakfast? Actually, I’m looking for Nate Lambert. There was a bench. A river. A ring mix-up. You know how it is.”
“You’re not here to make a reservation?” The lady clearly didn’t know how it was, so McKenna needed to just get to the point.
“No, sorry for the confusion. I tried explaining the situation several times to Gus and—”
“Gus!” The woman’s eyes sparked with fire. “Oh, let me guess. He’s been listening to Lottie.”
“Lottie?”
“And now he says I’m a self-checkout lane in a store full of employees who need jobs.”
“I don’t recall him using those words.”
“I’m a brown smear on a clean pair of underwear.”
“Pretty sure I would’ve remembered that.”
“It’s called living in the modern age, okay? Not everybody wants to mingle with other guests. Some of us are introverts. Some of us don’t like other people. Some of us are introverts who don’t like other people. Nothing wrong with wanting to be by yourself. Not everybody wants to stay at a rundown bed and breakfast surrounded by chattering chickens and goats, okay?”
“So just because I’m exhausted, I feel the need to clarify. You’re not the bed and breakfast I’m looking for?”
“I’m the Airbnb the town of Bugle needs.”
“I see.” McKenna didn’t see at all. “So no Nate Lambert then?”
“Nate? No. I don’t know Nate. But I’m pretty sure it’s his mom who runs that Happy Hiccup place out by the pond. Scummy-looking pond if you ask me.”
“And if I wanted to find this scummy-looking pond...”
“Head west of town.”
Oh goodness. She gave directions just like her nephew, only without the hand signals. “And if sunset is still hours away and I don’t quite know which way is west...”
She slammed a hand on her waist and jutted her arm out with the other. “Thatway.”
“Thank you. And good luck with your Airbnb.” She certainly had the friendly hostess part down.
“I’m not a pimple on this town’s nose, just so you know.”
“Noted. Thank you again.”
A text pinged through from Oliver as she climbed back into her rental vehicle.???
She texted back.!!!
What does that mean?Oliver messaged a second later.
It means give me 2 more minutes.Maybe twenty. Hopefully no longer than that. McKenna was ready for this wild ring chase to be over.
Nate massaged his left hand, still sore from yesterday’s meeting, wishing not for the first time that he’d been the one to fly out and stay with his Aunt Susie. He’d never met a group of people who could talk about nothing for such an absolute eternity. He had the minutes to prove it.
