“Isn’t there someone in Trinity Falls who’s been involved with plays?”
“We don’t have a community theater.”
The building was just coming awake with other faculty members preparing for early morning classes. Vaughn gave a nod of greeting to housekeeping staff as he escorted Peyton down the hall. It was the last full week of March. Midterms were behind them. Spring break was around the corner. The air was brittle with tension as the school year rocketed toward finals week.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to produce this play on your own.” Peyton sounded worried. “Why don’t you make a list of the things that need to be done, then give us assignments so we can help you?”
The “us” Peyton referred to were their mutual friends, most of whom had known each other since childhood. They were each other’s Constant Cavalry. If ever one of them was in a bind, all he or she had to do was call. “If I get overwhelmed, I’ll consider that.”
Peyton stopped, prompting Vaughn to halt beside her. “There’s no ‘if’ about it. You’re going to need help. It took a lot of courage to get to this point. I don’t want you to become discouraged and give up on your dream. You’ve worked too hard.”
Peyton spoke with the passion of someone who knew what it was like to gather one’s courage for a leap of faith. She’d taken a similar leap when she’d left her familiar life in New York City to start over in Trinity Falls, Ohio.
Vaughn smiled. “I promise that, if I need help, I’ll ask.”
“All right.” Peyton gave him a dubious look. “But I’m going to stay on you about this.”
“Fair enough.”
But Peyton wouldn’t need to. This musical wasn’t his only goal. Vaughn was hitting the Play button on his life and putting himself back on the market. If Benita wasn’t going to be part of his future, he’d find someone who was interested.
CHAPTER 2
“Are you going to spend your entire visit moping around my home?” Ms. Helen spoke with her back to Benita Monday afternoon.
Benita frowned from the threshold of her great-aunt’s kitchen. She wasn’t moping around. Am I?
She took in the small, neat figure of the elderly woman standing in front of the kitchen sink. Her great-aunt Helen filled her kettle with water before moving on to her stove. She wore an oversized vivid floral-patterned blouse over sage green yoga pants. Pink ballet slippers protected her dainty feet.
“I’m going to mope around Harmony Cabins tomorrow.” Benita lowered herself onto a seat at the kitchen table. “I want to check on Audra. I’ll probably shift my moping to Books and Bakery Wednesday.”
“At least you have a plan.” Ms. Helen fired up the burner under the kettle, then faced Benita. “I hope you snap out of it before we meet with Foster on Friday. If he sees you looking so sulky, he’ll think I’m not feeding you.”
Benita smiled at the idea. “Aunt Helen, I don’t think anyone would think I’m missing meals.”
“What’s wrong?” Her great-aunt’s thin, arched eyebrows knitted with concern. She joined Benita at the table. “Did you and Vaughn argue?”
“Vaughn?” Benita kept her expression blank.
“You remember Vaughn.” Ms. Helen spoke with the patience of a nurse, comforting an amnesiac. “He’s the nice young man you dated in high school. He teaches music at the university now. You have sex with him at least once every time you return to Trinity Falls.”
Shock wiped Benita’s mind clean. “You know about that?”
“This is Trinity Falls.” Ms. Helen rose from her seat at the table and crossed to the cabinet beside her stove. “Did you really think no one would notice?”
“People are talking about us?”
“I don’t know about all that.” Her great-aunt took three mugs from her cupboard and set them on the counter. “Probably, although there are plenty of other things to talk about in this town.”
“Oh. My. God.” Benita’s gaze swept the kitchen without seeing the bright green walls and ivory cabinets that made the room seem spacious and cheery. “Why didn’t Vaughn tell me?”
“I wouldn’t have.” Ms. Helen selected tea bags from a separate cupboard and placed one in each mug.
“Why not?” Benita’s gaze lifted to the back of Ms. Helen’s head. Her great-aunt had pinned her snow white hair into a neat, thick chignon.
“What does it matter if people are talking about you? Your visits are so brief. You’re not usually here long enough to hear the gossip.”
Ms. Helen checked the clock on the wall across the kitchen. Benita followed her gaze. It was a couple of minutes before noon. She puzzled at her great-aunt’s actions. Why was she preparing three mugs of tea when there were only two of them in her house? Was she right to be concerned about the older woman’s health and her ability to continue living on her own?