Chapter 6 #2
She took another drink of water, and then the corners of her mouth tugged up. “All right then. Let’s get started.”
“Hi, Libby!”
Later that afternoon, Kaiah’s voice rang through Reid’s garage apartment as she sat on the sofa with her phone, folding her
legs and tucking them under a throw blanket. After lunch, she and Reid had returned to his house so she could pitch the new
articles to Libby, her editor.
“Are you on your way to Edisto Beach?” Libby asked.
“Not exactly, but I have exciting news.” Kaiah took a deep breath.
“I’m still in Coral Cove, and I’m going to be here a bit.
” She explained how the parts for her car were delayed.
“But you know what’s crazy about all this?
I think my car led me to my next hidden gem.
Seriously! This little town is in the middle of nowhere, and it’s so charming, Libby.
It has an adorable Main Street, local inns, tons of cute shops and mom-and-pop restaurants, even a lighthouse!
There are practically zero chains here. I mean, it’s like the town is on the set of a Hallmark movie. ”
“Uh-huh,” Libby said, her tone distracted.
Kaiah knew her editor might be scrolling on her phone and decided to take a new tactic. “Plus, every spring they have a festival
that celebrates the lighthouse and town founding, and it’s coming up in a couple weeks. I’d like to write a couple features
about the town and help promote the festival. I know our readers will go crazy for it. We could feature Coral Cove in all kinds of content—new road trip destinations, listicles about perfect long weekends,
spots for a girls’ trip. People need to know about this place and this festival.”
At the end of her pitch, Kaiah swore she could’ve heard a pin drop on the other end of the line. Oh no. She’s not going to go for it.
“Huh. Well, tell me this: Is Coral Cove going to be as interesting as Edisto Beach?”
“Oh, it definitely is,” she promised. “Trust me, the photos of the lighthouse alone will sell the place, not to mention the
history that goes along with it.” She explained how the structure helped sailors lost in a storm. “I’ll make sure to highlight
it all in my stories.”
Libby paused. “Well, get me your first article, and then we’ll see if you can write some more.”
Kaiah beamed. “Thanks, Libby! I’ll have it to you in the next couple of days,” she said before disconnecting the call.
She sank back on the sofa and peered around the apartment.
This place was going to be her home for the next few weeks, and the realization settled a warm feeling over her.
She could get comfortable here—and also get to know Reid and Piper a bit more.
A ripple of happiness fluttered in her stomach just as her phone chimed with a text.
Kam: How’s Daisy?
Kaiah knew the answer was loaded enough to warrant a call. She dialed her sister’s number, and Kam answered immediately.
“Not good, huh?” Kam said when she answered.
Kaiah hugged one of the sofa pillows against her chest. “Um, I might be stuck here for three more weeks.”
“Stuck?” Laughter erupted over the phone line. “Did you sabotage your own car so that you have more time with Mr. TDH?”
“Believe it or not, that plan never entered my mind,” Kaiah said. “But Daisy took care of it for me. Actually, I have a new
story to follow while I’m here. I can continue working on my Hidden Gems series before I get to South Carolina. I’m going
to do some write-ups on Coral Cove first.”
“That sounds super fun,” Kamryn said. “Wish I could come down there to help you, but you know how it is during tax time. We’re
swamped. Actually, we’re so swamped that I’d better get back at it. Call me soon, sis.”
“I will,” Kaiah promised before ending the call. After grabbing a pen and notepad, she rushed out the door, almost running
into Reid.
He took a couple of steps back. “Hey! I was coming to see you.”
“And I was coming to see you,” she said.
They both laughed.
“You go first,” he said.
“I convinced Libby to let me write about Coral Cove,” she explained. “She wants to see the first article in a couple of days.”
“That’s great! Becks is coming over tonight to talk about a marketing plan.”
“Awesome.”
He rubbed the back of his head and almost seemed sheepish for a moment. “I’m going to pick up Piper from school. Any chance
you’d like to ride with me?”
“Oh,” she said, surprised by the offer. “You know what? I’d love to. I need to see more of Coral Cove for my first article,
anyway.”
“Great.”
They drove out to the elementary school and took their place in the long pickup line. Kaiah looked toward the far end of the
one-level brick building where nearly all of the windows were boarded up. “That’s the section that burned?”
“Yeah.” Reid shifted the Suburban into Park before leaning toward her. The scent of sandalwood, mixed with soap and something . . .
uniquely Reid drifted over her, and her pulse picked up speed. “The fire started in the heating system, and if you can believe
it, the fire alarm system was on the fritz too. So by the time we found out the school was on fire, the entire wing had been
damaged.”
She shook her head. “That’s a shame.”
“I know. But you’re going to help us to raise the money to renovate it.”
“Right,” she said. “No pressure.”
He looked into her eyes, his face brightening. “I’ve read some of your articles, and you’re a talented writer.” The warmth
in his chocolate-brown eyes caught her off guard.
“You’ve read my articles?”
“Of course I have,” he quipped, resting his arms on the steering wheel. “I googled your name after you mentioned you’re a journalist. Your series on the beaches in Maine were brilliant. I mean, your words swept me away as soon as I started reading them.”
A lump began to form in her throat.
Then a loud bell rang and movement in the corner of her eye drew her attention to the front of the school, where students
began filing out and a line of adults ushered them to the waiting cars.
Reid pushed the button to roll down Kaiah’s window and slowly motored along with the line until they reached Piper waiting
with a woman who seemed to be in her mid-sixties.
Piper grabbed the woman’s arm. “Mrs. Thompson, this is my new friend, Miss Kaiah!”
The older woman waved to Kaiah and Reid before opening the back door of the Suburban. “See you tomorrow, Piper.”
“Bye!” Piper buckled herself into the back seat as Reid slowly steered through the parking lot toward the road. “Miss Kaiah!
I didn’t know you were coming to get me today.”
She turned back and beamed at her small friend, touched by her enthusiasm. “I didn’t either, but it turns out I’m going to
be at your house for a few more weeks.”
“For real?” Piper squeaked. “We’re going to have so much fun!”
Reid’s eyes met Kaiah’s as he gave her a sidelong smile.
Kaiah settled back in her seat, taking a deep breath full of fresh spring air and basking in the warm rays of the sun. For
a moment she wondered what it would be like to live in a town like Coral Cove forever, to feel part of a community, part of
a family.
But that would mean giving up dreams like writing for Travel and Culture. Right? Surely there was no way she could have both. That only happened to people in the movies. Never in real life.