Everybody Knows (Sunnyside #1) (16 page)

As took the field, Brady urged the Novaks sit.
“Join me, please. Hang on. I’ll set up more chairs. You don’t want to sit in
the hot sun, Gene. And those bleachers are hard on your hindquarters.”

Rachel refused the offer. “No, thanks.”

“I’ve been sitting on a hard tractor seat in the
mid-day sun half my life,” Zach’s dad said with more diplomacy. “A little heat
while I’m watching a ball game won’t hurt me now.”

“Thanks, we’ll join you later.” Josh curled his
arm around his girl’s waist. “But we’re going to wade in the fountain to cool
off before the game starts.”

Brady and Harper settled back into the shade while
the others took off. Rachel kept Brady’s attention as she walked away. Unless Harper
missed her guess, there was a lot of unresolved history between the two. She
may as well mark Brady off her list of potential romances. His interest was
clearly fixed elsewhere.

“See something you like?” she asked, and he
laughed.

“What’s not to like?” He tipped his head toward
Rachel. “But that song’s been played. No chance for an encore.”

“Sometimes the old favorites are the best.”

“Can’t live in the past.”

The screech of a microphone pierced the air. Mayor
Willoughby winced at home plate. He offered a ceremonial welcome to the
Twenty-Third Annual Softball Game of the Forty-Fourth Annual Fireworks
Festival. The government officials had won thirteen of those games. The
merchants had won twelve, but they were itching to tie things up.

“Before we the Ladies Glee Club sings the National
Anthem, and I name the lineup on today’s teams, I want to introduce the new
town librarian. I understand she’s here somewhere. Harper?” He shielded his
eyes with his hand and looked around. “You here? Can you step forward and wave
so everyone knows who you are?”

Surprised at being singled
out, Harper stood, waved, and then hurried to sit back down before the mayor
asked her to come forward and make an impromptu speech. She didn’t fear public
speaking, but preferred to be prepared before speaking to the not-so-welcoming
folks of Sunnyside.

Mick continued. “She came highly recommended, and
we’re lucky to have her. And on that note, I’d like to remind everyone to eat
and drink and to tip lavishly. The proceeds from the concession stand today
will go to the library fund—”

“I hear they’ve had some unexpected expenses,”
someone hollered from the crowd. Several people snickered. Harper guessed with
this town’s gossip grapevine, everyone knew about the sorry state the library
was in. She craned her neck to see where the comment had come from, but in the
crush of spectators there was no way to tell. As closely as she could identify,
it was a guy in a baseball cap because that description fit every guy there.

The Mayor waved off the disruption. “My daughter
Cassie will pass around a bucket for donations. Remember, if you like to read
or want your kids to have the benefit of a public library, you’ll be generous
for this worthy cause. Reopening the library will create some much-needed jobs
and revenue in the next few months. Now, on to the more important matter of the
day...” Most people dutifully chuckled.

“Although they don’t need any introduction to most
of you, I’d like to officially announce the lineup for the more superior team
of players in today’s contest.
My
team.”

The Mayor’s team consisted of all the town council
members, except for poor Malcolm with his leg in a cast. The sheriff, a couple
of deputies, a very fit gray-haired judge, the city clerk, a public prosecutor,
and a couple of administrators rounded out the lineup.

Harper recognized some of the players on the
opposing team as well. Hank from the hardware store, the fry cook at Sunnyside
Up!, Liam, and a couple of carpenters who’d been helping at the library, and
Kate Monroe.

Josh and Susannah had returned to take the extra
seats under the tree, and he made a face. “Hey, what’s Kate doing playing for
the merchants?”

“She can play for whichever side she wants,” Brady
said. “As a teacher, she qualifies as a city employee. But as the owner of that
website design company, she can play for the merchants.”

“Yeah,” Josh said, “but she’ll be batting for the
wrong team. So to speak.”

Brady shot him an amused glance.

“Josh!” Susannah punched him in the shoulder. “You
know we don’t mention that.”

“With Kate and Zach on opposite teams,” Brady
said, rescuing the moment from awkwardness, “get ready for a battle of the
bats.”

“Don’t you play, Josh?” Harper asked.

“Nah.” He fished around in the cooler for bottled water.
“Baseball was never my thing. I’m too cerebral for that.”

“Don’t let him kid you,” Brady put in. “That just
means he preferred basketball.”

“Good hands.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Susannah.
“Too much finesse for baseball.”

“Right, and Zach already had baseball and football
covered before you got to school,” Susannah poked.

“That, too. I learned a long time ago not to
compete against my big brother. He’s way more competitive than I am.”

As predicted, Barb feigned a twisted ankle in the
first inning. With the cries for a medic, Zach claimed to be off-duty. Josh
jogged out to help Barb off the field. Brady went in as her replacement at
short stop.

Brady and Zach kept up a tag team of hits, but
Kate and Liam kept pace with them in what turned out to be a batting
exhibition, egging one another on to more hits.

George Mason, the reporter who’d been at the
council meeting, came by to chat up Barb and introduce himself to Harper.
“Sorry I didn’t get to meet you yesterday at the meeting, but I’d love to
interview you for the next edition of the paper.”

“Come by the library tomorrow morning. I’ll be
happy to talk to you.”

“I’ll do that.” He tapped a note into his phone.
“I wanted to get a firsthand look at the vandalism I’ve been hearing about,
too.”

“We’re not sure it’s vandalism, exactly.” Barb
spun the situation with political skill. “You might want to hold off on that
story or check with Mick.”

“What would you call it if not vandalism, Barb?”
George asked.

“Well, vandalism, sure, but there’s a big
difference between malicious vandalism and kids painting graffiti and some
homeless guys trying to keep warm.”

“Which would you say it was, Ms. Simmons?” George
cocked his head in Harper’s direction.

Barb verbally jumped in again. “It’s still being
investigated, George. I don’t think Jimbo would appreciate having Ms. Simmons
make a statement that might interfere with an ongoing investigation.”

“Got ya.” He snapped his tablet shut. “I’ll come
by tomorrow, Ms. Simmons, to do an in-depth interview about your move here, how
you like Sunnyside, if you like the color of your new curtains, if you prefer
long or short walks on the beach, and favor world peace. Riveting topics like
that.”

“I’ll look forward to it.” She smothered her smile
at his wry comments. Here was someone else who might turn out to be an ally.

“Be careful what you say to the press, Harper.”
Barb eyed the scruffy reporter as he ambled away. “Statements about the library
will need to be approved by the town council. Anything regarding the
investigation should be referred to the Sheriff’s Department.”

“I frequently gave press statements in Chicago.”
She tried not to resent the fact that Barb was treating her like a child.

“Handle a lot of breaking news about the new
story-time hours, did you?” Barb lifted an eyebrow.

Harper blinked. “Probably as many as you field
about cow-in-the road episodes.” They didn’t know her here and didn’t seem to
want to get to know her. They didn’t know what she could and couldn’t handle.
In time, they might learn to have the appropriate confidence in her, but she
hadn’t earned that from them yet. “Everything’s relative. What’s headline news
here won’t get a mention someplace else.”

“Everything you do or say here will make
headlines.” “Barb pulled off her sunglasses and polished them on a napkin. “You
have to assume your actions are always being watched and reported. Even if it’s
not in the paper, people talk. And talk. Small-town life isn’t an easy road,
especially for an outsider.”

“Thanks for the tip. I don’t do anything all that
interesting, so they should get bored pretty fast.”

On the field, Zach caught a high pop-up to end the
inning. The teams were switching places. Instead of trotting to the dugout, he
loped her way with the grace of a professional athlete. A few feet away, he tossed
Harper the ball and tipped his cap when she caught it. Although the spectators
cheered his performance, they kept their eyes glued on Harper. Raising her arms
triumphantly, she gave a fake bow and hoped everyone assumed her blush was from
the heat, not from being singled out by Zach.

“Take it from one who knows.” Barb placed a hand
on Harper’s forearm and grimaced. “They’ll never get bored.”

Cassie appeared, wearing a red, white, and blue
Sunnyside T-shirt, denim shorts, and tennis shoes. Accompanied by a handsome
young man with impressive muscles, she carried the bucket for library
donations. Harper dropped in a twenty as did Josh.

“Thanks,” the young boy mumbled.

“This is Noah Connor,” Cassie informed Harper.
“He’s an old friend from high school.”

“Hi, Noah. Do you still live in Sunnyside?”

“My family does. I go to IU, but I’m home for the
summer.”

“He wouldn’t miss the annual festival. How are you
enjoying your first one?”

“Love it.” Harper fanned herself with her hand. “If
I can manage not to pass out from the heat. That would be embarrassing.”

“At least you’re sitting with Josh. He could fix
you right up. And you’re dressed for the day. That’s a beautiful halter top.”
Cassie studied Harper’s outfit. “So sexy. My father would drop dead of a heart
attack if I wore a top like that, but you really carry it off without looking,
you know, slutty. Is that silk?”

Sexy?
Really?
Harper was completely covered with no visible cleavage. When she’d
dressed this morning, she’d been thinking cool and casual top and denim skirt.
But now, looking around, she saw that most people wore T-shirts or tanks with
denim or khaki shorts. Silk was probably way over the top for a street fair.
Cripes, even when she tried to blend in, her instincts led her astray.

“It’s a silk blend.” Harper wasn’t about to admit
the truth. “My mother made it, so I’m not exactly sure what it is.”

But Cassie wasn’t fooled. “It sure looks like
silk. Aren’t you afraid of dripping something on it and ruining it?”

“Oh, no,” Harper protested. “My mother made it,
like I said. It’s nothing special. Why aren’t you playing in the softball
game?”

Cassie tossed her long braid over her shoulder.
“I’d like to, but Dad always volunteers me to work. Which can be fun, too.”

“Speaking of your dad.” Noah touched Cassie’s
elbow. “He’s looking at us now, probably wondering why we’re standing around
instead of hitting people up for donations.”

“Right, we better move on. See you later, Harper.
Come on, Noah.”

Harper excused herself to the others, so she could
make a purchase at the concession stand.

“Can I help you?” a teenage girl with freckles
asked.

“I don’t know.” Harper looked up to read the menu
board. “What’s good?”

“The pulled pork is our top seller,” the girl
enthused. “And my dad’s out back grilling the burgers. They’re always a hit.”

“Do you have veggie burgers?”

“No, just ham.” The girl laughed. “I mean, they’re
made from beef. But you know, they’re
hamburgers
.
Or cheeseburgers.”

“I’ve heard the funnel cakes are good.”

“Yum-o,” the teenager agreed. “There’s nothing
better than fried dough.”

Fascinated, Harper watched a chunky woman in the
booth fry the batter, drain the cooked dough, then douse it with powdered
sugar. “Orders ready, Mindy.”

The calories were visibly preparing to make the
leap from the plate to Harper’s hips.

“Thanks, Mom.” Mindy brought the plate over to the
window. “Do you want strawberries and whipped cream on that? It’s a dollar
extra.”

“Let’s go all out. It’s for a good cause. Besides,
fruit. That’s healthy, right?”

Mindy laughed. “About as healthy as anything
you’re going to get around here today.”

She offered Harper change for her ten, but she
waived it back into the cash drawer. Inhaling the aroma of hot grease, batter,
sugar, and strawberries, the first bite melted on her tongue like heaven. Mindy
piped up again.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“How’d you get your hair like that?”

“This style or this color?” she asked, although it
didn’t matter. Her genius hairstylist was the reason for both.

“That color! It’s fabulous!”

“Thank you!” Good to know the money she’d spent
splurging on her hair right before she left Chicago had been well-spent. “I’ll
tell my stylist you said so.”

“Does someone in town do it or do you go to
Lincoln?”

“Someone in Chicago, actually.”

The girl slumped in disappointment. “That
figures.”

“Leave the new librarian alone, Mindy.” Her mom
nodded at the line growing behind Harper. “You have other customers to help.”

On that note, Harper moved off, returning to her
seat beside Barb. Kate hit her second home run for her fourth RBI, in the top
of the ninth, taking the merchants ahead of the city with a score of
nine-to-eight. The first two batters for the city struck out, but Brady came to
the plate and walloped a ground-rule double.

Up next, Zach hit it out of the park to the
jubilation of the city employees, their friends and families, and most of the
women in attendance. The crowd rushed the field, cheering and hoisting Zach and
Brady onto their shoulders.

Harper stayed to watch the trophy ceremony. Joint
MVPs were awarded to Brady and Zach. She would have liked to talk to Zach, but
he was surrounded by a herd of admirers, so she headed back to the town square
where the library social hour would soon begin.

Even more people were crowded into the town square
than had been there earlier. She stood on tiptoe to see what each booth had for
sale, even though it was mostly food she wouldn’t or couldn’t eat—like fried
Snickers or corn dogs. But she noticed a small booth with an exterior painted
like the Taj Mahal tucked into an out-of-the-way corner. It didn’t have the
long lines of the other stands, but the scent of curry wafted toward her. As
she drew closer, she spotted Daxina inside the booth. Maybe this booth would
have food that suited Harper’s normal diet better than some of the others.

“Hello.” Harper greeted Daxina warmly. “Your menu
looks and smells wonderful. I’ve been dying for some real food.”

“I’m happy you are pleased. Most of the people
here aren’t familiar with our Indian fare. It is good to have someone stop by
who appreciates our cuisine. How may I help you?”

Harper ordered a lentil pilaf. Daxina looked at
her with surprise.

“Are you a vegetarian?”

“Yes,” Harper admitted. “Are you? So far, it
hasn’t been easy going here. Zach said there aren’t any other vegetarians in
town.”

“Zach? You mean the most handsome doctor? He
probably doesn’t know my family follows a vegetarian diet. Since we are
outsiders, he doesn’t know us that well.”

“Why would he...” She hated to ask because it
seemed so unlike him, but Daxina was insinuating something Harper found
unacceptable. “Is he prejudiced against you for being Indian?”