“It was your idea,” he pointed out.
“Not that we’re not grateful,” Piper rushed to add.
“Suzanne, what can we do to help?” Twyla asked.
Conversation shifted back to the other end of the table.
“I feel a little like I’ve been hit by a wrecking ball,” Piper admitted.
“You get used to it.”
“Gram will get the wedding taken care of. I want to know where you’re going on your honeymoon,” Skye said. “Somewhere fabulous, I hope.”
“We haven’t even talked about it yet. We’re in the dead center of cold and flu season at work, and Myles can’t be away from the paper for very long just now.”
He hadn’t said that, but with the deadline for paying back the loan looming, she was certain that would be the case. They’d need to be local to jump through whatever hoops were required to gain access to the trust.
“We’d already made arrangements to get away for the long weekend to elope. So I figured we’d take the weekend, go somewhere not too far—maybe New Orleans. Then later on this year, when things slow down for both of us at work, we’ll go somewhere awesome for a proper honeymoon.”
“You’d have the flexibility to take a proper honeymoon for as long as you liked if you gave up this ridiculous newspaper and took your proper place at the company,” Warrick said.
Beside her, Myles stiffened.
Piper laid her hand on his thigh in warning. “Myles has brought that newspaper back from the brink and re-invigorated it as a center of the community and a beacon of hope. He’s become a central part of everyone’s life here in Wishful, bringing us the news that matters.”
“News that matters?” Warrick scoffed. “Repo
rts of parades and volunteer work and local land squabbles are hardly earth shattering events.”
“He recognizes what all good journalists do—that people matter. People are the heart, the truth of any story. Not the sensationalist yellow journalism that seems to be running rampant in the rest of the country. So, regardless of your opinion of his endeavor, Mr. Stewart, let me assure you that he’s goddamned amazing at what he does, and I don’t for a second begrudge delaying a ‘proper’ honeymoon so that he can continue to do it.”
Twyla made a choking noise, but Piper didn’t stop to catch the familiar flash of appalled disappointment on her face. Color crept up Warrick’s face during Piper’s little rant and he opened his mouth to say something, but his mother interrupted.
“You’ve found a woman with spine. Good for you, Myles.” Suzanne nodded in approval, then sat back as their food was served.
“Piper.”
Braced for censure, she looked at Myles. “I’m sorry, I just couldn’t sit here and let him—”
He cupped her jaw and pressed his lips softly to hers. A thank you. A promise. And maybe something more.
“How do you feel about Greece?”
“Greece?” she asked dumbly.
“Or the French Riviera. I kind of don’t care where, as long as it involves you and a bikini.”
She cleared her throat, feeling the heat in her own cheeks. “I’m sure we can work something out.”
Chapter 6
“Wes, I need you to follow up on the current status of negotiations between Bill Covey and Lloyd MacIntosh about the Chapel Springs development. Simone, you need to set up an interview with Margot Thayer over at The Babylon. They’re past the soft opening of the spa and I want to do a feature on all the available services, and plans for additional expansion in the works. Take Zach with you, since you haven’t met her yet. Get pics of some of the treatments that’ll make people want to sign up. And since you’re already seeing Omar, make sure you get his column for the Sunday edition.” Myles absently twisted at the Rubik’s cube in his hands as he checked his list.
The conference room door swung open and his grandmother swept in with all the pomp of Queen Elizabeth, sans entourage.
Patty, looking harried, brought up the rear. “Sorry, Myles. I tried to stop her.”
“It’s fine, Patty. What can I do for you, Gram?”