Everybody Knows (Sunnyside #1) Read Free Page A

totally
unnecessary gesture.
    Even Harper could see that he was fine. Muscular and fine.
    “I’m fine.” His words echoed Harper’s thoughts
exactly.
    Very, very
fine , Harper silently amended, joining the slack-jawed Brianna for a moment
of synchronized drooling.
    Was it her imagination or did the Very Fine Zach
purposefully lean away from Brianna’s touch? Reminding herself that the
interpersonal dynamics of the locals were none of her business, Harper wrenched
her attention away from the man and focused on the situation.
    Her head still reeled from how close she’d come to
killing the fur ball. Someone’s pet, in fact. The death would have left her
stunned and distraught. More importantly, the children would have been
traumatized and heartbroken. “I’m so sorry,” she said to Brianna and the crying
kids, trying to block the image of this helpless animal flattened under her
tires. “I’m so, so sorry,” she repeated to the puppy. “I didn’t see you there,
Pippa.”
    She reached out to pat Pippa’s fuzzy little
forehead, only to have the dog snap and nip her hand. Harper jerked the
appendage back and shook it, feeling slightly less apologetic. “Ow.”
    “Don’t try to pretend our precious pet bit you,”
the woman ordered. “Your crazy driving behind the wheel of that expensive car
could have killed her. I should call Jimbo and file a report!”
    “What?” Another wave of confusion and
disappointment rolled through Harper’s stomach. Maybe she was light-headed with
hunger, maybe she’d hit her head on the steering wheel, or maybe the woman was
just plain nuts, but a second encounter with Sunnyside natives was falling
short of a Welcome Wagon moment.
    “Come on, Brianna. Jimbo brought Jillian and the
new baby home from the hospital this afternoon,” Zach said. “He doesn’t need to
haul over here to write up an incident report where no harm occurred.”
    “No thanks to her. ”
Brianna pointed an accusing finger in Harper’s direction. “She was driving
recklessly.”
    “No, I wasn’t! I was well under the speed limit.”
She hoped. Harper hadn’t seen any signs with speed limits posted since she got
off the highway. “Looking at house numbers.”
    “Strangers shouldn’t be driving any which way, not
paying attention, on streets where they don’t belong,” Brianna insisted.
“Everybody knows dogs and children live on this street. It could have been a
child you hit instead of a dog!”
    Nausea welled in Harper’s throat at the thought.
She opened her mouth to protest the charge again, but Zach stepped in.
    “She didn’t hit a dog or a child, Brianna. She
wasn’t speeding or driving recklessly, and she’s here to meet me. I assume you’re
the new librarian?” He flicked his gaze in her direction again.
    “Harper Simmons, that’s me.”
    “Harper, this is Brianna Dempsey. The neighbor
across the street from your house.”
    “Hello.” Attempting to salvage the situation,
Harper gave a cordial nod.
    Brianna discontinued ogling Zach just long enough
to acknowledge the introduction. “Well, the kids and my mother will be happy
when the library reopens. I don’t know why they had to hire an outsider to make
that happen, though.”
    “Without the library grant, Sunnyside can’t afford
to maintain it.” Zach’s long-fingered hands smoothed over Pippa with a
competent and gentle touch. He gave the puppy’s curly topknot one last ruffle
before passing her to the largest of the three children. “Here you go, Khloe.”
He stooped to the child’s level and lifted her chin. “Don’t let her out without
her leash again, okay?”
    Silent tears dripped down the little girl’s
scrunched up face. “I didn’t. Leo opened the door. Why do I get blamed for
everything?”
    “No, I didn’t.” The little boy popped a thumb into
his mouth and clamped an arm around his mother’s ample left leg.
    “Bella was supposed to be watching Leo,” Khloe
continued.
    “Nuh-uh.” The younger