Hailey:

I’ve barely seen Lana since I moved to Goat. I’ve chatted with her a couple of times on the phone, but she’s stressing because of an aggressive book deadline and a plot that won’t cooperate. Monday morning, I finally hear from her. “I did it,” she announces happily. “The book’s done.”

“Sweet.”

“I’ve been a terrible friend,” she continues. “If I buy you breakfast, will you forgive me?”

I laugh. “I’m never going to say no to free breakfast,” I tell her, “but there’s nothing to forgive. When do you want to eat?”

“Now?” she asks hopefully. “Blake and Declan are away for a conference, there’s no food at home, and I’m starving. See you at Goat Morning in half an hour?”

I get into my car and drive into town, parking around the corner from the diner. Lana’s already there, a cup of coffee in front of her. She gives me a hug when I get in. “It’s so good to see you,” she says. “Sorry about the deadline.”

I wave off her apology. “I’ve been there. So the book’s done?”

“Yes, I sent it off last night to my editor, thank heavens. But enough about me. Tell me what’s going on with you.”

“Well, Connor’s a great boss, but you already know that.” We both order the all-day breakfast special. “And Goat’s such a quirky town. We’re devoting three pages to the Great Bake-off in this week’s issue. In fact, I’m supposed to be interviewing Betty Beaumont at ten.”

She laughs. “Yup, that’s life in a small town for you.” She gives me a concerned look. “It’s not too quiet for you, is it? I mean, I know it’s not great for dating, but you’ve never really seemed interested in meeting someone.”

Ahem. It’s time to come clean. “Actually,” I clear my throat, “about that…”

Her eyes go wide. “Oh my God, did you meet someone? Tell me everything.”

“Calm down, it’s not that exciting. Remember how you asked me once if I’d ever had a threesome and I said yes?”

She nods. “Well,” I continue, “the guys I had a threesome with live in Goat.”

Her mouth falls open. “What? Who? How? I have so many questions.”

I have to laugh at her expression. “It was a one-night stand,” I tell her. “Well, one night and the morning after. And it was six years ago, and we exchanged names, but I never looked them up. I didn’t know they lived in Goat.”

“Hailey, before I die of curiosity, who are these mystery guys?”

Lana’s my best friend; I have no secrets from her. “Nick O’Sullivan and Sean Keefer,” I say in a rush.

“Whoa. Nick, I can see. But Sean? The fire chief? He seems so straight-laced.”

“I assure you, no.”

She chuckles. “Every day, you learn something new. So you’re seeing them again?”

Lana used to be an investigative journalist. The woman is a bloodhound. “The three of us agreed to have no-strings-sex once a week. We’ve been doing it for the last month.” I fall silent as the waitress sets heaped plates of food in front of us. There’s enough here to feed an army, and I have no complaints.

Once the waitress is out of earshot, Lana turns back to me. “You are?”

I nod. “I’m not looking to date anyone,” I tell her. “But I like having sex, and I don’t want to live like a monk. This seemed like a good compromise.”

She looks dubious as she nibbles on a piece of bacon. “If you say so. Just don’t get attached. Nick has a well-deserved reputation as a player, and Sean…” Her voice trails off. “Actually, I don’t know what Sean’s deal is. He’s pretty private.”

“I’m not going to get attached.” I’m a little miffed at Lana’s reaction. She knows I don’t date. What’s with the warnings? I’m an adult. I can take care of myself.

She takes a deep breath, a contrite expression on her face. “I’m sorry. I should be more supportive. If this is what you want, I’m happy for you, Hailey.”

“It is what I want,” I tell her firmly.

We talk about Girl Power’s recent columns for a few minutes, then the conversation returns to the Weekly Goat. “Sometimes I miss the work,” Lana confides. “Connor’s a super-nice guy. If only Elvira…” Her voice trails off.

I’m not a huge gossip, but I’m as curious as the next person, and there have been many hints that Connor has a sweet spot for Elvira. “If only Elvira what?”

“Connor’s in love with Elvira Grantham,” she replies, confirming my suspicions. “I think he’s been in love with her for most of his life.” She drains the rest of her coffee. “You know that Elvira was the fifteen-year-old mistress of the guy that founded this town? Connor was his younger brother.”

“That sounds like a soap opera.”

“Tell me about it. Anyway, I’ve been able to piece together bits of the story, and I think Connor kept an eye on Elvira, made sure she was okay.”

An older woman walks up to fill Lana’s coffee, and she overhears the tail end of the conversation. “It was more than that,” she says.

Lana looks chagrined at being caught gossiping. “Mrs. Beaumont,” she stammers. “I didn’t see you there. This is my friend Hailey. She’s working at the Weekly Goat.”

As many times as I’ve been to the Goat Morning, I’ve never run into the diner’s owner. Betty Beaumont is a tall, thin woman with waist-length salt-and-pepper hair, worn in a braid down her back. Her olive skin is unwrinkled except around her eyes. She’s beautiful in a striking sort of way, and she’s definitely not what I imagined her to look like. Somehow, when I thought of two women in a baking competition, I imagined them to be shorter, plumper versions of Julia Child.

“Good to meet you, Hailey,” she says to me. “You’re interviewing me today, aren’t you? Anytime you want.” She pulls up a chair at our table. “Connor begged Elvira to leave his brother,” she says, her voice lowered to a hush. “But Elvira’s family was dirt-poor, and Arnold’s money made their life more comfortable. Connor bought Elvira the cottage so if she ever needed a place to stay, she would have it.”

“My cottage?” My voice is shrill with astonishment.

“Yes, I’d heard you were living there now. She’s never been able to sell it, you know.” She shakes her head with a sigh. “I always hoped that it meant that Connor had a chance. But now that she’s rented it out… maybe she’s made up her mind that it’ll never happen.”

Wow. Connor and Elvira are in their seventies. If I’m doing my math right, he’s been in love with her for more than forty years. What a heart-wrenching story.

“No,” Lana says softly. “I know Elvira, and I know Connor. The story’s not over until it’s over.”

Lana’s horribly in love with Blake and Declan, and it’s made her sappy. Yes, it would be a fairy-tale ending if Elvira Grantham and Connor Perkins were to finally get together, but I live in the real world, and I know the odds are low.

I don’t believe in fairy tales anymore. I don’t believe in Prince Charmings, and I certainly don’t believe in happily-ever-afters. On the other hand, the no-strings casual relationship I have with Nick and Sean is exactly what I want.