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is. Connor Buckham. He’s the guy at the phone number on that little sign you texted me. I just paid for you to live and work there for the week. Any other expenses can go on the corporate card.”
    “Evelyn, I don—”
    “I don’t want to hear it. This is a well-deserved semi-vacation on my dime. You get me that story. And a few more too. There’s bound to be some fun stuff to write about there. We need something fresh in the news right now. You can do this. Get your head together, and when you get back, I’ll give you that Senior Associate promotion we’ve been talking about and reassign the Van page to someone else permanently.”
    “Are you serious?”
    “I already contacted Jones to fill in for you. He’s thrilled.”
    “Jones?” Was she kidding? Savannah felt doubt creep in. She’d wanted off the Van column for months, but it was too big of an income stream for GetItNowNews. Evelyn had refused to let her ditch it, instead dangling one carrot after another to keep her going. But this time Evelyn had someone covering for her. She’d never done that before. Maybe the timing was finally in her favor. She couldn’t imagine Jones being the voice of Van, and it took about everything in her to not say so . . . but after all, this might be her only chance off that darn assignment. “Do you promise?”
    “I promise. This little series will have folks on a high from all the feel-good crap. They’ll gobble it up.”
    “Series?”
    “Give me at least three stories. That way they’ll be so distracted in your fun small town stories they won’t even realize there’s a new Advice from Van voice.”
    “That makes me sound extra special.”
    “Can’t have it both ways, my dear. Do you want out or not?”
    “I want out.”
    “See, I told you everything happens for a reason.”

    Savannah’s mood brightened as she got closer to the bank building. One innocent text of a picture of the tiny sign in the window had just forced her life into a new direction. She paused in front of the huge window.
    Be careful what you wish for rang from her past. But this was what she wanted. A new chance to show her writing chops in real news articles. Okay, so it wasn’t real news, more like fluff, but it was a step in the right direction. And she’d get her own name on the work. That’s what she wanted.
    She also couldn’t deny she could use the break. It had been way too long since she’d taken time for herself. Not that this was totally for herself. She’d be writing those stories for Evelyn, but a little downtime in a small town with no drama sounded pretty good right now.
    Suddenly, the sign was plucked from the window.
    Had it all been a marvelous daydream?
    But then a redheaded man walked outside. “Were you interested in the space?”
    “Me?” She swallowed back the urge to say Yes! Yes! Yes! “Hi. Do you work here?”
    “Yes.” He extended his hand. “I’m Connor Buckham. I own the building. There are two offices and apartments on the top floor. Sorry, I just rented the vacant one.”
    “I know. I mean, Evelyn Biggens rented it for me.” She pushed her hand out in his direction. “I’m Savannah Dey.”
    “Nice to meet you. Welcome to Adams Grove.”
    “Thanks. You know, I’d give anything to get a tour of the old bank. Please tell me the original vault is still in place. Those things are so cool.”
    “It is, and I’d be happy to take you on the ten-cent tour.” He pulled the door open and motioned her inside. “Come on in. I’ll show you the apartment too.”
    “Just four hundred and fifty dollars a month? What’s the catch?”
    Connor laughed. His blue eyes danced as he gave her a wink. “No catch. It’s a small town and there’s not a whole lot of demand for rentals. Where you from?”
    “DC.”
    “Not too far. I used to live up in Chicago.”
    “And you moved here? On purpose?” Don’t offend him before you even get to know him. Doggone that mouth. She needed a piece of tape!
    He