The town was a hidden gem.
She could see the heat from the pavement rising up into the air as she drove, as though it was a mist that was cloaking the downtown street. There were a few people out, all of them dressed appropriately for the hot summer weather, either with a cold drink or an ice cream cone in their hand. Tallulah looked as though it’d escaped from a Hallmark movie, with it’s perfectly mismatched old brick buildings and trees lining the sides of the street.
Yvette brought her gaze back down to her GPS, which was showing that she was still a decent distance away from where she’d be staying. She was relieved, as she’d been living in the city so long she had been hoping to stay in a more remote location.
She couldn’t help but wonder if they had many visitors in the small town. No one seemed to stop and stare at her Jeep or question what she was doing there - not like they had at the restaurant and bed and breakfast. She clenched the steering wheel between her fingers at the thought. Those jerks that had harassed her. They’d left a sour note on her trip, and she didn’t even want to think what would have happened if Jace hadn't been there.
She passed through the downtown center rather quickly and crossed a wooden bridge into the more suburban part of the town. The houses were older, and rather large, almost reminding her of the colonial-style house she’d just stayed in. Trees filled the massive yards and partially hid the houses.
“In five hundred feet, your destination will be on the right,” the robotic voice of the GPS said, and repeated itself until Yvette made the turn.
The Jeep vibrated as the tires drove along the gravel driveway. She could barely see the place through the forest as she drove up slowly. Her heart leapt as she saw the glittering of water up ahead. There was a lake. The forest had been so thick up until then she hadn’t been able to see anything beyond the foliage. She couldn't remember the last time she went swimming. There was already something to look forward to.
She was surprised by the size of the house. For one person, it seemed a little extravagant. It was over two stories high and had windows facing in every direction. There was a wrap-around deck that extended from the front, all the way to the back and led to a path towards the lake. At the end of the path, she could see a small dock and a paddle boat floating in the water.
There were areas where the sun would hit in small streams, illuminating the greenery surrounding the house. The house’s old oak siding was broken up in the middle with grey brick, giving the place a cottage appearance. She drove slowly up the driveway and rounded the corner, where she saw a car already parked near the entrance of the house. Standing there, with his hand held high in a wave, was an older gentleman wearing a plaid shirt and square sunglasses.
She brought the Jeep to a stop, making sure that the car ahead of her had enough room to turn around and leave the driveway when he left. She opened the door to the Jeep and jumped down as the man approached her. He’d barely waited for her to get a good look at the grounds, just as the gentleman at the bed and breakfast had done. She was beginning to wonder if everyone in small towns were always so welcoming.
“Hi there,” he said, and pulled off his sunglasses, only to reveal bright green hooded eyes. When he smiled, the wrinkles around his eyes deepened, giving him a kind appearance. “I’m George Phillips. You must be Yvette.”
Yvette shook his outstretched hand, surprised by how strong his grip was. “It’s nice to meet you, George. Is this your place?”
“Well, yes, it is. I hear your company booked it for you.”
“Yeah, they did,” she said, shifting her gaze to get a better look around. “It’s a beautiful property. Does it have Wifi?”
He chuckled to himself. “Yes, it does. Why is that the first question I always get from your generation? Old people, it’s not a problem. You lot, though? Can’t live without an internet connection.”
“If it helps, I mostly need it for work.”
“Not sure if it helps, but it definitely makes sense,” he said, and turned towards the steps leading up to the entrance. “Why don’t you come in? I’ll show you around and then you can get all settled.”
“Can I ask you questions as we go?”
“Of course. Ask any questions that come up as we go. I want you to be comfortable during your stay here.”
“Oh, that’s not what I meant, Mr. Phillips. I meant Jace Johnson,” she told him, following him up the steps. “I wanted to know a few things before I begin my story. I was told you were my go-to while I’m here in town.”
George placed his hands in his pockets and exhaled deeply. “Listen. I need to tell you something before we start.”
Yvette waited in anticipation, apprehensive of what he was going to say next. She wasn’t sure if she could bear to hear it if it was going to be bad. The last thing she wanted to do was write a scandalous story about Jace, especially since she’d gotten to know him better. A dramatic story? That she could do. But a scandalous one that put him in a bad light? That might just cause too much regret and moral issues on her end.
“Well, Jace is a good guy. I want you to know that I’m only doing this so that I can help my grandson pay for college. So, with that being said,” George paused, and stared off into the distance, “I want you to know that I won’t tell you anything about him that he wouldn’t tell you himself. If you do find something, that’s your business. I don’t want any part of that.”
“Have you known Jace for a long time?”
He nodded, primarily to himself, as he continued to avert his eyes. “Yes, actually. Going on about, oh, I don’t know, thirteen years? Met him when he was just a kid.”
“What places does he frequent in Tallulah?”
“Not sure, if I’m being honest,” George said, removing his hat and scratching at his thinning grey hair. “I know he does some shopping in town, but I think he mainly stays out here. Only heads to town if he needs anything.”
“Does he go to the festival?”
“Yeah, actually, he does. He usually has a few drinks in the beer tent.”
Well, it was something, and it was all she had to go on. It’d have to be enough.
“Thanks for your help, George,” she said, and tapped him on the shoulder. “I won’t name you in the article or tell Jace about your help. Everyone has their own reasons for doing things, including me. I get it.”
“It’s just tough, you know? When I got the call, I wanted to ignore it completely. How your magazine tracked me down at all still boggles my mind,” he said, and chuckled. “But they’re paying well and I can’t turn it down right now. Things have been tough.”
“I understand, and I’m sorry you’ve had to be put in this situation.”
George shrugged. “It’s not like it can be helped, you know. Definitely not your fault that things have been tough for businesses here in town. We’re hoping the Carrot Festival will bring in enough to tide us over for a while.”
“I hope so, too,” she said, and turned to look around the front porch and gestured towards the front door. “Why don’t you give me the grand tour and tell me about the Carrot Festival. I’ll leave the questions about Jace for another time. I’ll make a list of questions beforehand and be sure to leave out any that might make you uncomfortable.”