Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice, Chapter 20 (More Than Meets the Eye)

Brandon settled into his office chair, staring blankly at the spreadsheet on his computer screen. Every few minutes, his eyes drifted to his phone, the unread message from Adalynn nagging at him. He’d left her on read last night, and now, every time he picked up the phone to reply, he froze, unsure what to say. The words “we need to talk” lingered in his mind, but he feared it sounded too accusatory. He thought of something lighter, but everything he typed sounded strained, so he would set the phone down and go back to staring at his screen, getting little work done in the process.

Just as he was about to check his phone again, he noticed his boss approaching, clipboard in hand. Quickly, Brandon straightened up, snapping himself back into work mode and focusing on the numbers in front of him. He tapped a few keys, forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand. The phone could wait, he told himself. He had a short week ahead and Thanksgiving chaos to prepare for—this was not the time to slack.

Meanwhile, at Garth’s house, a knock on the door interrupted his quiet morning. Garth opened the door, and there stood Roberto, a grin spreading from ear to ear.

Garth raised an eyebrow. “Roberto, I’m glad you’re happy, but if I hear one more word about how ‘legendary’ your smoked turkey’s going to be, we’re going to have problems.”

Roberto laughed, giving Garth a playful shove on the shoulder. “I know, I know, I can’t stop talking about it. But I actually have a surprise for you, my friend. We’re having fried turkey.”

Garth blinked, genuinely puzzled. “Fried turkey? I thought we settled on smoked?”

Roberto chuckled, clearly savoring the suspense. “We’re having both, Garth. Two turkeys. Smoked and fried.”

Garth’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious? Where did you get another turkey?”

Roberto’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Pulled a few strings, called in a favor or two. Let’s just say I have my ways.”

“Wait, so you mean we went through all that trouble at the radio contest for nothing? The Dutch ovens, the mashed potato binge—my blood pressure still hasn’t recovered!”

“Trust me, it wasn’t for nothing,” Roberto replied, his tone shifting to one of sincere excitement. “This one’s for you, my friend. You’ve got your own turkey to fry, thanks to me.”

Garth’s expression softened, and he clapped Roberto on the back. “Thank you. Really. You didn’t have to do that.”

Roberto shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Hey, Thanksgiving only comes once a year, right? Might as well do it big.”

Garth studied him for a moment, noticing the faint gleam of exhaustion in Roberto’s eyes. “You good, Roberto? You seem more excited than usual.”

“Just… looking forward to Thanksgiving,” Roberto replied, a hint of something unspoken in his voice. “So, do you need help with the brine?”

Garth chuckled. “Only if you can keep yourself from gushing over that smoked turkey. I’ve got it handled.”

Roberto gave him a playful salute, Garth shook his head, chuckling. But as Roberto walked by, Garth couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the story than Roberto was letting on.

Across town, Laura and Jazlyn sat at a quiet brunch spot, sipping mimosas as they reviewed their Thanksgiving plans. Jazlyn took a slow sip, her brow furrowed as she thought back to her recent conversation with Brandon. “You know, Brandon’s right. This… thing between us. We have to be honest with them.”

Laura set down her glass, nodding thoughtfully. “I know. It’s just… it’s complicated. And with Thanksgiving so close, maybe it’s best we wait until after the holiday.”

Jazlyn sighed, swirling her drink. “You’re right. Brandon’s going through enough as it is, especially with Adalynn. He doesn’t need more on his plate.”

They shared a look of understanding, each taking a swig of their mimosas as they quietly resolved to hold off on their revelation, at least until the holiday was behind them. Thanksgiving would be chaotic enough without adding their secrets to the mix.

Meanwhile, Brandon had finally made it to his lunch break. Trying to clear his head, he walked over to the sandwich shop around the corner from his office, hoping a change of scenery would help him think. He picked up his order, heading toward the door, when he nearly collided with Damarae, who was on his way in.

“Brandon!” Damarae greeted him, his usual grin spreading across his face. “Fancy meeting you here.”

Brandon gave him an awkward nod, feeling his stomach twist at the sight of his friend. His mind flooded with the unresolved tension surrounding Adalynn, and his smile felt forced. Damarae’s grin faded as he noticed Brandon’s distant demeanor.

“Hey… is everything okay?” Damarae asked, his expression shifting to one of genuine concern.

Brandon paused, his gaze hardening as he looked at his friend. “I don’t know, D. You tell me.”

Damarae frowned, taken aback. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Brandon took a steadying breath, trying to keep his voice calm. “Never mind. Look, enjoy your lunch. I’ve got to get back to work.”

But before he could walk away, Damarae stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “Brandon, what’s going on? You’re acting weird.”

Brandon clenched his jaw, feeling the frustration bubbling over. “Am I? Maybe I’m just rethinking a few things, that’s all.”

“Rethinking what?” Damarae pressed, his confusion evident. “Brandon, you’re not making any sense.”

“Maybe I just need some space,” Brandon replied, brushing past him and walking quickly down the sidewalk, leaving Damarae staring after him, bewildered. Without looking back, Brandon made his way back to his office, hoping the walk would help calm his nerves.

When he got back to his desk, he glanced at his phone, the earlier unread message from Adalynn still staring back at him. Taking a deep breath, he finally typed out a reply: We need to talk.

The response came almost immediately.

Adalynn: Absolutely. Call me after work.

Setting the phone down, Brandon exhaled, bracing himself for whatever conversation lay ahead.

Across town, Roberto left Garth’s house with a smug smile, satisfied that his Thanksgiving plans were finally falling into place. He climbed into his car, glancing back at the house as Garth waved goodbye from the doorway.

“See you on Thanksgiving!” Garth called, his face alight with excitement.

Roberto nodded, giving a thumbs-up as he drove away. But as he pulled onto the main road, a nervous energy began to settle over him, and he gripped the steering wheel tightly, his thoughts racing back to the second turkey now locked away in Garth’s freezer.

The errand had been harder than he’d let on to Garth, and the pressure of keeping his “sources” a secret weighed heavily on him. He took a few deep breaths, trying to focus on the road.

“Just think about the feast,” he muttered to himself, forcing a confident smile. “Thanksgiving will be perfect.”

Garth plopped onto his couch, content and relaxed after Roberto’s visit. With both a smoked and a fried turkey on the menu, Thanksgiving was shaping up to be a real success. He grabbed the remote, flipping on the TV to catch the evening news.

After a brief commercial, the news anchor’s face reappeared on screen. “In local news, farmer Monty Sparks has reported the theft of a very special member of his family, leaving him heartbroken.”

Garth’s eyes narrowed as the screen cut to a distraught Monty, his eyes red from crying, standing outside his farmhouse. “I raised Bermuda from a chick,” Monty said, his voice thick with emotion. “She’s more than a turkey to me. She’s family. I can’t believe someone would just… take her like that.”

Garth’s stomach dropped as the reporter continued, detailing the theft and describing Bermuda as Monty’s beloved pet. In the background, a photo of Bermuda appeared on the screen, her feathers gleaming in the sunlight, her beady eyes seemingly full of sass.

The camera cut back to Monty, who dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief. “Who would do such a thing? All I want is for Bermuda to come home. She deserves better than this.”

Garth’s mouth went dry as he sat up, his eyes wide with disbelief. Could it be? He glanced toward his kitchen, where the extra turkey Roberto had “gifted” him now lay in his freezer. Was it possible?

Garth stared at the TV, hoping it was a coincidence. But something in the pit of his stomach told him he knew exactly where Bermuda was. He slowly looked toward the freezer, dread pooling within him as the truth began to sink in.