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“There’s all the bands as well,” Pete said. “We’re providing a free live show, supporting the arts and all that.”
She nodded and kept typing. “We still need a reason why this needs to happen now and not in a month,” she said.
The table went silent. Whydidthe fair have to happen now? Aside from the water treatment issue that they could absolutely not bring up in front of council. There would be another fair, much bigger than theirs, for Canada Day in a month and a half. That fair arguably brought much more business to the area with all the cottagers in for the summer.
“Cottagers,” Derek said, drawing the attention of everyone at the table. “In a month, the cottagers will be arriving.” The thought formed in his mind as he spoke. “And while that’s great, it’s also kind of nice to have an event that’s only for the town without any big expectations.”
“Will Bette buy that?” Pete asked. “She must be on to our motives already.”
“It’s possible,” Derek said. “But she doesn’t need to buy it, just Jack or Quincy. We only need one more vote to approve the permit.”
“I like it.” Kylie smiled at him. “I think it’ll work.” She tucked a lock of long brown hair behind her ear and turned back to the laptop, typing in notes.
He didn’t need her approval, but he inflated at bit at her praise.
The kitchen door burst open, and Charlie ran into the house. As soon as he saw the crowd around the kitchen table, he stopped short, like a deer caught in headlights.
“Hey buddy,” Derek said, picking him up. “You’re just in time to celebrate. Uncle Derek had a good idea.”
“Cake!” Charlie yelled at the top of his lungs. Chuckles filled the room.
“Charlie, I told you to wait before you burst in.” Cate came through the door with a tote bag full of books. “I’m so sorry everyone. I kept him busy at the library for as long as I could.”
“It’s fine, honey.” Linda smiled at her.
“Actually, we’re done.” Kylie said.
“Are we?” Derek asked and found himself trying to come up with a reason to prolong the meeting.
“Yup. I’ll type up the notes then we can all meet before the meeting tomorrow night. Linda, Samara, Bob, Steve, and I can present the permit as you and Pete will be sitting council members. Unless anyone has anything to add?” She looked around the table, but everyone shook their heads and got up to leave.
“Great,” Kylie said. “If there’s anything else, we can always add it before the council meeting.”
Charlie tugged on Derek’s ear and told him a very detailed breakdown of everything he did and saw at the library that afternoon. He was half listening and half watching as each member of their group stopped to thank Kylie for her work. She took their thanks and compliments graciously, shaking hands with each person.
He could see the woman she’d grown in to now. Not the teenager who hid behind books anymore, but also not the fake snob he’d mistaken her for. She was mature, confident, and there. Right there in his house. The house he’d bought because he remembered her mentioning in tenth grade that it was her favourite in the village.
He jerked back to the present when she caught his gaze. He’d been staring. But Kylie went back to packing up her things. Charlie ran around the table and crushed her legs in an embrace. She bent to hear the same story he had just given Derek. She listened intently and even asked follow-up questions.
“You’re staring, big brother,” Cate whispered by his ear.
Derek switched his gaze to his sister. “I was not.”
“Why don’t you see if she wants to stay for supper?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“What?” Cate said, “It might be a nice way for you to say, ‘Thank you, and sorry I was an ass’.” She shrugged then turned to Charlie. “Come on buddy, let’s take your books to your room and wash hands before we have a snack.”
“Okay, Mama.” He grinned. “Bye Kylie!”
“Bye Charlie.” Kylie waved back.
Derek watched Cate and Charlie take the staircase leading up from the kitchen and then stood with Kylie in awkward silence for a moment.
She was the one to speak. “I think that went well.”
“I think you’ve thought of everything that might possibly go wrong. And I think this is going to work, thanks to you.”
She blushed, and something flared deep within his belly.
“I wanted to ask you if you’d like to stay for dinner. As a thank you. And as a peace offering, really.”
“Um…yeah okay.” Kylie sounded uncertain. “That’d be nice. I did promise to walk my parents’ dog for them this afternoon though.”
“Did you want to go home and come back in an hour?”
“Sure.” Her smile was wide and warm, and Derek kicked himself for taking this long to see it. It wasn’t a stuck-up sneer or a fake flash of white teeth. Just her soft lips smiling because he was finally being nice to her.
