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“Girl, you don’t even know me.”
“I’m good at reading people. That’s my thing.” Holly was getting her mojo back now. “Anyway, I do know you. You stand up for yourself, and other people. I’ve seen you kick people out of Alvin’s just for being rude to your waitstaff.”
“Yeah, I don’t put up with that shit.”
“Of course you don’t! You’re Kendra Carter. Are you really going to let that dickwad win?”
Dominic the Dickwad. It had a ring to it. “Look, I appreciate the pep talk, but there’s a lot you don’t understand about the situation.”
“You can treat me like a child if you want, but you know I’m right. You need to get your fighting spirit back. That’s my official Holly Mosedale diagnosis. Hey!” A surprised smile lit up her face. “You were totally right. Getting distracted helps so much! I just had a full minute of not feeling like dog shit.”
They high-fived each other. “Living the dream, girl. Living the dream.”
Seventeen
Jason’s first official town meeting passed in a surreal blur. He talked about the plans for the fire boat acquisition, the new volunteer recruitment sessions, and the new budget request he’d submitted for the next year.
“It’s a modest increase that will allow us to expand our outreach, especially to young people.”
“Outreach,” grumbled the oldest member of the board of aldermen, Scot Jenkins. “Sounds like one of those words that don’t mean shit unless you’re under forty.”
“Well, I am under forty, you old goat. And I’m telling you this’ll be good for the town.” Jason grinned at him, knowing he was probably the only one who could get away with calling Jenkins an old goat. He’d set his own tractor on fire once during target practice; Jason had managed to salvage it from total destruction.
Fact was, he knew this town. He was going to rock this fire chief job. Kendra was going to be so impressed that she’d start taking him seriously. Like, really seriously, not just “in bed” seriously. She wouldn’t scoff when he said things like “you’re falling for me.”
That still hurt, he could admit it.
“Nice job, Jason. Big hand for the newest member of the council, speaking as the second newest.” Earl Granger stood up and clapped, and since people tended to follow Granger’s lead, everyone else applauded too. Damn, it was good to have an ally in the mix.
Granger had taken on the job of public safety officer only a couple weeks ago, just after learning that he and Bliss were having twins. Their story had to be one of the most romantic Jason had ever heard, starting with Granger posing as the gorgeous Bliss’s bodyguard. Now they were madly in love and Bliss was on bedrest for the last weeks of her pregnancy.
If anyone could handle two newborns, it would probably be the big, stern former FBI agent. Or he’d be completely overwhelmed. Either way, Jason looked forward to teasing him relentlessly, since that was their vibe.
“Thank you, it’s great to be here.” Jason bowed to acknowledge the warm welcome, but he was more than ready to be done with this meeting. He was already sweating through his jacket in the stuffy meeting room at city hall.
After the meeting adjourned, Jason caught up with Granger in the hallway and muttered, “Thinking about a petition to ban suit jackets during meetings. You in?”
“But you look so dapper,” Granger said dryly. Typical Granger, pulling a word like that out of his ass. “You can always go back to the old uniform. Having second thoughts?”
“Never. I’m finally being recognized for more than my charming smile.” He smiled charmingly at Granger, who drew back with an affronted scowl.
“What is that?” He circled a finger in the direction of Jason’s face.
“See? You wouldn’t know a charming smile if one knocked you over.”
“You know I’m marrying a model, right?”
“She’s a lot more than a model,” Jason said severely. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
As they reached the sunny outdoors and joined the melee of pedestrians strolling down Main Street, Granger threw up his hands. “You win.”
“Does that mean I can ask you a discreet question?”
“If you must know, the condom failed.”
Jason snorted. “Uh…good to know, but this has nothing to do with your sex life. I was wondering if you had any intel on why they didn’t give the town manager job to Kendra. Everyone knows how smart she is. She’s local, unlike the person they hired. What happened?”
“Is this you asking or Kendra?”
