That Man of Mine

by Maria Geraci

  “Can you give me a copy of the contract? I can get Pilar to take a look at it and she can advise us on our best course of action.”

  A trickle of sweat ran down the side of Bruce’s cheek. He slipped a handkerchief out of his pocket and blotted his head. “I hope you don’t say anything about this, because what I’m going to tell you is pretty damn embarrassing, but it was more of a verbal agreement. Should have known better, I know, but getting that far with him was already a major feather in my cap. I was just trying to do what was best for the city. Of course, it all blew up in my face.”

  Mimi almost felt sorry for him. She thought Bruce had more business savvy. He’d advertised Billy Brenton on a verbal agreement? No wonder he hadn’t wanted to talk about it before.

  “I’m sorry it all fell apart, Bruce, but maybe considering what happened last year, he might want to make it up to us by playing at this year’s festival. I know it’s a long shot, especially since we’re less than four months out now, but I want to give it a try.”

  Bruce seemed reluctant at first, but then he opened a drawer in his desk and handed her a business card. “This is the name of the company who manages him. The contact person’s name is Crystal.” He must have sensed her distrust, because he added, “I know you think I’m still bitter about the election, but you couldn’t be more wrong. I only want to do what’s best for this town, and if you can get Billy Brenton to play at the Spring Into Summer festival, then I’ll be the first in line to congratulate you.”

  For a second, all Mimi could do was stare at the card. Bruce was actually going to help her? Boy, had she pegged him all wrong.

  Mimi tucked the card away in her tote. “Thanks, Bruce. I really appreciate this.”

  *~*~*

  How friggin’ hard could it be to get ahold of one country music singer? Okay, so the country music singer was world famous and probably Nashville’s biggest male star of the moment, but seriously, someone had to know how to get in touch with someone who could get in touch with him. Or at the very least, this Crystal person. This was America. Home of the Free and Land of the Brave, as well as People magazine, the Internet and Twitter. Nothing was sacred anymore.

  Mimi hung up the phone in frustration. The number Bruce had given her was for a music management company in Nashville. She’d been shuffled from assistant to assistant for the past hour with no real hope in sight. It was useless. She might as well have been trying to call the man on the moon. She’d been at it all week and she was no closer to getting Billy Brenton than when she’d started.

  Harry Tuba and his polka band were looking better and better. Except, if that was the best she could do she might just be driven out of town with pitchforks. And the Spring Into Summer festival was the least of her problems. Every day someone called wanting something from her. More parking spots at the city library. A new trashcan next to the public beach access. Her personal favorite, though, was a call from Mr. Quinton from the Dolphin Estates Neighborhood Association demanding that the doggie poop pick-up law be enforced with threat of jail time. That had been a conversation Mimi never hoped to repeat.

  Why had she ever thought running for mayor would be a fun thing to do? Poor Bruce. Is this what his life had been like the past twelve years? He said he didn’t harbor any ill feelings toward her for beating him out in the last election. He was probably secretly glad.

  Besides her mayoral duties there was also Allie’s wedding to help plan. She’d given Mimi her guest list. It was a smallish number to work with—about seventy-five guests in all. The church and the date were taken care of but there was still the dress and the reception venue to consider. A while ago Mimi had mentioned to Allie that her grandmother’s dress was still in storage. It was a beautiful dress, all organza and lace and it would look gorgeous on her, but it would need alterations. Someone who knew how to work with old material and whom they could trust. Mimi had a good idea where they could find that someone. Now she just had to get Allie on board.

  Today’s copy of the Whispering Bay Gazette featured Allie and Tom’s engagement announcement splashed across page three. It was a gorgeous picture of the two of them with their arms around one another with the gulf in the background. They were just three and half months away from the wedding. Mimi had booked a lunch at The Harbor House to discuss possibly using their banquet room for the reception.

  She glanced at her watch. It was time to call it a night. She’d been in the office nearly all day, except for the three times she’d gone home to check on Toby and Buttercup. On her last visit home, Toby had left a huge drool mark on the carpet in the living room and Buttercup had discovered she had claws. Luckily, the pillow she’d decided to shred was an old one Mimi had been about to toss anyway.

  She fiddled around the computer for a few more minutes, checking her email and her Facebook page to see if any of her friends had posted anything worth reading. On a whim, she decided to check out Rusty’s page. Zeke had said he was staying at Rusty’s cousin’s fishing cabin. Right there on Rusty’s profile picture was a shot of him and another man holding up a large mouth bass. A few more clicks and she found out the other man was Benny Newton, none other than Rusty’s cousin of the fishing cabin fame.

  A few more clicks and she pulled up a picture of said cabin and a location. It was scary how someone with minimal computer skills like herself could find out so much with so little effort. According to the map the fishing cabin was located north of Whispering Bay near the Intercoastal. Mimi figured it was at least ten miles away.

  She logged herself out of her computer and grabbed her jean jacket, ready to head home. Zeke was taking the kids over to Tom’s to spend the evening with Allie and Henry. They were ordering pizza and watching movies. Which sounded like fun. Like something they’d done once as a family. Tomorrow, it would be two weeks since she’d told Zeke she’d consider going back to counseling. It had been hard to think of anything else, really. It wasn’t fair to keep him waiting for an answer, but she didn’t want to go through a repeat of last year. If they went back to counseling, Zeke would have to prove that he was serious about it this time.

  Maybe tonight she’d get her own takeout and watch a movie, too. Something completely romantic. Like Casablanca or When Harry Met Sally. Something that would blot out the frustrations of the past week. She’d get ice cream. And popcorn. And wine. Only, she’d stick to one glass, because the night of the margaritas was still too fresh to consider more than that.

  She walked past the empty receptionist’s desk. It was Friday afternoon and after five o’clock, so the city building was nearly deserted. She’d almost made it to her car when she spotted Doug in the parking lot. He waved and jogged over.

  “Hey,” he said. His gaze went to her leather work tote. Which had seemed cute when she’d bought it, but now Mimi realized it was wholly impractical. Her Spring Into Summer work folder, overflowing with papers, barely fit inside. “Looks like someone’s bringing home a load of work for the weekend.”

  “I think I’m spinning my wheels with this festival.”

  “Want to talk about it? Maybe I can help.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his denim jeans. A cool breeze ruffled the top of his brown hair. Mimi had to admit, casual Fridays looked good on Doug.

  Considering she was getting nowhere with the Billy Brenton thing, his offer of help sounded like a lifeline. She thought about the animals. She’d checked on them a little over two hours ago. Surely, they could be alone a couple hours more. “How about that coffee you promised?”

  “How about dinner?” he shot back. She hesitated long enough that he said, “Or not. You probably have kids to get home to, huh?”

  “Actually, I don’t. And dinner sounds good. I’m anxious to pick your brain about something.”

  He grinned. “Then let’s go.”

  They got into his car, a shiny red sedan that still had a new car smell. Mimi buckled her seat belt and settled back into the plush leather seat. It occurred to her she’d never been al
one in a car with a man before who wasn’t either her husband, her father, or her brother. It was an odd sensation.

  “So, what do you like to eat?” he asked. “We could do Italian, or seafood? I hear The Harbor House is pretty good.”

  “And kind of fancy and over-priced, too. The Bistro by the Beach isn’t open for dinner, otherwise I’d suggest we go there. There’s a burger place near the bowling alley that makes some killer chili cheese fries. Greasy, but to die for.”

  He raised a brow. “Greasy fries? You’re on.”

  *~*~*

  Burger World was packed, but they were able to get a seat in the back of the restaurant right next to the restrooms. On the drive over, they’d stopped at a light and the occupants of the car in the next lane (Mr. and Mrs. Bruner) had openly gawked at them. Now she and Zeke were not only separated, she’d been seen alone in a car with a strange man. Horrors! So although Mimi preferred sitting by the window, a back seat table seemed like a good option right now. More out of the way and private.

  They ordered burgers and fries and a couple of beers and Mimi was surprised to find how hungry she was. Then she remembered she hadn’t eaten since breakfast. She’d spent her lunch break on hold with the manager of a country western radio station who claimed to personally know Billy Brenton, which had been a total bust.

  Mimi was halfway through her burger when she came up for air. “So, Doug, how are you liking our little piece of the planet?”

  He wiped his mouth with his napkin, then laid it down next to his empty beer mug. “A lot actually. I can’t wait till the water gets warm. The beaches here are beautiful.”

  “Agreed,” she said, basking in mayorly pride.

  The waitress came by and asked if they wanted a second beer. Doug went for it, but Mimi declined. Beer always filled her up too much. Besides, there was still that glass of wine and Casablanca waiting for her when she got home.

  “Mimi Grant!” Betty Jean Collin’s voice made Mimi jump in her seat. Betty Jean, along with a couple of other members of the Gray Flamingos strolled over to their table. The curiosity in their eyes could have killed an entire litter of Buttercups.

  Mimi inwardly sighed and tried for her best smile. Hopefully, Betty wasn’t going to try to fill her in on any more gossip about Zeke and Cindy. “Hi, Betty!” she said with her most upbeat voice. She introduced Doug to Betty and the other two women. “Doug is our new city manager,” Mimi said.

  “Oh? So this is business, not pleasure?” Betty Jean asked.

  “I’d like to think it’s both,” she answered. If Betty Jean and her cronies wanted to make something out of nothing, then let them. Mimi had nothing to hide.

  Betty Jean’s eyes widened. “It was nice to meet you, Doug. We’ll let you two kids get back to your food before it gets cold.”

  A few minutes after that, Mr. Parsons from the post office strolled by. Mimi caught him staring so she waved at him. He seemed flustered, but waved back.

  Eventually, everyone in the place walked past their table. Some people, two or three times. Either everyone in Whispering Bay had weak bladders, or they were the nosiest people on the planet. Mimi concluded it was the latter.

  Doug glanced around the restaurant and lowered his voice. “This might sound weird, but are people staring at us?”

  “Nope. Not weird at all.” She put down her burger. “I should probably warn you, by this time tomorrow it’ll be all around town that I’m having your baby.”

  Doug threw his head back and laughed (causing even more people to turn and stare). “Small towns, you got to love them,” he said good-naturedly.

  Rusty Newton, one of Whispering Bay’s finest, happened by the table just at that moment. He was out of uniform but he still walked and talked like a cop. Not the scary kind. More like the Mayberry RFD Barney Fife kind. Rusty was goofy, loveable and loyal to a fault. He also considered himself to be Zeke’s best friend, which meant the second he left Burger World, he’d be on the phone with him.

  “Well, well, well, hello, Mrs. Police Chief,” Rusty said to Mimi. He scowled at Doug. “And who do we have here?” Rusty looked at Doug like he was ready to handcuff him.

  “Hey, Rusty. You’re looking quite dapper this evening,” Mimi said. And she meant it. If Rusty wasn’t in uniform he was either in fishing gear or baggy jeans. But tonight he wore pressed khaki slacks and a black polo shirt with a turned down collar. Rusty was around forty and divorced. “You on a date?”

  Rusty’s face went blotchy. “Um…a date? No, not on a date. I’m meeting my bowling team next door. Thought I’d grab a burger to go. The bowling alley grill always overcooks ‘em.”

  “Ah.” Mimi smiled. “Let me introduce you to Doug Wentworth, Whispering Bay’s new city manager.”

  Doug stretched his hand out, leaving Rusty no choice but to shake it.

  “As you can see, Doug and I are discussing city business,” Mimi said.

  “City business…sure. So where’s the chief tonight?”

  “With the kids.”

  “And the chief knows you’re here, huh? And who you’re with?” Rusty persisted.

  “I’m really not sure what the chief does and doesn’t know, but I’m sure you’ll fill him in,” Mimi said.

  “Oh, yeah, I’ll fill him in.”

  If anyone other than Rusty had just said that… But he wasn’t being snarky. He was just being Rusty.

  Mimi laid down her napkin and not-so-discreetly glanced around the crowded restaurant. The entire place was still looking at them. After thirty-five years you’d think she’d be used to it. And she sort of was, but this was getting downright ridiculous. Not to mention it could potentially interfere in her ability to do her duty as mayor. It was time to take matters into her own hands.

  She stood. “May I have your attention, everyone?” she said loudly.

  “Oh, you have our attention, all right,” a female voice shouted. It was Sarah Nelson, from the library.

  “Awesome. So most everyone here knows me since I’ve lived all my life in Whispering Bay, but in case you’ve been living under a rock, I’m Mimi Grant, your new mayor.” A few people began to applaud. “Thanks, I appreciate that, but let me make this quick and to the point. Yes, Zeke and I are separated—” The crowd began talking all at once. Mimi held a hand up to silence them. “It’s no one’s fault. Just one of those things. Maybe we’ll get back together. Or maybe not. It’s too soon to tell right now. The point I’m trying to make is that neither Zeke nor I are seeing anyone else, but I’m sure if and when that happens, you all will be the first to know. Now, tonight, I’m having a business dinner with the new city manager to discuss the future of this town. It is not a date. Let me repeat. It. Is. Not. A. Date. So, I’d appreciate it if we all went back to clogging our arteries and eating our French fries and burgers.” She smiled apologetically. “No offense meant to the establishment at Burger World.”

  Maura, the assistant manager on duty tonight who had stopped working to listen to Mimi’s speech along with the rest of the place, smiled back. “None taken!” She gave Mimi a thumbs up.

  “Good. So…carry on, people,” Mimi said.

  Everyone turned their attentions back to their respective tables and resumed eating.

  Rusty scratched the top of his head. “So…does this mean I should tell the chief or not?”

  “I have total confidence that you’ll use your best judgment on that, Rusty,” Mimi said.

  “Oh, yeah, okay, sure.” He walked away, looking confused.

  “So, I take it we aren’t on a date, huh?” Doug said. His eyes had an amused look in them that flustered her. She couldn’t tell if he was flirting or merely teasing. She wasn’t used to men who said one thing but maybe meant something else entirely. She was used to Zeke Grant, who said exactly what was on his mind or nothing at all.

  Mimi shrugged. “Sometimes you just have to spell things out for people.” She pushed her plate to the side. “Now that we have that settled, maybe we can get down to
business?”

  He turned serious. “You have my undivided attention.”

  “Okay, so, I’ve had time to look through all those numbers on the Spring Into Summer festival and you’re right, of course, they’re dismal as dirt. I need to find a way to turn that festival around and I really think Bruce was onto something last year in trying to get Billy Brenton.” She went on to tell him how he was on tour in the area the exact dates of the festival and how she’d tried to get in touch with someone from his Nashville-based management company.

  “They gave you the run around, huh?”

  “About a marathon’s worth,” she admitted.

  “If you could manage to get Billy Brenton for the festival, it would be huge.” He leaned forward in his seat. “Do you know what happened last year? Why was he a no show?”

  She hadn’t exactly promised Bruce that she wouldn’t leak his mistake to anyone, but nevertheless, Mimi felt an obligation to keep his blunder under wraps. “I think there was some major miscommunication along the way. I’ve come to the conclusion that while I’d love to get Billy Brenton, I’ve given it all I got and I’m still batting zero. Plus, I have to be practical. Even if by some slim chance I could get ahold of him, and if by some even slimmer chance, he’d be willing to play here, there’s just no money in the festival budget for a big name star like him. Starting Monday morning I’m going to actively pursue every band within a fifty mile radius. We might not be able to get Billy Brenton, but I’m positive I can do better than Harry Tuba.”

  Doug hedged a moment. “Look, I like you, Mimi. And I know how tough it can be when you’re the new kid on the block, but I hate to see you give up before you’ve even started.”

  “I can’t put all my eggs in one basket. Billy Brenton is a pipe dream. Besides, you should always have a backup plan.”