by Shea Balik
The others laughed. Even Lakyn couldn’t help but chuckle. It was true. Jesse might be one of the kindest men Lakyn knew, even if he clearly had a screw or two loose, but he also was very narcissistic. If anyone in Cedar Falls felt they were better than anyone else, it was Jesse Grant.
“What do you think of Jesse becoming mayor, Lakyn?” Vail asked.
At times, Lakyn might cringe at the thought of Jesse being mayor, but he knew, deep down – like way deep, deep down – that Jesse would make a great mayor. “So long as he doesn’t actually do half the crazy things he mentions, I’d vote for him.”
Ethan gave a harsh laugh. “Yeah, let’s just hope he doesn’t ban tea from downtown. I might prefer coffee most days but I have to admit to still liking a cup of hot tea on occasion.”
“Or erecting a Bigfoot statue,” Flynn added. “Sure it would be cool, but I also don’t believe the taxpayers should have to pay for that any more than they had to pay for that waterfall monstrosity Mayor Murphy had built.”
“I’d like a Bigfoot statue,” Vail insisted. “And it might add enough mystery to this town to get more people to visit.”
Lakyn would appreciate that. “I agree. Those weekends when the festivals do activities in the woods or on the lakes generate a lot of business for me. Zoey and I are usually booked solid as the men go off on their adventure while the wives stay and get massages.”
Zoey was Lakyn’s partner. They had both worked for Sierra Breeze, a holistic store in town, for about a year. But when the owners Sierra and Breeze said they needed more room for their products and would no longer be able to give Lakyn and Zoey room to give massages, they had decided to try to open their own massage parlor, Happy Endings.
It was tough going at first, but they have been building a steady clientele. They also set up massage chairs during the festivals that brought in really good money.
“See?” Vail said. “Building a Bigfoot statue and having a yearly event to search for him would bring in great revenue.” The smug expression on his face told Lakyn this wasn’t the first time they had argued about the topic.
“Excuse me?” A man in a suit that was way too formal for Cedar Falls approached their table.
Instantly Lakyn was put off by the man’s need to impress. Who did he think lived in Cedar Falls that a suit was needed? This was a small southern town, not some big city where the only morals people knew were the ones that were green and numbers on them.
“I heard you gentlemen discussing the mayoral race and I was wondering if I may get your perspective on the candidates.” The man’s deep cultured voice sent a small shiver down Lakyn’s spine.
Lakyn tried to stop it, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. There was just something about the smooth voice that made him want to listen all day. Didn’t mean he would, just that he would like to.
“I haven’t seen you around these parts and that suit clearly screams you aren’t from Cedar Falls, so why would you want to know about our mayoral race?” Ethan asked bluntly.
Compelled to look up at the man whose voice held his attention, Lakyn softly gasped as he stared into brown eyes swirled with amber. They were like the warm honey he drizzled on his toast. Enthralled, Lakyn found himself gazing up at the man, not caring that just seconds before he’d been put off by the stranger for wearing a suit.
“I’m here for an interview with Jesse Grant to be his campaign manager, but I was hoping to get a sense of the man first,” the stranger answered, not even seeming to notice that Lakyn was there. Then again, Lakyn hadn’t spoken so there was no reason for the man to notice him. Not that Lakyn wanted him to.
Ethan immediately stiffened and went on the defensive. “I don’t remember Jesse saying he had an appointment with anyone today.”
“That’s because I don’t have an appointment,” the stranger said. Then he stuck out his hand to Ethan. “Gabriel McCarthy. Nice to meet you.”
But Ethan, Flynn, and Vail just continued to eye Gabriel, silently demanding he explain further.
But Gabriel didn’t bend, which was impressive. If Lakyn’s friends had looked at him like that, he would have given up whatever secrets the three wanted. He probably would have even made up a few just to keep them happy.
Almost reluctantly, Flynn stuck his hand out and shook Gabriel’s. “I’m not sure we can trust you, but I am impressed. Flynn Rankin.”
Gabriel’s lips turned upward just slightly. “Thank you. I must say, it isn’t often I’ve faced anyone as intimidating as you three, and I’ve faced potential presidents.”
Lakyn wanted to leave. He might be attracted to the guy, but it was obvious by the reserved expression on Gabriel’s face that he was as fake as a three-dollar bill. Nothing turned Gabriel off more than those who couldn’t be genuine.
“Wait a minute,” Vail said. “If you’ve met people running for president, what in the hell are you doing in Cedar Falls to meet Jesse?”
Gabriel’s face fell for the first time since he approached the table. It only lasted seconds but it was the first time Gabriel had been real and damn if it didn’t draw Lakyn in.
A haughty note crept into Gabriel’s tone, as if he were trying to cover his mistake of dropping the mask he’d been wearing since approaching them. “Unfortunately, I may have met some of the leaders in this country, but due to my young age and inexperience, I was not given the opportunity to actually help on their campaigns as I had wished.”
Ethan tilted his head. “So, in other words, you want to use Jesse to give you experience of running a campaign to advance your career.”
Those liquid honey eyes hardened into amber. “Even though I wish to advance my career, I can assure you Jesse would benefit from the knowledge I possess in politics. I graduated from Harvard, after all.”
Ass. Yet, even though he thought that about Gabriel, Lakyn couldn’t deny he was attracted. If he had any hope of not falling for the guy, who clearly was used to playing a part instead of being himself, then Lakyn needed to get out of there. Fast.
Chapter Three
“Excuse me,” the fourth man in the booth said. He had long, soft, honey-blond hair that had Gabriel’s hands flexing to run his fingers through. “But I have a two o’clock and I need to get back to prepare.”
Gabriel couldn’t explain it but he had the urge to stop the man from leaving. Since he didn’t even know his name, Gabriel wasn’t sure how. He just knew he had to try. Flynn had slid out of the booth to give the pretty man room to get up. As soon as he stood, Gabriel stuck out his hand once more. “Gabriel McCarthy. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Gabriel said, praying the man would feel it necessary to give his name.
A hand much stronger than he would have imagined gripped his. “Lakyn Voss. If you’ll excuse me.”
In the next second Lakyn was rushing through the door, and down the sidewalk past the front window. Gabriel’s gaze stayed with Lakyn until he could no longer see him before turning back to the three men he’d been trying to get information from without any luck.
The trio, who he’d heard freely gossiping earlier, which was why he’d approached them to begin with, had suddenly clammed up and refused to say a word about Jesse Grant, or his opponent, the current mayor, Donald Murphy. He’d expected them to continue looking at him like a bug under a microscope but when he’d turned around, they all wore devious smiles.
It was unnerving to say the least. Now, instead of an insect, Gabriel felt as if he were lab rat about to be experimented on. He didn’t know who this Jesse Grant was, but from what he’d heard on the phone and from the man’s friends, it was obvious the man could easily take over the world instead of this small southern town.
What was worse? The world wouldn’t have a clue.
“So, what do you want to know about Jesse?” the man who had challenged Gabriel to begin with, asked.
He had no idea what made these men change their minds and start talking, but Gabriel wasn’t about to miss the opportunity to get information. “Can I as
k what your name is and how you know Jesse?”
It was obvious from the way they’d been talking earlier, these men were Jesse’s friends, but it wouldn’t hurt to confirm that. His assumption could have been wrong. After all, this was a small town, everyone knew everyone, right? Maybe these men weren’t actually friends, but felt like they knew Jesse well enough to talk about him as if they were.
“Ethan O’Connor,” Ethan said, shaking Gabriel’s hand. “I’ve been Jesse’s best friend for the last ten years.”
“Vail Sommerlin,” the third man said, without offering his hand. “And what makes you think we should trust you?”
The about face from what Ethan had just said to him, to Vail, shouldn’t have unbalanced Gabriel, but it did. In Washington D.C., he expected that kind of behavior, but in Cedar Falls, he just didn’t think the residents would try something like that.
He felt his defenses rise, but he didn’t believe the typical games that worked in Washington would work here. These men might be good at finding out other people’s secrets, but they also seemed the type to close ranks if they thought they were being played. The only way Gabriel would get what he wanted was by being honest.
It wasn’t something he was used to, as he’d been groomed to be a politician his entire life, but his upbringing had taught him to adapt to any situation. “Honestly? I’m not sure what I could say to convince you to trust me. I was working for Campaign Inc.…”
Ethan stuck a hand out, palm up. “Wait a damn minute. Isn’t that the company that insulted Jesse and Cedar Falls by calling us small?”
Great. Gabriel should have kept his mouth shut about where he worked. Or had worked, for he was pretty sure he would be fired for calling in sick when his boss found out he was down in Cedar Falls. “Yes, that’s why I flew down here,” he admitted, hoping honesty would work. “I overheard what my bosses said to Jesse and his response and I knew I just had to meet the man who’d hung up on Mr. Hamilton.”
“Of course he hung up on him,” Vail grumbled. “The man was being an ass.”
“I agree.” Then again, Gabriel had worked for the man, so he knew his boss was always an ass. He was pretty sure Mr. Hamilton didn’t know any other way to behave. That was another reason Gabriel had never wanted to go into politics.
He’d spent his life studying politicians from ancient Greece to the current leaders and one thing had been apparent: power made good men evil. Or, at least, much less good. The corruption and greed still astounded Gabriel, especially when he witnessed what men and women were willing to do to get that power and keep it.
“It’s why I decided to quit my job and come down here to meet Jesse. Anyone who isn’t willing to play the political game is someone I want to help.” He just hoped his plan didn’t backfire, or he feared he’d end doing as his mother wanted. To move to Michigan and run for office. As it was, she was going to be upset when she found out he was running a small mayoral campaign.
The three men looked at each other as they seemed to reach some sort of consensus. Gabriel had to admit to being on pins and needles waiting to see what that decision was.
When all three men grinned at him, Gabriel felt a surge of triumph. “Okay,” Ethan said. “We’ll tell you what you want to know. Hell, we’ll even introduce you to Jesse.” Ethan waved a hand toward the empty space next to Flynn. “Have a seat and buckle up, because this will be a bumpy ride.”
* * * *
Had Gabriel known just how true Ethan’s words were, he might not have ever come down to Cedar Falls. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He had to admit he hadn’t even met Jesse Grant yet and already he liked him. But, on a professional level, running his campaign would be like trying to pin a cloud down. Impossible.
Jesse was as eccentric as they come. The fact that the man actually believed Bigfoot was real still had Gabriel’s mind reeling, and that was only scratching the surface. According to Jesse’s friends, who were just as quirky, Jesse defended his friends tooth and nail and made those who dared to bully others pay in ways that had him doing his best not to laugh his ass off.
By the time the three men had finished regaling Gabriel with Jesse’s exploits, he wanted to run as far from Cedar Falls as possible. There was no way this campaign could ever hope to advance his career. Yet, there was also a sense of purpose Gabriel had never before felt when he thought about getting rid of the current mayor. By Ethan’s account, Mayor Murphy had purposefully tried to bankrupt Cedar Falls just to keep his family’s secret.
“Jesse and Ryder should be here any minute, along with the rest of the gang,” Vail said as he handed Gabriel a glass of water.
After two hours of talking, Vail, Flynn, and Ethan planned a barbecue at Vail’s home for that evening. Even though Gabriel had been hoping for a one-on-one meeting with Jesse, the three men insisted he would need to meet everyone before a decision could be made to hire him. Gabriel reluctantly agreed.
It wasn’t until he was at Vail’s, sitting on the back porch, that Gabriel found out there would be over thirty people arriving. That wasn’t a few friends—that was a party. How he was supposed to talk with Jesse about his goals for the campaign with so many people around interrupting them?
“Are you sure I can’t meet privately with Jesse first?” he asked Vail, who was busy starting the grill.
“Not to worry, the others won’t be here for at least twenty minutes.” A man with long dark hair that hung down in waves to about his mid-back strode out of the house and onto the porch.
Horror started to fill Gabriel as he took in what he assumed to be Jesse. Dark eyes were expertly made up with bright pink and blue eyeshadow, black eyeliner, and black mascara. His high cheekbones were accented with blush, and his lush lips were covered with shiny pink lipstick.
The makeup would be in an issue, but it was more than that. Jesse was extremely…well…Gabriel hated using the term, but it was the only one that fit—flamboyant. Gay was one thing. But Jesse announced to the whole world by just standing there that he was gay and didn’t care what others thought of him.
Gabriel applauded his self-confidence, but in the political realm? There was just no way this man could possibly win. It didn’t help that Jesse wore a pink shirt with rainbow colored letters saying, “I am who I am…your approval isn’t needed.”
As true as that should be, in the political arena not only was that not true, it could get a person ostracized. How was Gabriel supposed to get Jesse elected as mayor when he looked like that? He couldn’t. It might not be fair, but Gabriel didn’t live a world that was fair. He lived in the political world, where every gesture was used to either help or hinder.
Too stunned to censor himself, Gabriel blurted out, “You can’t possibly expect to win if you’re going to look like that.”
When every man there, of which thankfully there were only five, turned to stare at him with their jaws dropped, Gabriel knew he’d just screwed up. When those stares turned to glares, Gabriel feared he was about to be lynched.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be quite so blunt, but you have to understand, I’m a campaign manager.” That explanation didn’t seem to have any impact on those still glaring at him. “Everything I’ve ever been taught was to make sure nothing a politician does, says, or wears,” he gestured to Jesse’s appearance, “can be used by the opposition to discredit him.”
Jesse’s long mascaraed lashes narrowed and Gabriel, for the second time that day, felt like a bug under a microscope. “If politicians worried more about doing their damn jobs than their opponents, they wouldn’t have such a hard time getting reelected.”
“That is probably true, but it doesn’t change the fact that your opponent is going to tear you apart for being a gay man in a small southern town.” Once more, he waved a hand up and down to encompass Jesse’s entire appearance. “Looking so clearly gay will only hinder your chances.”
A big man came through the back door at that moment and wrapped his arms around Jesse. “Mayor Murphy
wouldn’t dare incur the wrath of Cora Fisher by mentioning Jesse was gay,” the man said before gently kissing Jesse’s upturned lips. “Hello, angel.”
“He’s right,” Ethan said. “Zane’s mom would bring the wrath of God down upon Mayor Murphy for saying anything about a gay man not being good enough to be mayor.”
Gabriel had no idea who Zane or his mom was, but he was curious about them, especially if it meant Mayor Murphy not being able to use Jesse’s sexuality against him. “Why is that?”
Two more men came out of the house at that moment. “Because my mom will skin alive anyone who dares to degrade gays.” The man approached Gabriel. “I’m Zane and this is my husband, Adrian.”
Gabriel blinked. “Husband?” Sure marriage equality had been passed. He knew many couples had gotten married over the past few years, but he had only met a few.
“And this is my husband, Parker,” Jesse said of the big man who still held him as if he were the most precious person in the world.
“Unc Jesse, Unc Parker!” a little girl screamed as she ran out to the porch. “I’m here,” she announced as if now that she was there the party could get started.
Both Jesse and Parker’s faces lit up as Parker swung her up into his arms so they could both give her kisses on the cheek. “How’s my sweet little Lily?” Jesse asked.
Three older women followed Lily outside. “She is in trouble,” one of them said. “And so are you.” She looked pointedly at Jesse.
“Damn straight.” Lily nodded emphatically.
Jesse’s gaze shifted off the three women and landed on Gabriel. “Why don’t we go talk privately,” he suggested, as if he wanted to get out of there.
“Leaving won’t get you off the hook, Jesse Grant,” the woman said.
“But Mom, it’s not my fault,” Jesse whined, even though Cora was technically Zane’s mother. “Betty Sue and Savannah had purposefully gotten me upset after picking on Kit.” Jesse threw up his hands dramatically. “What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t let them pick on Kit. Besides,” he added, “if anyone is to blame, it’s that uptight British bastard, Vicar. He was supposed to watch Lily until we were done.”