by Ava Miles
“Matt, there are some people here to see you.”
He glanced at the clock. It was nearing five o’clock.
“I’ll be with them in a sec, Alice,” he told her.
Running for mayor was eating up more of his time, and with sunset still biding winter’s call, he often needed to rush out of the office to meet Jane at the park before dusk. Fortunately, she’d come up with a brilliant plan because she was a brilliant woman. She’d started to pick Henry up so he could just meet them there.
After their walk tonight, they were going to head to Jill’s house for a larger than usual Hale family get-together. She would finally meet his immediate family. His sisters had left Denver early to beat the Friday rush hour and were spending some time with their mom before the party.
Pulling on his suit jacket to look more presentable, he rose from his chair. Seeing people was part of his job now, and he couldn’t beg off when they came to his office. When he walked out, any minor irritation he’d felt instantly faded.
Joanie Perkins was standing there in what had to be her signature yellow with two other older ladies, one wearing a lavender coat and the other a pale pink. With their soft white hair curling around their smiling faces, the three of them looked like an advertisement for the Sweetest Grandmothers on Earth convention.
“Joanie,” he said and crossed the room to give her a gentle hug. She was so short that he had to practically bend over.
“Matt,” she said, hugging him back. “I hope you don’t mind us dropping by. These are two of my dear friends, Hazel Walters and Margo Burgess. We’ve known each other since grade school, if you can imagine that.”
He couldn’t, and it only made him smile.
“I’ve told them what I think about your candidacy for mayor. All good things, by the way,” she added with a wink. “And these girls have heard lots of great feedback from other people all around Dare. So we’re here to volunteer for your campaign.”
For a moment, he was speechless. For some reason, he hadn’t really thought about people actually volunteering to help him. Rob had said it would take time to build support, and the actual primary election was still a ways off.
“Now, don’t be thinking that we don’t have what it takes just because we’ve seen a few years,” she cautioned him, misunderstanding his silence.
“I do Zumba over at the community center,” Hazel said.
“And I lift weights,” Margo commented. “Wanna see my muscles?”
He laughed when she flexed her arm without waiting for his answer. “I wasn’t doubting your stamina for a moment, ladies. I was stunned, if you want to know the truth. You’re my first volunteers.”
Joanie patted his arm. “Well, we won’t be the last, dear, I can promise you that. Especially now that Florence Henkelmyer has pushed her son to run against you. I swear that woman is so uptight it’s no wonder her curls look like corkscrew pasta.”
The other women nodded.
This was news. So far he’d been running unopposed for the primary seat. “When did this happen?”
“Just this afternoon. Florence was on her soapbox at Kemstead’s, talking about another outsider trying to change Dare. She thinks you have big ideas.”
And that was considered a bad thing?
“Of course, I reminded her that you grew up here and were a Hale, nonetheless, but she only scoffed, which made her choke on her bear claw. After Tim Franks pounded her on the back, she gasped that the Hales have way too much influence in this town. And she went on and on about how Jill ruined the town by helping The Grand Mountain Hotel get launched. Florence is a strict teetotaler and firmly against gambling. She hates the new hotel.”
“She hates everything,” Hazel whispered, clenching her black purse against her lavender coat. “I’m not even sure she likes her own son.”
“I don’t seem to remember him,” Matt said, his mind spinning out all the possible scenarios. He’d have to call Rob and have him come down so they could re-strategize about the campaign.
“He’s older than you. Works as an accountant for one of the local firms. He’s always been a mama’s boy, so you can be sure it’s not him who’ll be running, but Florence through him. She darn well knows that no one likes her.”
“She’s a sour puss,” Margo exclaimed.
All the ladies made tsking sounds.
“Well, this will certainly make things more interesting,” he said neutrally, though it sounded like Florence was going to be a real pain in the butt. “What’s the son’s name?”
“Horace Henkelmyer,” Joanie told him. “But don’t worry, dear. You’re from some nice people. Everyone in Dare loves and respects the Hales. You just need to keep doing what you’re doing. Meeting people. Talking about why you’re running. That story about your last client just breaks my heart when I think about it.”
It was becoming easier to share, and a more in-depth version of his campaign platform would be featured in Tanner’s article about him in this Sunday’s paper. The timing couldn’t be better.
“Ladies, you have made my day,” he said, calculating the time in his head. He’d made a deal with himself that he would never become too busy for Jane, and he didn’t like the idea of missing their walk in the park. “This new development requires some thinking. Can I get back to you on what I might need you to do?”
“Sure thing, sweetheart,” Joanie said, and he refrained from telling her that calling the mayoral candidate that endearment might not be good for his campaign. “We’ve all volunteered for elections in Dare before.”
“We know where the bodies are buried,” Hazel whispered conspiratorially.
“Don’t scare the man,” Margo said. “You’ll be fine. Just watch out for Florence. She can be a viper.”
And he hated snakes. “Good thing I have you lovely ladies to be my snake charmers.”
They all laughed.
“We might even be willing to wear those outfits—you know, the ones with all the sheer veils?” Hazel said.
The image of those sweet, old ladies in such sensual get-ups made the muscle in his eye twitch.
“But it’s as cold as a witch’s tit right now, so there will be none of that,” Margo added.
“They’re just kidding, Matt,” Joanie assured him. “Now run off to the park with your girl and have fun with the Hales tonight. Tell your mom hello for me.”
He wasn’t even going to ask how she knew about his plans. There were obviously no secrets in Dare. Except for Jane’s, of course…
“I told my mom about meeting you at Bingo. She said the two of you would have to have coffee some time and catch up. But she won’t recite her multiplication tables for you,” he said with a grin.
“I wouldn’t want to hear those anyway. They bored the heck out of me when I was a teacher. Now, run along. No woman likes to be kept waiting.”
All three of the ladies nodded their encouragement.
It really was late. “You don’t mind?”
“No, we’re going ourselves. But button up. It’s frigid outside.”
His visitors pulled on hats and gloves that matched their individual coats and waved goodbye. As he watched them go, he decided to dub them the Easter Brigade, since they were dressed in pale pastel tones of yellow, pink, and lavender.
They might not look tough, but they were a heck of a lot more tuned into Dare’s local gossip circuit than he ever could be. That alone would be an excellent contribution to his campaign. Plus they knew this Florence, and they’d already given him invaluable information about her son. He’d have to ask Uncle Arthur and his mom what they knew about them. He had a vague recollection of the older woman’s name, but couldn’t put a face to it.
Well, he had an opponent now.
And a potentially mean mother pulling the strings. What was this? The Manchurian Candidate?
Chapter 23
Jane was doing her best not to shiver when Matt finally pulled into the parking lot. Henry barked as his master ran towar
d them, wearing his wool coat rather than his normal black North Face jacket. Sunset was quickly disappearing behind the mountains, bleeding from the brilliant orange and blue into black.
“I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her immediately as he shoved aside a jumping Henry. “I had my first volunteers show up, and it set me behind.”
“Henry,” Jane said to quiet him.
Matt gave all three dogs an absent pat down, those brilliant blue eyes never leaving her face.
“I figured something must have come up,” she said. “I was going to give you another five minutes before texting you and heading home.”
“You’re freezing,” he said, pulling her into his body to shield her from the wind.
“The temperature’s dropping,” she said, cuddling into his warmth. “We’re supposed to get more snow tonight.”
“Great,” he said and then cupped her cheek with his gloved hand. “Then we won’t have anywhere to go in the morning, and I can make love to you all I want.”
Didn’t he always? She had to admit she was beside herself with joy about having that new connection in her life. He was changing the way she saw everything, and even though it sometimes still scared her, she couldn’t imagine wanting anything else.
“Sounds like a plan,” she said and squeezed him around the waist.
“I need to go home and change for the party tonight. And call Rob. There was a new development today.”
He ran her through what the Easter Brigade had told him about the new candidate. Fear crushed her lungs, making it hard to draw a full breath. This candidate’s mother would go for the jugular. Her father had run against people like that before, the ones behind the scenes, and they were often the most vicious. For them, it wasn’t about winning. It was about trying to sling enough mud at the other candidate to make him or her lose.
And that was bad news. God knew Jane had enough secrets in her background to weaponize an entire army of mudslingers.
“It’s going to be okay,” he said, tipping up her chin. “Whatever comes, we’ll face it together.”
He was smart not to promise he would make sure she didn’t get hurt. They both knew he couldn’t. And he didn’t know how much her secret could hurt him…
“I know,” she said and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him. “Let’s get going. Looks like snow’s on its way.”
There was a mellow peach glow in the east, punching through the darkness, and she’d learned to respect that particular shade in the sky. It usually meant snow and lots of it.
“All right. I’ll change quickly for the party and then meet you at your house in a jiffy. You good with keeping Henry with you?”
She arched her brow. “Aren’t I always?”
“Yes,” he said, finally giving the dogs the full attention they craved.
He was always doing that, attending to her first, and once they were…well, connected, then he would turn to the dogs. Some pet owners fawned over their dogs more than their guests. Whenever Jane visited people like that, she felt a bit slighted, like her company didn’t matter to them. Matt never acted that way, not with anyone.
“I’ll see you in a little while then,” she said when they reached the parking lot.
He waved, and she noticed he was already talking to someone in the car as he pulled out. Rob, she expected, the political consultant she had yet to meet. Didn’t want to meet, truth be told.
When she arrived home, she gave the dogs fresh water and then changed for the party. Her nerves were so tight she felt like she could jump out of her skin. Matt had a new opponent and tonight she would be meeting his family… What a day.
Matt had said dinner would be casual, but she’d called Elizabeth to run through what she should wear. Her friend was still acting a bit distant, but she’d helped anyway, just as she always did. She ran her hands down her green wool dress. It had a ballerina feel to it—the bodice was tight, and then it flared out at her hips and stopped a few inches above her knees. Her black tights created a nice contrast with her new high-heeled caramel boots from Italy. The metal studs on the back of them drew a person’s gaze to her slim calves. They gave her a few more inches, which she desperately needed, and made her feel chic. His sisters were from a big city, and she suspected they were all pretty put together from what he’d said about them.
To finish off her look, she added a chunky amber jewelry set she’d bought in Moscow when Rhett had played in a tournament there. The golden tones glowed against the green wool, and the tear drop earrings enhanced the delicate line of her neck. Her eyes were smoky, and she added a pale rose lipstick to her mouth.
Satisfied, she poured herself a glass of Domaine Meo-Camuzet Richebourg Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, a gem of a wine, because after today, she had freaking earned it. When Matt opened the door fifteen minutes later—she always left it unlocked when she was expecting him, and she loved that he just came in now—he stopped suddenly, ran his eyes down her body, and whistled.
“Are you sure we should go meet my family tonight? You looked like you’re dressed for an evening on the town.”
The whistle had given her goosebumps. “Trust me. Your sisters aren’t going to be dressed as casually as you’ve been suggesting.”
He’d only introduced one woman to his family, a girl in college, so she darn well knew they knew how important this was to him.
“You’re probably right,” he said, shedding his coat as the dogs pranced around him.
He gave them all a casual pat and then crossed over to her. His eyes took in the wine glass resting on the side table beside the couch. “And what are we drinking tonight?”
When she told him, he groaned. “Okay, give me a half a glass since I’m driving. But first…”
Then he kissed her, and she all but melted into him. His mouth was unhurried as it tugged on her bottom lip. For once, she didn’t have to raise herself on tiptoes to tangle her hands in his hair, and soon they were both breathing hard.
“You’re taller,” he mused, tracing her cheek.
“Funny what a difference heels can make,” she noted, smiling like a total idiot. Some days her face hurt from all the smiling she was doing, but she just couldn’t seem to stop.
She was happy.
Everything in her life was almost perfect. If he hadn’t been running for mayor, it would be.
“I like the earrings,” he commented. “They make me want to…”
The gentle bite he gave her neck made her clutch him and groan. “Do we have time?”
His head turned to glance at the clock. “Yes, but it’ll have to be quick.”
Right. A quickie before meeting his family. “Maybe we’d better not,” she said, pulling back, taking a deep breath.
“Worried my family will be able to tell?” he asked, an amused gleam in his eyes.
“Yes,” she answered honestly. “I want to make a good impression.”
He stepped back and ran his hands down her arms. “I know you do, and you will, so why don’t you pour me some wine, tell me about your day, and then we can head out?”
The freedom she felt with him was beyond anything she’d known outside of Elizabeth and Rhett. He never pushed her to do anything she didn’t want. “I really did want to make love to you, even if it was a quickie.”
A grin flashed across his face. “I know that. You can’t keep your hands off me. And who could blame you?”
She was still smiling when they arrived at Jill’s house, Matt keeping her entertained with more of his usual banter. The driveway and street were packed with cars, signaling that they were likely the last to arrive. When he turned off the engine, he reached for her hand.
“At first they’re going to love you because I do, and then they’re going to love you because they’ve gotten to know you like I do. Just be yourself.”
His words…well, they loosened every knot in her belly.
“Have I told you how much I adore you?” she said softly.
Those blue eyes of his seemed t
o glow with pleasure. “Have I told you it back?”
“A few times.”
“I’ll make sure to mention it a lot later, but right now, my family’s waiting. Just remember, how could you not love them? You love me, right?”
She knew it wasn’t that simple. In her experience, there were rotten apples in every basket. But maybe his would be different. They sounded different.
“Okay, let’s do this,” she said.
He didn’t knock here either, just stepped inside. She kind of loved that. The house was packed with people, conversation, and laughter intermingling into a loud but friendly chaos in the living room adjoining the small entryway. The smells of roasted meat and garlic had her mouth watering. Having a chef as your host wasn’t a bad way to go. A little boy was running through the throng of adults making an airplane sound to accompany the red flyer he carried over his head. Matt’s sisters drew her gaze.
She’d called it. They were chic. And beautiful. And tall.
All eyes turned toward her and Matt, and the sound level dropped significantly.
When Jill spotted them, she called out, “Matt! Jane! Come on in.” One of the twins was nestled in her arms.
Matt took her coat and then shed his own. When he finished, he put a hand on the small of her back. As a show of support, it couldn’t have been more welcome.
“Just throw the coats in the closet for now,” Jill said. “Brian had to get more hangers. Welcome, Jane. What can I get you to drink while Matt introduces you to the Hales from Down Denver?”
Brian reappeared with hangers and handed them to Matt, who hung up the coats. “It’s a pun on Down Under. She thinks she’s being funny, but I say it’s sleep deprivation. This house could be a test site for a new clinical study on the effects of sleeplessness on normally functioning people.”
“Quit complaining, babe,” Jill said. “Now…oh yuck. Bri, Mia just barfed down my back. Can you grab a burp rag?”
He scuttled like a track athlete and was soon wiping up the white mess trailing down Jill’s purple and red print tunic from his daughter’s cherub mouth.