Kissing Her Enemy
Page 4
“Ms. Miller, is it?”
He didn’t say his name, but everyone in Pine Falls knew who the mayor was. Amber jumped to her feet. “Good morning, Mayor Horowitz. Thanks for meeting with me today, and please, call me Amber.”
He pumped her hand, appraising her frankly. She was used to men inspecting her like that. Without a trace of vanity, she knew her looks attracted attention, and sometimes she enjoyed it and played on it, but not today. She wanted the mayor to concentrate on what she had to say, not how she looked.
Fortunately his polite smile remained as he showed her into his office and waved her to one of the visitor’s chairs before taking the massive leather chair behind his equally huge desk.
“How can I help you today?” he asked, resting his elbows on the desk and tenting his fingers.
Amber launched into her speech, which she had rehearsed several times. She wasn’t used to the art of persuasion, especially not to a practiced politician like the mayor, and she hoped not to bore him. She began by giving him a brief background of herself, how she’d grown up in Pine Falls, attended high school and community college. She told him about Tom Bennett, the hardware store, and the personal service he had given for decades. The mayor nodded approvingly and remarked that when he’d first gotten married, he’d often shopped at Bennett’s while renovating his house. Encouraged, Amber told him she’d bought the hardware store and continued Tom Bennett’s tradition of personal service.
Then she told him about her neighbors: Peggy, the bakery owner, Eleni, the craftswoman, and Martin, the electrical repairman. All of them were salt of the earth, hardworking people who made up the backbone of the Pine Falls community. The mayor nodded and smiled, but his smile soon slipped as she got to the meat of her story—Logan Wright’s determination to bulldoze their stores and replace them with his impersonal, corporate-run mega center.
“Oh, well, now, Amber, you obviously don’t understand what’s involved here,” the mayor said in a patronizing tone. “I’m sure you’re very good at running your little hardware store, but when it comes to big business, it’s best to leave that to the experts. I’m sure Logan has made you and your neighbors very fair offers, and, let’s face it; your stores don’t bring in a whole heap of customers. The new mega center will draw plenty more shoppers and create a lot of new jobs. It would be best for everyone if you accepted the Wrights’ very generous offer and allowed this town to prosper.”
Beneath the desk Amber clenched her fists, determined not to lose her temper. “Maybe I don’t have a million-dollar turnover or a fancy degree from an Ivy League college, but I can figure things out for myself. You’re saying we should just cave in to Logan Wright’s demands, and we don’t even have a right to protest? That doesn’t sound like democracy to me.”
At the mention of democracy, the mayor sat up straighter in his throne-like chair and assumed a grave expression.
“I can assure you that democracy has no better champion than I,” he said rather pompously.
Amber was having none of that. “The way I see it, we ordinary folk have less say over what happens in this town than people like the Wrights. They’ve lived here for so many generations, they think they own the whole place.”
“The Wright family has been very good to the people of Pine Falls. Over the years they’ve donated plenty to charity and the arts. They’ve always had the town’s best interests at heart, and Logan Wright is a fine young man. He’s brimming with entrepreneurial ideas. It’s such a pleasure to see him back in town and willing to settle here. A man of his talents could make it big anywhere, but he’s chosen to come back to Pine Falls, and we should be grateful for that.”
“Grateful?” Amber almost choked with outrage. “I should be grateful that he wants to destroy my business? That he wants to build a gargantuan, soulless warehouse that will create traffic chaos and fail to provide any proper service? And all so he can make even more money that he clearly doesn’t need. And you’re telling me I should be grateful. I suppose you’d tell a mouse he should be grateful to the python for choosing him, even as he’s being strangled to death!”
She was standing, she belatedly realized. Standing with hands on hips and glaring down at the bemused mayor while she berated him. Oh God, what had she done? Why did she always let her temper get the better of her at crucial moments?
Silence fell. The mayor was pink in the face, whether from embarrassment or outrage she couldn’t tell. She had to apologize. She had to salvage something from this disaster of a meeting.
Before she could speak, the telephone on the desk rang, and the mayor snatched it up like a life preserver. He grunted, then set down the receiver.
“I need to go. I have another appointment.”
“Mayor Horowitz, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to spout all that out,” she pleaded as he picked up a jacket from a coat rack and slung it on. “I-I don’t know what came over me. This mega center has caused me so much worry. I feel so passionately about it that it made me speak out of turn. Please, I didn’t mean to yell at you.”
“Apology accepted, Amber.” He preened in the mirror hanging by the coat rack before picking up a white trilby hat. “You’re upset about this change. I understand your anxiety and that of your neighbors.”
His conciliatory tone gave her hope. As he walked out of his office, giving a brief nod to his secretary, Amber kept pace with him, her long legs more than a match for his short, stubby ones.
“So is there any chance I can persuade you to see my point of view?” she asked as they walked down the corridor.
“I do see your point of view, Amber, and I sympathize, of course, but I don’t know what you think I can do.”
“But you’re the mayor. You run this town. Everyone turns to you when there’s a crisis.” She didn’t know if this was true, but it seemed like the kind of thing she should say.
The mayor puffed up with obvious pleasure but didn’t slow down as they entered the main lobby of the municipal building. It was nearing lunchtime, and the lobby was filled with people.
“That’s very kind of you to say so, but I don’t have absolute rule over the town. As you so helpfully pointed out earlier, we live in a democracy, and when it comes to important developments like—”
“Good morning, Mayor Horowitz,” an all-too-familiar male voice said. Logan Wright strolled up. He lifted a lazy eyebrow at Amber. “Hello, Amber.”
The mayor shook Logan’s hand enthusiastically. “How is your father, Logan? We missed playing golf on the weekend. Tell him he should make a foursome with us soon.”
While the mayor and Logan chatted about golf and Logan’s father, Amber stood by, growing testier by the second. This was the old boys’ network at play, and it made her furious that there was no way she could break into it. The mayor was so chummy with the Wrights; how had she ever thought he might listen to her?
And then there was Logan, dressed in another of his fancy suits, his snowy white shirt emphasizing his black hair and deep tan, the malachite tie bringing out the green of his eyes. He looked like a jaguar, a sleek and dangerous predator, assured of himself, and, even though she was furious with him, she couldn’t deny that he was gorgeously beautiful and that it was impossible to tear her gaze from him.
“…Amber here.” The mayor gestured to her, and she belatedly snapped out of her trance.
Logan turned those liquid green eyes toward her, and she thought she saw a spark of admiration in them. Or was that just her imagination?
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I tuned out when you started talking about golf. What was the question?”
The mayor fiddled with his tie, seeming a little irked that she hadn’t been hanging on his every word. “I was just telling Logan that you had some concerns about his plans for a home improvement center.”
“He’s aware of my concerns.” She frowned at Logan. “And he’s chosen to ignore them.”
“I could never ignore you, Amber,” Logan said, looking amused.
“I don’t want to drive anyone out of business,” Logan smoothly interrupted. “All owners have been offered fair value for their properties. In fact, more than fair, given the state of the buildings and the real estate market. They’ll be able to move onto other premises, and I’m even willing to help them do so. I have contacts in this town. I’m sure I can get the owners settled to everyone’s satisfaction.”
The mayor beamed at Amber. “There you are. That’s an extremely generous offer, don’t you agree?”
Amber’s nails dug into her palms. “Logan makes it sound generous, but what if people don’t want to move? And what will happen to my store? Even if I move, I’ll hardly be able to compete with his mega center, will I?”
The mayor shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. She was beginning to see that he hated alienating one person over another, probably because he enjoyed being popular. He’d campaigned hard on being the man anyone could talk to. He was Mr. Everyman, but even he couldn’t agree with everyone.
“Maybe you could start another business,” he said hopefully. “A nice young lady like you shouldn’t be messing about with tools and paint. You should open a fashion boutique or a florist or how about one of those muffin stores? Everyone loves a good muffin.”
A frigging muffin store? Red fury bubbled up in Amber’s head, making it difficult to see. She opened her mouth, a furious retort to his blatant misogyny trembling on her lips, but before she could vent, Logan interrupted.
“I’m sure Amber knows what kind of business she wants to run. She’s very passionate about hardware, and I always appreciate passion.”
His gaze lingered on her, heating her skin, scattering her fury. What was it about his low-timbered voice that could halt her in her tracks with just the word “passion”?
“What exactly are you doing here anyway?” she asked, trying to steady her breathing.
“I’ve just finished a meeting with the town planner,” he said, “to discuss my mega center.”
Amber inhaled sharply and turned to the mayor. “I’m too late then? It’s already been approved?” A sick feeling seesawed in her stomach.
“No,” Mayor Horowitz replied. “That’s what I was about to tell you. All potential developments must first be approved by the town-planning committee, which is made up of three independent members. The planner can make recommendations to Logan, which will help his chances of winning approval, but the final decision rests with the committee. So you see there’s nothing I can do. It’s a completely independent decision.” The mayor perched his white trilby on his head, looking satisfied that he had managed to dodge her demands without having to turn her down outright.
Amber wasn’t about to let him off lightly. “But you’re the mayor. You can make recommendations. I’m sure the committee would listen to you, because everyone knows you have this town’s best interests at heart.”
“Well thank you, Amber. I am ‘the mayor who listens,’” he said, quoting his campaign slogan glibly before continuing, “but I shouldn’t get involved in this dispute. However, I do have a little tip for you. When it comes to evaluating objections, the planning committee looks more kindly on residents who’ve made some sort of contribution to the community.”
Amber’s heart sank. “That’s not fair. I can’t compete with Logan’s family’s charity work.”
“There are other ways of making a contribution.”
“Such as?”
The mayor eyed her thoughtfully before clicking his fingers “I’ve just had a brainwave. Oh, this is very serendipitous!”
Amber eyed him warily. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m about to have a meeting with Ryan Claybourne. He’s the head of Sunshine Kids, the non-profit childcare provider. He wants the town to chip in some money for his daycare centers, but the budget is in deficit already, so I’m looking for alternatives. Ryan wants a few playhouses for his centers. Given your knowledge of hardware, you could help him with that. It would be great for Sunshine Kids; some of those kids don’t even know what a playhouse is. Well, what do you think?”
“I don’t mind lending a hand,” Amber said.
“Excellent!”
“Hang on a minute,” Logan interrupted, not looking too pleased. “I’d like to help, too.”
“Of course,” the mayor said smoothly. “Many hands make light work.”
What was Logan up to? Was he trying to muscle in on her charity work? Amber opened her mouth to object, but Logan spoke over top of her. “I’d also like to donate whatever supplies are needed.”
“Even better.” The mayor bounced on his heels and beamed at Amber. “Don’t you agree?”
Are you kidding me? Amber wanted to screech in disbelief. Had the mayor gone mad? Did he really think she and Logan could work together when they were in direct opposition?
She coughed and cleared her throat. “I don’t know if that’s such a great idea…”
“Why? Don’t know how to build a playhouse?” Logan silkily interjected.
She instantly rounded on him. “Yeah? And how many have you built?”
“None, I admit, but I did spend a summer building schools in Africa, so I think I can manage a few kids’ playhouses.”
Dammit, she had backed herself into a corner. The less time she spent with Logan the better, but if she refused now, Logan would go ahead anyway and make her look bad in the process.
“Ryan needs three playhouses,” the mayor said eagerly. “Do you think you could finish them by the end of the month?” He turned to Amber. “The planning committee will meet next month and make a decision on the mega center.”
“Three playhouses in less than four weeks? Shouldn’t be a problem for me, but it’s up to Amber,” Logan drawled, his smooth tone belying the predatory glint in his eyes. “I don’t want to force her to do anything she objects to. I mean, she already finds me objectionable. I’d hate for her to be out of her comfort zone.”
A memory rose in Amber’s mind of the night Logan had humiliated her. For days she’d waited for him to call, eaten alive with anxiety and yet too proud to tell her friends why she’d bitten her nails to the quick. He would call, she’d told herself. After that amazing night of making out in his car, every detail impressed in her brain from the red seats of his retro Mustang to the shocking heat of his mouth, it seemed impossible that he wouldn’t call her. But he hadn’t, and her hopes had faded. Friday night came, and she dragged herself to the restaurant where she worked, and suddenly Logan was there, sitting at the best table.
With his date.
Feeling devastated and nauseous, she’d forced herself to walk up to their table with her notepad. His date, a cool, self-assured blonde wearing a dress that cost more than Amber’s entire wardrobe, had ordered a Diet Coke. Logan, not even looking at her, had asked for a regular Coke. She’d waited for him to acknowledge her, but he’d just stared grimly ahead, until his date had snapped at Amber, “Oh for God’s sake, stop staring at my boyfriend, will you? It’s creeping us out!” in a loud, impatient voice that everyone in the restaurant had heard. Amber wasn’t easy to embarrass, but she’d found herself flushing deep red, the stares from the other diners finding some deep-rooted vein of shame. She’d turned and fled.
Yes, she knew all about being outside her comfort zone, but that wasn’t going to happen to her again.
“It’s nice of you to be so concerned about my comfort zone,” she said to Logan with a saccharine smile, “but I’m more worried about you. Can you really take time out from running your multi-million dollar empire to build playhouses? I thought you were indispensible.”
He flashed a grin. “The art of being indispensible is knowing how to delegate.”
“Good, you’re both in agre
ement.” The mayor rocked back and forth on his heels, a complacent smile settling on his features. “I’ll go and tell Ryan the news. He’ll be thrilled. He’ll send you the details later.” Pushing his hat to a jaunty angle, the mayor scurried away through the throngs and disappeared out the front entrance.
Amber turned to find Logan gazing at her with an enigmatic smile curling his lips. Her heart lurched. Oh crap, what had she got herself into?
…
Logan found himself tensing as he locked eyes with Amber. She had a very expressive face, but he only recognized a few of the emotions that flitted across her features—chagrin, annoyance, determination.
“Having second thoughts?” He slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants, feigning nonchalance.
She inhaled a deep breath, the action drawing his attention to the silk top beneath her jacket. He liked this corporate look of hers. The gray suit could’ve been boringly conservative, but the tight-fitting skirt showed off her great legs, and the jacket nipped in at the waist, highlighting her curves. Today her vibrant hair sat loose around her shoulders, the curls inviting him to touch, and she wore makeup, not a lot, just smoky eyeliner and pink lipstick that emphasized the generous pout of her lower lip.
Around them was hustle and bustle as workers went out for lunch, but it felt like he and Amber were enclosed in their own little bubble, and he realized how much he liked this.
“Maybe.” She folded her arms across her chest. “I think the mayor’s just conned me. He didn’t want a confrontation, so he brushed me off by making me think the planning committee would approve of my doing charity work. And he knew you’d jump in, too, and volunteer to donate supplies. This way, he gets me off his back, plus he gets kudos for helping Sunshine Kids without having to pay any actual cash or lift a finger. Gah! What a conniving politician he is!”
“Is he really that conniving? I mean, making playhouses for daycare centers is good for the community, right?”