Which leaves me, where exactly? Norah wondered. Who am I and what do I want?
A month ago she could’ve answered that question without hesitation. But now? Here she was without the job she’d worked her ass off to earn, unexpectedly involved with a man who’d so rapidly worked his way under her skin, she couldn’t imagine going back to a life without him in it. But neither could she imagine what life with him in it would look like. And she was lying to her best friend and the rest of his family about their involvement because, quite clearly, they wouldn’t approve.
When exactly had she become someone who knowingly hid the truth? So much for that moral compass.
Reed jolted her back to the conversation. “Either way, she did a number on him. As far as we know, he hasn’t had more than a couple of dates with anybody since his mom went into remission.”
Yeah, about that…
“So Mitch is dating enough for them both?” she asked, hoping to shift the conversation.
“Hey! I resemble that remark.”
Aunt Liz put in her two cents. “Cam needs to find a nice local girl. That boy was made for marriage, family, and babies. He needs somebody that can actually appreciate the deep sunk roots he has here instead of being all bound up in career.”
In other words, someone who isn’t me, Norah thought. And that was the clincher of all of it. She recognized and respected Cam’s roots, found his connection to family and the community unaccountably appealing. But she wasn’t local—couldn’t be local and keep the career she’d poured herself into. And even if, by some miracle, she could sort that mess out, she wasn’t made for a traditional role of wife and mother any more than her mother had been.
Grammy pivoted with a casserole dish in her hands. “Everybody take a bowl into the dining room. Dinner is served!”
Norah stood and took the bread basket on autopilot, but she found she’d lost her appetite.
Chapter 7
Vick Burgess was smiling when Cam walked into the City Council meeting Monday evening. His teeth flashed white in his too-tan-for-winter face, making Cam think of politicians and used car salesmen. Anything that made Vick smile was likely to be bad. He was speaking to another man dressed in a too-expensive suit that screamed city slicker. What was an outsider doing in their City Council meeting?
Across the room, Sandra caught Cam’s eye. She fixed him with a Be nice Look that just solidified the dread curling through his gut. But Cam held his tongue and took his place at the conference table next to Edgar Falk.
Vick clasped his hands. “Since everybody’s here, perhaps we can get started? Avery, are you ready?”
Avery Cahill, Sandra’s personal assistant and the official City Recorder, took her position at his mother’s right hand, fingers poised over a tidy little laptop. “I am.”
“Okay then, let’s get this show on the road.” Sandra rapped her gavel. “As Mayor, I now call this closed meeting of the City Council to order.”
Ed lifted a hand, spotted with age, and waited for acknowledgment. “Motion to approve the minutes from the December 12th meeting.”
Cam seconded.
“All in favor of approving the minutes from our previous meeting?” Everyone present lifted a hand. “Minutes approved.”
Grace Handeford spoke next. “Motion to approve the docket of claims for tonight’s meeting.”
“What’s on it?” asked Hank van Buren. “I didn’t get a copy of the memo.”
“It’s probably in your spam folder. I keep telling you to check it,” Grace chided. “Just the charge for replacing the street lights with more cost efficient halogen bulbs.”
“Is that a sweeping change or something to be implemented as the bulbs go out?” Connie Lockwood’s French manicured nails tapped against her pen as she scribbled notes.
Grace slipped her reading glasses on and peered at the memo. “This is for the supply of bulbs. It doesn’t address when the change would be made.”
They debated the merits of both options before finally approving the claim.
“Are there any amendments to the agenda?” Sandra asked.
Cam thought about Mrs. Crockett and the stoplight, but he was too worried about the newcomer to bring it up. When no changes were raised, she turned her attention to Vick. “Very well. I shall turn the floor over to City Planner Victor Burgess.”
Vick beamed. Cam thought about how much he wanted to plant a fist in the other man’s face.
“Thank you, madam Mayor. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce Bill Sutto.” The suit lifted a hand and offered an ingratiating smile. “Bill is a representative from GrandGoods.”