“Do I have to do everything?” The clicking sound returned, louder. “I found the resort. I made the reservations. I paid for the cabin in advance—”
“With my money.”
“Do I also have to come up with the cover story?”
Audra gripped the cell phone with her left hand and planted her right fist on her hip. “Why do I even need a cover story?”
Benita sighed again. “Because when they learn you’re a celebrity, everyone in Trinity Falls—population fifteen hundred—will follow you around town.”
“No one knows the songwriters, Benita. They’re all about the singers.” Audra wandered from the dark plaid sofa to the front window. “Besides, even if Jack knew my real name, I doubt he’d care.”
“Just make sure you don’t fall in love with him.”
“With Jack?” Audra called an image of the grumpy cabin owner to mind.
“He was one of the handsomest guys in high school.” A printer whirred to life in Benita’s office. “That’s really saying something. In my day, Heritage High was full of cute guys.”
Audra frowned, trying to imagine what Jack looked like under his layers of fur. “He must have fallen on hard times.”
Benita’s hum was noncommittal. “You’re not out there to rescue anyone, either.”
“What are you talking about?” Audra turned away from the window.
“You know you’re always trying to help people.” Papers shuffled. A stapler snapped. “That’s how Wendell was able to get over on you.”
“I don’t want to talk about Wendell.” Or his five months of treachery. Audra paced past her sofa—and bitter memories of the way Wendell had used her.
“Then just concentrate on those three songs so you can come home.”
“Good-bye, Benita.” Audra disconnected the call and tossed her cell phone on the sofa.
“Just concentrate on those three songs.” Her manager made it sound so easy. But Audra had never had such a hard time with her songwriting. She shoved her hands into the front pockets of her shorts and wondered about someone else who was having a hard time.
What happened to Jack to transform him from a high-school heartthrob to Sasquatch?
“I have three top priorities that I want to address during my first term as mayor—strengthening education, repairing infrastructure, and improving emergency services.” Doreen Fever trembled with excitement as she shared her plans with her boyfriend, Leonard George.
They sat at her dining room table after preparing dinner together in her cozy kitchen. She’d made the spaghetti and meat sauce. He’d made the salad.
Leonard drizzled more Italian dressing onto the half-eaten bowl of vegetables. “Don’t you think you should wait until you’re elected before you start making plans on what you’re going to do?”
Doreen gave Leonard a sharp look. The lack of enthusiasm in his voice puzzled her. What could be wrong? “I’m running unopposed.”
“But you aren’t in office yet.” Leonard continued eating his salad.
“I can’t wait until I’m in office to figure out which issues I want to tackle first.” Doreen forked up some lettuce. “I have to hit the ground running.”
“I’m glad you know what you want to do when you’re in office. But do we have to talk about that tonight?”
Doreen paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. “Not if you don’t want to.”
“All you ever talk about now is what you’re going to do or planning to do as mayor of Trinity Falls.” Leonard’s voice was laden with exasperation. “I know you’re excited, but can’t we talk about something else for just this one night?”
She was speechless. Had she been talking too much about her plans? “I hadn’t realized I was monopolizing our conversations.”
“You are.” Leonard stabbed several vegetables with his salad fork. “There are other things in our relationship that we could talk about.”
“Like what?”