“Are you coming with me?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
Forty minutes later—after Ms. Helen had dressed to impress—Benita and her great-aunt settled onto bar stools at the café counter. Benita had overruled Ms. Helen’s protestations and treated her great-aunt to a healthy and filling lunch of chicken-and-wild-rice soup and a half chicken-and-provolone-on-wheat sandwich. Benita had ordered the same thing for herself. They were halfway through their meal before Doreen was able to get away from the cash register. Benita recounted for the town’s mayor the same report she’d given Ms. Helen on their drive to Books & Bakery.
“Nessa can’t make that unilateral decision.” Doreen’s voice was tight with irritation. Her brown eyes sparked with temper.
“No, she can’t.” Ms. Helen lowered her soup spoon. “Ask the other council members if Nessa discussed her plan with them before she spoke with Vaughn.”
“I will.” The mayor’s voice was clipped. “But regardless, Nessa still should have brought her concerns to my attention before acting. As mayor, I should be included in any discussions regarding the proper use of town resources.”
“So should the rest of the council.” Ms. Helen sipped her iced tea. “Nessa had no business acting alone.”
Doreen expelled a frustrated breath. She leaned heavily on the café counter. Benita had eased some of the load from Doreen’s shoulders by taking over her wedding plans. But it was obvious the mayor was still overworked and overtired.
Benita glanced past Doreen. The retired couple Megan had hired moved efficiently between the kitchen and the counter, taking new orders and serving hungry customers. But was their help enough? That was a discussion for another time.
She met Doreen’s concerned gaze. “I’m not asking that you or the council overturn Nessa’s decision. Vaughn and I are looking at another venue. But you need to know what Nessa did.”
“I’ll call her at home to discuss this tonight.” Doreen crossed to the beverage cart behind the café counter and brought back the pitcher of iced tea. She refilled Ms. Helen’s and Benita’s glasses. “I don’t know why she thought she could speak for the entire town government on her own and without consulting us.”
Ms. Helen finished her sandwich. “Do you think the attack was personal against you, or was she targeting your office?”
“I don’t know.” Doreen returned the pitcher to the beverage cart. “Nessa knows I’m concerned about the community center. I sent an e-mail to the council members. The center needs more financial support than our tax base can give it. The January fund-raiser helped a lot. But the center’s staff needs to do regular fund-raisers and community outreach.”
Ms. Helen snorted. “Good luck getting Ronald Kendall to work on a fund-raiser. That man should’ve retired ten years ago.”
“Darius told me June Cale’s looking for a new job.” Doreen glanced at Benita. “June is the mother of Darius’s half brother, Noah.”
Benita sipped her lemonade. “Aunt Helen told me about June and Noah.”
“June has fund-raising experience.” Doreen greeted a group of guests who returned their trays before leaving. “I’m hoping I can convince her to relocate from Sequoia to work for our community center.”
Benita finished her sandwich. “I doubt she’d be able to find a better job offer in Sequoia.”
“The trick will be to convince Ron to take on the added responsibility of fund-raising.” Doreen cleared Benita’s and Ms. Helen’s dishes, adding them to a hard plastic tub behind the counter.
Ms. Helen sat back on her bar stool. “The bigger trick will be getting the residents of Trinity Falls to accept June Cale into our community. There are some people who wouldn’t want her here.”
Benita thought of Darius’s parents, Ethel and Simon Knight, whose marriage had finally ended when Ethel realized June Cale had given Simon a son eighteen years ago that he’d never told his wife about.
Benita’s eyes widened. “That could be awkward.”
CHAPTER 12
Vaughn counted nearly thirty people assembled in the Trinity Falls University auditorium Wednesday night. He recognized many of his neighbors and students, and of course the university’s faculty and staff. They were all waiting to audition for his musical.
His pulse pounded with a sense of accomplishment. Seated beside him, Benita glowed as she looked at the patiently waiting crowd.
“What are you thinking?” He kept his voice low.
She turned her brilliant smile on him. He blinked at its power. “You did this.”
He so badly wanted to kiss her. But he couldn’t do that here, in front of all of these people. And he couldn’t kiss her now, not while they were supposed to be breaking up. Could I?
“Let’s get started.” Vaughn stood and raised his voice. “Thanks, everyone, for coming. I wasn’t expecting such a strong turnout. Most of you know me. I’m Vaughn Brooks. I teach music here at TFU.”
“Doctor Vaughn Brooks,” Benita interrupted, speaking above him. “He’s the university’s music professor, concert band director, and writer/composer of the musical, Mystic Park.”