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Spencer raises a brow. “Better than unexpected, late-night, surprise visits?”
“Yes,” she answers plainly, as if he’d asked her a real question. I’m guessing irony is also lost on our mayor.
“So what’s the news?” I ask, chewing the inside of my lip.
“Actually it’s more of an idea. Two ideas to be precise.” She lifts up two fingers as if we need visual aid.
“Two ideas?” Spencer widens his eyes. “Thatdoessound even better than late-night, surprise visits.”
I’m afraid Mrs. Lockhart might realize he’s joking at her expense, but she keeps her eyes locked on me. Serious and sincere. “I’ve been busy mulling over something you said regarding Bernard Dudley and the upcoming mayoral election.”
“Mulling is busy work,” Spencer quips. “No rest for the weary mayor, as they say.”
Oh, man. I kind of want to tackle him for teasing her, but also HE IS HILARIOUS.
“I want to solidify as many future votes for myself as I can,” Mrs. Lockhart says. “I refuse to let someone else—let alone Dudley—steal this election from me. And the best way to ensure my continued victory is for the whole town to see the success of my camp firsthand.”
Your camp?
“I checked our website throughout the day, and the pictures you posted of smiling children engaged in activities is an excellent start. But that’s not enough.”
“I can ask Hannah to upload more,” I say.
“No, we need something bigger, Tess. Something… magnificent.” Her eyes go wide, and her voice is breathy. “And I thought of just the thing.” Mrs. Lockhart beams at us. “We’re going to open the camp to a public event. Twice a week. We can invite the entire town!”
“Oh. Okay.” I swallow hard. “That was Spencer’s idea. I emailed you about it yesterday, remember?”
“Well.” Mrs. Lockhart shrugs. “That’s neither here, nor there.”
“So where is it?” Spencer asks.
“Right here on the ranch,” she says. “Do try to keep up.” She addresses me. “We’ll arrange for Saturday movie nights, and on Sundays we can host barbecues right here on the ranch. All of Apple Valley will be welcome. Spencer can come after the car wash closes to help out.”
“You’re right,” he says. “That really does sound magnificent.” He slides his gaze to me. “Truly. Magnificent. Right, Tess?”
“Umm hmm.” I’m about to crack up, so I flash him a quick frown. Spencer needs to knock off the humor immediately. Mostly because I find it so attractive.
“Of course I’ll attend these events too,” Mrs. Lockhart says. “That way the whole town will see me here, among their smiling children.” She lifts her hands as if she’s just finished giving a sermon. “I want everyone to be confident their current mayor is the best man for the job!” She drops her arms. “Or the best woman, as it were.”
“As it were,” Spencer repeats on the tail end of a low chuckle. When I risk a second glance at him, his dark eyes dance and my insides flip. I absolutely cannot like Spencer’s dancing eyes. Not when Mrs. Lockhart is about to be around us all the time.
She crosses the office and peers at my laptop. “You’ll still send me this email, won’t you?”
“Right away.” I make a big show of hitting send, then I slide out from behind the desk. “Would you like to stay for s’mores, Mrs. Lockhart?” I say this out loud, but inside I’m begging her to say no.
“Perhaps another time.”
“Great!” Another time. Unexpected pop-ins.Justwhat I wasn’t hoping for.
“I can walk you out to your car,” Spencer offers. “It’s pretty dark out, and the terrain can be rough.”
“Thank you, but I’ve come prepared.” Sure enough, Mrs. Lockhart pulls a full-sized flashlight from her purse. When she clicks the button, she aims the beam right at me, like I’m facing an interrogation or a firing squad. “I hope you don’t mind that we’ll be seeing an awful lot of each other this summer, Tess.”
“Of course I don’t mind.” I gulp.
Spencer flashes his brightest smile. “I don’t mind either.”
I’m insomuch trouble.
