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Cole and Lilac stand before joining Ashlyn at the front of the room.
“Cole as architect and project manager of the community center will give us a brief update on the project before Lilac reports on the finances.”
“Cole! Cole! Cole!” The gossip gals are on their feet shouting and whistling.
Ellery moans. “I thought they’d calm down after we got back together.”
“What does she mean?” I ask Rowan.
“The gossip gals consider themselves the matchmakers of Winter Falls and take credit for getting Cole and Ellery together.”
Tell me something I don’t know.
“Except I was pregnant with Cole’s baby, and they didn’t know it.” Ellery appears mighty proud of herself for pulling one over on the busybodies.
“Ahem.” Cole clears his throat loudly. He shakes his head at Ellery before continuing, “As you know, we broke ground on the site last week, which means we’re on schedule. The foundation will be poured next week.”
“Thus far, we’ve raised approximately sixty percent of the funds necessary to build the community center,” Lilac adds. “It’s enough to begin construction, but we need to think about ways we can raise funds to ensure the construction doesn’t halt.”
“I have an idea,” Ashlyn says, and her gaze falls on me. I squirm in my seat.
“I already donated,” Rowan shouts out from next to me. “I’m happy to donate more, but my accountant says I have to wait until the next fiscal year before making any further donations.”
Ashlyn continues to stare in my direction. I don’t need to scan the room to know the rest of the town is now looking in my direction. Knowing when I’m under scrutiny is a skill I acquired years ago when I moved to Hollywood – a place where your every move is tracked by the paparazzi.
I keep my mouth shut until Juniper turns around. “What is Ashlyn trying to say?”
“I think she’s saying she doesn’t know how to keep a secret.”
“I never agreed to keep our discussion confidential,” Ashlyn hollers.
“Oh, Rickie, I’m so proud of you,” Sage yells from the back of the room, and I realize I’ve lost the battle.
I stand. “I’ll donate the remaining amount.”
Everyone in the room applauds but the only person’s opinion I care about is sitting right in front of me. She stares at me as she sets her beer down on the floor. She continues to hold my gaze as she slowly gets to her feet before climbing onto her chair and launching herself at me.
I catch her and she wraps herself around me like a monkey. “Thank you, Mav.” She plants kisses along my face. “Thank you.” Kiss. “Thank you.” Kiss.
As much as I’m enjoying her attention, she doesn’t need to thank me. “You don’t need to thank me.”
She leans back. “Of course, I do. The center is important to the community.”
“Huh. I guess the mystery of why it’s called a community center is now solved,” I tease.
She slaps my shoulder. “Don’t tease me.”
“As I recall, you enjoy it when I tease you,” I murmur, and her body jolts in my arms.
Her cheeks darken as she bites her lip. I can feel her chest rise and fall as she fights for breath, and I decide to push my luck.
“You know how you can thank me? Let me take you out tomorrow.”
“I have to work at the refuge tomorrow.”
“I already asked Harmony to fill in,” I say and wait for her to yell at me for being presumptuous.
“Okay,” she breathes out.
“Okay?”
She nods and I lower my head intent on tasting her. Before her lips can meet mine, Rowan slaps me on the back, and I nearly drop Juniper.
I growl at him, and he nods toward the gossip gals who are not trying to hide how they’re watching us. Shit. He’s right. This isn’t the place to reacquaint myself with the taste of Juniper’s lips.
I set her on the ground. “Until tomorrow, June Bug.”
