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HUNTER
“I don’t knowwhy we aren’t using Granville Shrinkage in the grant application,” Duke Lattimer complained. “That’s the name of our gosh-darned plan.”
I nodded, trying to exude patience and understanding instead of the exasperation that had been building for the past hour as the two volunteer committee members picked apart the grant proposal Tucker and I were drafting. I’d known this meeting was coming, thanks to Tucker’s heads-up last night, but I’d slept poorly, tossing and turning most of the night, unsettled and not quite sure why.
Now, I felt the opposite of well-rested, and my patience was paper thin.
“It’s important to be direct and concise in the introduction—”
“But then how do we stand out?” Duke asked.
LeRoy, who’d seemed uninterested up to this point, mostly treating his pen like a fidget spinner, looked up.
“He has a point there.”
“I know it may seem counterintuitive but grant committees don’t want a lot of smoke and mirrors. We have to stand out on the merits of our proposal alone.”
“Smoke and mirrors?” Duke said, confused.
“We don’t want it to seem like we’re blowing smoke out our ass,” Tucker said bluntly.
“Ohh.”
Wasn’t that the same as what I’d said? Apparently I didn’t speak Granvillian fluently enough yet.
Tucker continued, “We have to win them over with our goals, and Hunter thinks the name of the plan is a distraction from what’s important.”
Duke grunted but ceased to argue, and we finally got through the review of the cover letter and introduction paragraphs. There was a lot more work to be done before we submitted our application for funds. I was crafting a presentation detailing plans, which would include community focus group input, charts illustrating demographic and economic data, photographs to highlight areas that needed improvement, and even artist renderings of what we projected the result to be once we enacted our plans.
It was a huge undertaking, and Granville being the kind of place it was, everyone’s hand was in the cookie jar.
Duke and LeRoy represented the city council, but in a few weeks we’d also meet with school, parks, and real estate professionals.
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus,” I told Tucker when we’d finally wrapped up the meeting and dispensed with another thirty minutes of small talk to be polite.
He grinned. “Hey, that’s why we hired you.”
“Ah, I see how it is. I’m being paid to play the bad cop.”
He chuckled. “Whatever works, right?”
I rubbed eyes. Only three and I was fading fast. I’d been running on little sleep as I juggled parenting, work, and repairs to the house. Once I’d finished installing the water heater and fixing my laundry hookups, I’d had to tackle grocery shopping, house cleaning, bills, and a dozen other little things that had piled up throughout the week.
“I think I may cut out early. I’m dying for caffeine. I can review these changes and send them in later tonight.”
“That can wait until tomorrow. Get some rest. You look like crap.”
I snorted. “You flatterer.”
Tucker’s eyes twinkled. “You have to ask me on a date if you want me to sweet-talk you.”
“Uh…” I was aware that Tucker was into both men and women. It was common knowledge. But I’d never really given it a second thought until now. “I don’t think…”
He rolled his eyes. “That was a joke, Rhodes. Jesus, your brother is living with one of my best friends. I didn’t think you’d be the type to get weirded out by the idea of men dating.”
“No, it’s not like that,” I said quickly. “I was just surprised and…”
“And unsure if I was actually hitting on you?” He shook his head. “Don’t worry, man. I’ve got no designs on your virtue. Besides, I’m sure you’ve got better dating prospects.”
