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“Go ahead, tell me more aboutRick.”
“Gwen, he’s not gay, he’s my boss and…it’s not going to happen.”
“Yeah. Trying to convince me or yourself?”
I didn’t believe them when I said them. I had to think that way, though. How would I feel to invest feelings into a man that I would never get?
“Myself,” I admitted with a nervous laugh. “Okay, so he’s incredible. He’s gorgeous, that’s obvious, but a lot more. He’s…special. Just seeing him with his kids is enough to…admire.”
“I’ve always admired him,” she snarked. “I especially admire certain parts of him.”
“You’re relentless!”
“No. I just think you two could…be a thing. He’s been lonely a long time, you more recently, but maybe you can…I don’t know, heal one another?”
I hadn’t thought of that. “We could and just be friends, too, you know?”
“I do know that. If that’s all it ever is, then fine. He’s a good guy, Kan. There’s a reason no one so much as runs against him for mayor. He does what he does for the town, for the people. He gets the ultra-conservative ones and the hippy ones too, and all those in the middle.”
“He does. He refuses to tax the hell out of people, and yet what he does do with his budget is always for the town, for the people.”
She grinned at me like she’d won a prize. “More of that admiration.”
“A lot more.”
The crush on him was apparent, even to myself. I couldn’t help it. I had yet to see anything about Rick I didn’t admire. He was very nearly perfect. That should have thrown up a hundred red flags, but it didn’t.
On Friday afternoon, I left Rick’s with a wave to him as he strolled across the road with Colby. I made it to Damon’s quickly and met him as he was standing outside, speaking to some guests.
“There he is,” Damon said in greeting. “Star of the show.”
“I’m no star, but I’m here. Did you want a quick rehearsal?”
“Sure, sure, just let me get Burke out here to greet the guests.”
As he got on the phone with Burke, Joel jumped over the stairs instead of taking them from the porch and ran over to me. “Hey!”
I took the hug from the smaller, but very strong man. “Hey, Joel. Dang, I missed you.”
“Did ya? Well, hell. I missed ya too! Knew I was seein’ ya today, though.”
“Joel, you want to take him to the barn and let him start the rehearsal? I’ve got to wait for Burke.”
“Sure thing!” Joel gave Damon a fast kiss, then grabbed my hand and started pulling me along as he hurried to the barn. He explained quickly, “He don’t ask me no more. I get all tongue-tied and such. I’m a right mess.”
“Well, then I lucked out to get to hang out with just you for a while.”
“Aw, shit, that’s nice o’ ya! Say, how’s that mayor fella?”
I was taken aback by the question, and I shouldn’t have been. “Oh, he’s…good, I guess.”
“Sure is nice ta look at.”
I laughed and slung my arm over Joel’s shoulders. “He is that.”
“That what?” he asked after staring at me for a minute like he was waiting for me to finish my thought.
“He is nice to look at.”
