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Meghan’s eyes lingered appreciatively on Cole as she grabbed the rolled silverware from behind the hostess stand, because apparently women appreciating Cole’s looks was the theme of the hour. I couldn’t blame them. He did know how to wear a pair of khakis, but I also did not need to be reminded of how Cole’s ass looked in the most boring pants on earth. I needed to focus. I didn’t care that other women were looking at him, no not at all.
Seated at our table on the patio, Tanya acknowledged that the ambiance was perfect and picked up her drink menu, taking her time to look through all the summery options Joe had put on as specials for the season.
“I think it’s a sangria type of day. How about you all?”
Tanya laid her menu down and looked at both of us expectantly.
“I think that sounds great!” I responded, promising myself I would just have one small glass and then switch to water.
“Just water for me, I think,” Cole replied, nose buried in his food menu, much to Tanya’s apparent dismay.
Tanya was a beautiful woman, and I shouldn’t be surprised that she was interested in Cole. Even if he was infuriating, and you know, the kind of guy that runs away after an almost-kiss in a parking lot. I could understand her interest in him, but I hated how much it was bothering me.
Assuring myself that I wasn’t going to be the type of woman who thought poorly of another successful and attractive single woman for taking note of an attractive single man, I made eye contact with our server, and we placed our drink orders. It was time to put thoughts of Cole and any woman who may find him interesting to the side and put my focus on Tanya, her blog, and taking another step toward saving Holly Ridge.
Chapter 9
Cole
I could tell that Blaire was determined to get this meeting back on track. For a moment, I felt something a lot like remorse for throwing her off her meticulously planned schedule, which morphed into wondering how else I could fluster Blaire, which led dangerously close to remembering the last time I had left Blaire caught off guard. What would happen if I brushed my leg against hers under the table? Good lord, did I need to get laid.
When I tuned back into the conversation, I realized Tanya was asking Blaire about her childhood experiences growing up in Holly Ridge and going to the festivals.
“It was my favorite time of year, not that I really had much choice being the mayor’s daughter,” Blaire was saying, “but it was more than that. It was the way the whole town came together to celebrate something and welcome in the visitors who came from all over to celebrate what the town does best.”
Suddenly both women were looking at me, one look full of intrigue and one full of murderous intent. I must not have swallowed my scoff as well as I thought I had.
“You haven’t had the same experience at the Holly Ridge festival since being Winterberry Glen’s CFO, Cole?” Tanya asked me. At this I realized that the wedge heels and sangria ordering before lunch may be a front to lull her subjects into complacency. Tanya didn’t miss much.
While I didn’t relish giving Blaire any insight into my history, I found myself needing to answer honestly.
“I grew up in Winterberry Glen, so my history with the festival dates back even further, but I haven’t attended the festival since I was ten years old when it was made clear to me that, while visitors from far and wide may be welcome in Holly Ridge for the festival, someone from Winterberry Glen was not.”
“Ah yes,” Tanya stirred her straw in the rapidly melting ice in her glass, having finished her beverage already. “The famous feud.”
“I don’t know that I would call it famous!” Blaire exclaimed, her eyes flashing steely blue and wide, her voice increasing in pitch. “It’s just hard to have two towns so close together—it’s like siblings, you know! They fight. My sister and I fought all the time growing up. It’s hard feeling like one’s constantly being compared to the other, not knowing if you’ll ever live up to expectations. Will the relationship ever change, or is it too broken?”
I picked up my water glass to prevent any unintentional reactions from sneaking out of me this time, while Blaire clamped her mouth shut, realizing she may have completely overcompensated by trying to divert Tanya away from the feud.
Tanya was distracted by the arrival of the waiter with another glass of sangria and our lunch orders. Blaire still looked flustered but seemed relieved to have been saved from more feud discussion and that her unintentional admission appeared to have gone unnoticed.
Even though we had just come very close to a deep wound I tried to keep hidden, I felt I needed to throw Blaire a bone to help turn things around. After all, I didn’t want Blaire using sympathy to sell the festival with the media, but I also didn’t want the state audit office to catch wind of any childish behavior between us.
“Blaire really does have a vision for an updated festival, though. She’s being very intentional in the vendors she’s bringing in, ensuring their operations are as green as possible and being sure to support local and diverse owners and companies whenever possible,” I offered as Tanya drizzled dressing on her salad. Blaire paused with her soup spoon halfway to her mouth, a puzzled look on her face, as if she was trying to figure out where I was headed with this.
I give her a small nod, which seems to reset her circuits, and the poised, pulled-together festival planner is with us again.
“That’s right,” Blaire continued, setting her spoon down and launching into the spiel I knew by heart now—it being listed at the front of every schedule draft we’d been through in the past four months. “While there are vendors that have been traditionally used for the festival, I’m trying to be sure that our vendor list is inclusive and local whenever it’s possible. This starts with the Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Holiday Market at the beginning of the festival and wraps up with the Gingerbread Ball on New Year’s Eve. We’re also trying to acknowledge other traditions and cultures along the way as well. It ended up having to be a more minor part of this year’s planning with timing and festival constraints—a menorah in the square near the gazebo, for example—but I hope to expand it in future years. Who knows, maybe someday it will be the Holly Ridge Holiday Festival instead of the Holly Ridge Christmas Festival.” Blaire’s conviction and pride in the work she’s put into the festival was apparent on her face, and it was impossible for me to look away from her. Her passion just enhanced her beauty.
“That sounds like it will be really great. The town is super cute and the festival schedule you sent over looks to be full of interesting events and traditions,” Tanya replied, putting her napkin on top of her salad bowl, and after placing her hand on my arm, she looked up at me. “Now, I think I just need a bit more information from Cole here, and I’ll be all set for my article.”
I glanced across the table at Blaire to see her glaring at Tanya’s hand, where it rested on my bare arm. If Blaire’s eyes contained laser beams, she would have burned a hole right through both of us, and while her disdain made me want to shake the offending hand off, I pretended to not notice and responded directly to Tanya.
“I’d be glad to take a stroll around the square with you. Perhaps we can stop in at Jitters for an after-lunch coffee on the way back to your car?”
Tanya smiled before standing, wavering slightly when she was out of her chair.
“Perfect. I’ll just use the little girl’s room and be right back!”
