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“No, why have you been so hard on me if you don’t actually hate me.”
Derek had to think for a moment. “I don’t know. I’m really protective of this town.”
“Is the town so fragile it can’t handle an outsider for a few weeks? Also, I’m not an outsider. I mean, maybe I am, but Derek I grew up here same as you. I care about this town, even if you don’t think I do.”
“I wasn’t being fair,” he admitted. “Please don’t drop this project just because I’m a jerk. The town needs this.”
“I know. And I won’t. But can you please not jump all over everything I say, or do, or wear?”
“Of course. I’ll be better, I promise.” He fidgeted with the pen in his hands.
She nodded.
“Well, that’s one problem solved I hope.” His slumped back down into his chair.
“Oh no.” Her eyes went wide. “What’s wrong? I saw Bette McDonald leaving. Did she find out?”
“She found out all right,” he said. “And she came in to remind me I haven’t yet submitted permit applications to the town council for a fair.”
It was Kylie’s turn to slump into a chair, but she gathered herself quickly. “What does this mean?” she asked. “Can we still submit the application?”
“Yes. There’s a town hall meeting on Tuesday, and I can bring the permit application to them then. But it will be put to a vote.”
“A vote? Wouldn’t permits just go through the clerk’s office?”
“In any other town, yes. But ever since the wet T-shirt contest fiasco of 2017, it’s now policy that gatherings larger than fifty people and meant for public access are required to get permission by way of vote from the council.”
“How do you think people will vote?”
“Well, if Bette knows about the fair, then it’s possible she found out what it’s really for. And even if she didn’t, she doesn’t like to be out of the loop on town affairs. Either way I don’t think she’s happy about this fair happening. If she votes it down, others probably will too.”
“You and Pete are on the council, right?” Kylie asked. Derek nodded. “How many others?”
“Only two others plus the mayor who chairs the council,” he said.
“Okay, then we only need to sway one more person in order for the permit to be approved. I’m sure we can make a good case for it.”
“We?” he asked. Yes, Kylie was helping him. She’d already gone above and beyond. He knew she needed to finish this to get the job with her brother but getting involved in council was a whole other ball game.
“Yes, we,” she said matter-of-factly. “I’ve already put a ton of planning into this. Not to mention a toilet deposit. I’m not letting a little thing like one council member stop it now.”
His heart swelled. She was fired up about this. For some reason he’d thought the passion she had in high school went out the door when the designer clothes and fancy manicures came in.
“All right.” He shrugged. “I won’t stop you.”
“Good,” she said. “Do you have a copy of the town bylaws and permits I could borrow? We should meet with everyone else as well.”
“I can try to get everyone together tomorrow afternoon.” He handed her his office copy of the bylaws.
“We’ve got this, Derek. Don’t worry.”
Then she got up and left, and he could relax the tiniest bit knowing she was on the job. Judging by everything she’d organized already and the determined set of her jaw, she might actually make it work.
