Page 21 of Rival Hearts

“Who else needs help?” I asked, running a hand through my hair, adrenaline still pumping at full speed. “There must be other people who still need help.”

“Lots of chaos in the downtown core,” Kelvin admitted. “We can head there if you want. According to my scanner, the water is rushing this way, which is what’s making it so vicious.”

“All right,” I said, heading for Tyler’s truck in the distance. “Let’s go see what we can do.”

What was Maggie doing right now? Was she scrambling to stem the flow of water? Helping other members of the town? Or had she thrown her hands up in defeat?

The last one was unlikely. I knew her. She wouldn’t let anyone get the best of her, if she could help it, and I resented the slither of worry that snaked down my spine. I knew how dangerous it was out there, which is why I needed to head back out, throw myself into the thick of things again. If anyone was in trouble, I’d do my best to help.

Chapter Nine

Maggie

I’d been staring at the newspaper Ruth had put on my desk with a fire in my belly, which flamed between disgust and desire. Hiran Paul, the editor of the Little Falls newspaper, had taken photos of the water disaster. Normally, I was in favor of informing the town of any and all events that stimulated interest in the news and in the town itself. However, the two photos he’d selected for the front page made me want to simultaneously blush and rage.

There, in the middle of the page, with the headline “Mayoral Race Heats Up,” were two photos of me and Grady. Unfortunately, in the first photo the heat between us, even in the photo, was palpable. Our shoulders were touching, and the expression on both of our faces as we passed sandbags looked likewantingpersonified. And in the second photo, we were very clearly arguing outside my pharmacy as a geyser of water rose into the air between us. A bit on the nose, perhaps. What must people think?

At least Grady was fine and hadn’t been swept to his death when he’d slipped in the flood.

The memory made my heart skip. I placed my hand over my chest. Worry had leapt into my throat when he’d gone down.

“Knock, knock.” Lila poked her head in the office door without knocking. “Oh, good.” She wandered to the desk and pointed at the newspaper. “I was afraid I was going to have to tell you about that.”

I closed my eyes and sank into my chair. “Hiran is trying to make me look bad.”

“No, he’s trying to sell papers. That first photo? The two of you? Hawt! My God. I’m surprised all the water around you didn’t evaporate with the way you two were looking at one another.”

Given Lila was my best friend, Icouldadmit we were exchanging sexual innuendos when the photo was taken, but it went against everything in me to admit the Grady pilot light still flickered. The only person who’d been close enough to hear our flirting was Kelvin. He’d spoken to the reporter about Grady’s epic rescue of Matthew Long’s son, Reese, and Callie Arbour, the baby he’d been babysitting on Saturday, and of course, the dog, Biscuits. The picture of the two of us locked in sexual tension was meant to stand on its own.

“If the paper had run the first photo only, then fine. But I look like a big ball of rage in the second one. What must people think?”

Lila pursed her lips and opened the paper, flipping to the next page. “So, I guess you didn’t make it very far?”

My stomach dipped at the headline on the next page. It was a photo spread of Grady helping the various businesses on the main street with sandbags. In the very last one, Burt Maynard, the owner of the indoor playground for kids, had his arm slung around a drenched Grady, who was outfitted in a Superman costume that they must use as cosplay for adults when they were bored with their kids. The headline? “The Savior of Little Falls.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I wasn’t sure if I was referring to the butterflies in my stomach at how heroic Grady looked or at the headline itself.

Above the paper, Lila’s fingers twirled her sunglasses. “I’m sure it could be worse.”

I pressed my palms into the top of the desk and rose. “This is so infuriating.” He’d saved Callie and Reese and Biscuits. An accomplishment, sure. But he hadn’t saved thetown.

“Yeah, it’s not good for your campaign.”

“I told him Little Falls didn’t need a savior.”

Lila stared at me, silent.

“I wanted to lose my mind when Sabrina Kim came running over cryingSave Me, Grady. Save me.And then he flounced off after her.” Of course, then I’d watched him lose his footing trying to rescue Biscuits and tumble down into the current. I didn’t want to think about the panic that had flooded me, how I’d called every fire department in a thirty-mile radius to come assist us. An overreaction, surely, but no matter who had been caught up in the flood, I’d have done the same. Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.

“Her nail salon was flooding,” Lila reminded me.

“He’s not supposed to do good things. He’s supposed to be the screwup, the liar, the guy with stupid frat-boy tricks. He’s not supposed to save babies and children and dogs.”

“Ruth is a wise woman. She left that sitting there, didn’t she? Didn’t wait around to discuss it, didn’t seek you out to talk it through…”

“This is unbelievable.” I riffled through the pages. “No other pictures of me. I was running around putting out fires all day. Well, not fires because it was flooding, but you know what I mean. I’m sure no one even reads the paper anymore.” All of this would be replicated online, shared over social media, its reach far wider than any paper product. There was a grainy video ofGrady on the roof of Callie’s house, looking tall and sure of himself while disaster raged around him. Two small children and a dog with him. Could his PR be any better?

“So wise, that Ruth.” Lila retreated from my desk. “Clearly more seasoned in irate Maggie than me.”

---