Page 42 of Rival Hearts

“You had no problem nailing Trent’s coffin shut.”

“So fucking melodramatic. He’s not dead. He did a bit of time. Lots of people got a record.” Dan shuffled some gum on the counter. “I heard he landed on his feet. Mayor Maggie loved him enough to hook him up.” Dan smirked. “Always felt a bit of envy for Trent being able to bang her while she was still in high school. So fucking uptight, but I bet she was a tiger in the—”

My hand, unattached to my brain, connected with Dan’s face. A satisfyingcrackechoed through the store, and Dan’s fingers flew to his nose, where blood started to leak out.

Mentioning Maggie had tipped the scales. People couldn’t talk about her like that, especially not Dan. I shook out my hand, flexing it. Now I remembered why I didn’t do that.

Dan chuckled, grabbing some tissues from under the counter. “You feel better? We square now?”

“We’ll never be square. And if I ever hear you talking about Maggie Sullivan like that again, I’ll start pushing so many corporate bylaws down your throat, it’ll feel like you’re gagging on them.” In that moment, I was grateful for the ‘mayor school’ Kelvin had been making me attend during lunch hours at his office. I wasn’t sure I had the specifics right, but the phrasing sounded good.

I was tempted to leave without paying for my gas. But Dan had proven himself a snake once. There was no point in giving someone like him leverage. I threw forty dollars on the counter and left the station without a backward glance.

Too wound up to go to Utica, I found myself on Kelvin’s doorstep. The outside of the gray brick two-story was immaculate with flower beds, and his hanging baskets were still going strong despite the cooling September weather.

“What’s up, man?” Kelvin asked when he answered the door.

“Came for a beer.”

He chuckled and stepped back to let me into his house. We did a lot of our planning in Kelvin’s office or at the train station.

Unlike my place, Kelvin’s house looked like he’d had it professionally decorated. Everything was neutral tones, uncomfortable-looking furniture, and wide-open spaces. I liked the fact my old run-down place had lots of walls.

“Sorry to drop in without calling.” I scanned the room, looking for a good place to sit.

“What’s going on? You seem wound up.” Kelvin waved me into the kitchen.

The white kitchen was blinding, every surface shiny and probably disinfected a dozen times this morning alone. I slidonto a stool and accepted the beer Kelvin offered, even though it wasn’t quite noon.

“It’s been a hell of a morning.” I tipped the beer and chugged it dry.

He chuckled. “Give me the highlights.”

“Maggie showed up and lost her mind over Sabrina stealing her campaign signs and putting them in my shed.”

A choking sound drew my attention as Kelvin tried to keep his beer in his mouth. “You gotta be kidding me. Did you know?”

“Of course I didn’t fucking know.”

“Did you ask Sabrina about it yet?”

I shifted on the stool and avoided meeting Kelvin’s gaze. “She was there when Maggie showed up.”

“What time was this?” He furrowed his brow.

“Too early.”

“Jesus, Grady. Please tell me you’re not fucking Sabrina Kim.”

I held up a finger in Kelvin’s direction. “I am not fucking Sabrina Kim.”

“You know stealing someone’s campaign signs is a felony.”

With a wry smile, I said, “I do know that. Guess who told me?”

Kelvin laughed. “Maggie. If I wasn’t gay, and in a relationship, you’d have a run for your money landing her. She’s fucking brilliant.”

Warmth settled across my chest at Kelvin’s words. The memory of the look on Maggie’s face as we’d stood toe-to-toe outside my house pushed out the warmth, leaving a chill in its place. “She’s not too happy with me.”

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