Page 77 of Fast and Dirty

“Don’t worry about it honey,” Agnes chirps from behind the rascal steering wheel. “He just didn’t wake up from his last nap,” she explains as I bustle over to lean down and hug her. It’s only been three days but it feels like three years since I’ve seen the best friend I’ve made in this town.

“Thanks for the welcome,” West casts his eyes briefly up to the homemade banner over the street, before leaning down to give our geriatric friend a hug. It prompts me to look up at it again, still trying to process this new reality. First lady? Must just be some affectionate joke from these lovely town folk. And the paint is a bright cheerful red, although the paint hasn’t completely dried, making the big letters kind of runny. It’s very serial killer - esque, but I’m too touched to care.

Agnes staggers out of her rascal and approaches us, fishing for something in her giant shoulder bag.

“Well Mr. Mayor… this has been the most fucked up day in Coyote Creek history. What do you say we go big or go home?” She asks, whipping out her cell phone, and then what appears to be a Bible.

How is her skin not sizzling holding that?”

“Agnes,” West lowers his voice to the octave that means he thinks he might need to handle some business. It’s hot. “What are you doing?”

“She’s in a dress, and she’s here to stay,” she waves her hand at me. “Better make it official before that well-dressed penis comes back and tries to think of another way to haul her out of here.”

West turns to me, an eyebrow quirked in interest. “She’s not wrong.”

“Best proposal ever.” I shake my head at him laughing.

He stares back at me for a moment with just the faintest of smiles as if he’s trying to figure out how to do better. And then taking my hands, he sinks to his knees.

“Everything about us has been fast and crazy.”

“Don’t forget kind of dirty.” I smirk down at him.

“But I’m in love with you and I don’t want to slow down. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“Neither have I.” My words come out on a sigh that’s lightly serrated by a sob. Pussy. “And I love you too.”

West tips his head coyly to the side. “So will you marry me?”

“Duh,” I sniff. “I mean yes!”

“Is now a good time?” He gets back to his feet and tears spring to the corners of my eyes as I vigorously nod.

“You know, my calendar actually just opened up,” I answer, throwing my arms around him and planting my lips on his.

Hoots and hollers erupt around us as well as applause because of course it does. This is a romcom.

In the next half hour, our paperwork is expedited, Agnes takes us through our I dos and we’re kissing on the front steps of the town hall. Of course there’s more applause and I’m being pelted with rice once again.

“Enough with the rice, Toby!” I shriek over my shoulder at my man of honor who’s crying like a sap.

West takes my hand and turns towards our loving community. “Next order of business!” His voice booms. “Reception at the Crafty Coyote in an hour!”

“You got it, mayor!” Someone in the crowd responds as I cuddle Wests arm on our way down the steps.

“You got married and elected mayor in one day, you fucking overachiever.”

“We’ll see who’s the overachiever when we have a festival for every season and that Inn is restored to its original state,” he growls back playfully.

“What are we going to do for an hour by the way?”

“We’re going home so I can fuck you in that dress again,” he answers and Vaggie-Sue snorts awake in her panty-hammock.

“Yes!” I cheer, giving her control from here out.

EPILOGUE

The following features scenes and characters from an upcoming Holiday Novella series written by Christina Berry, Natalie Parker, and Lizzie Stanley

---