Page 26 of Mountain Freedom
“Were you planning on going to the dance at town hall tonight?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Why? Need me to clock some extra hours?”
“Well, sort of,” he said, looking pained. “I was actually hoping you’d go to the dance, make an appearance.”
“Are you not going?” I asked, suddenly curious. Sheriff Morrison thought it was important to attend as many events as possible to show that he was part of the community and working to make it better for everyone.
He shook his head. “Janet’s got a bad cold. I want to stay home and take care of her, but I had already promised the mayor I would call out the raffle winners. I’d owe you one if you covered for me.”
“No problem. I’ll handle it.”
“Thank you.” He breathed a sigh of relief.
“Tell Janet to feel better soon.”
“I will. And seriously, I owe you one.”
He moved away from the desk and my mind drifted again. Did Allison know about the dance? She might not, since she had just gotten to town and wasn’t really in the know yet. But it would be a great opportunity for her to start showing up as amember of the community and building rapport, just like Greg had.
But I didn’t want to invite her in a way that would make it seem like I was asking her on a date. Even though we had made our pact the night before, inviting someone to a dance was different. In fact, I had made a point ofalwaysattending these things alone so I didn’t give anyone the wrong impression.
We didn’t have to go together though. I could just shoot her a message and let her know about it. I grabbed my phone before I overthought the whole thing.
Jackson: Hey, has anyone told you about the dance at town hall tonight?
Allison: Oh my goodness, are they still having those things?
Jackson: Yep. Every quarter.
Allison: Wow. Some things never change. Well, to answer your question, no, I didn’t know about it. Why?
Jackson: Might be good for you to make an appearance. Greg—Sheriff Morrison—was an outsider too. Replaced Sheriff Joe Hemsworth. Remember him?
Allison: Ah, good old Sheriff Joe. Of course I remember him.
Jackson: Then you know he was as beloved as Doc Rogers. Greg faced the same kind of battle you are, but he’s gained acceptance and respect. Part of how he did it was showing up at every town function he could, proving he cared about the community.
Allison: Ugh. I always hated those things. But you’re right. What time does it start?
Jackson: Six.
Allison: Will you be there?
Jackson: I’ll be there.
Allison: Then I’ll see you tonight. ??
I staredat my phone for a minute. It wasn’t a date. We weren’t even going together. But her little smile when I said I’d be there felt more important than it should.
As a kid, I’d been half in love with Allison Bell.
As an adult, I couldn’t let that happen again.
Chapter Eleven
Allison
I tooka deep breath when I pulled up to the town hall. The parking lot was already nearly full, suggesting these dances were still as popular as they had been when I was a kid. Based on the stragglers who’d arrived late, it appeared this was a tradition held by the older crowd. Jackson and I might be the youngest in attendance by a few decades.
