Page 23 of Wildfire
“Maybe they’ll fall for her as hard as you are and ask her to join them.”
“Wha—? I don’t know what you’re talking about, old man.”
“Son, I haven’t seen that look in your eye since Sadie.”
“And Renée has big dreams, just like Sadie did. I won’t make the mistake of trying to compete with that again.”
“What if you don’t have to?”
I take a swig of my beer and scratch at the scruff growing on my jaw. I’d been so wrapped up in work and Renée I haven’t gotten around to shaving.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“What if she decides this is where she wants to be?”
“Can we not talk about this?” I finish my beer and walk toward the recycling bin. “I’m going to head home and start dinner.”
“Better make it for one. Your mother is working her magic and won’t bring Renée home anytime soon.”
“She’s just a guest, Buzz. Not my girlfriend. Not my wife.”
“Not for long.” He winks at me, and I shake my head in disbelief. But I’d be lying if I don’t admit feeling lonely driving back home, knowing she won’t be there.
When I get home, I call the mayor, Serena Davis. Buzz was right. I need to get ahead of this.
“Davis, it’s Cole. I know it’s dinner time, and I’m sorry for interrupting…”
“I’m just now changing into my running shoes and was going to call you tonight. What’s going on?”
“Well, you’re aware of the fires, but I think something fishy is happening. I think we need to call an emergency town meeting.”
“That’s precisely why I was going to call you. People are starting to talk.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“I can arrange something tomorrow afternoon. Town hall at four o’clock?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Great. And Cole?”
“Yeah?”
“Has your brother mentioned anything?”
“My brother?”
“Cody. Has he had any problems up in the park?”
“None that I’ve heard of. Want me to invite him tomorrow?”
“N—No! Sorry… I didn’t... I just mean, if he hasn’t said anything to you, it’s probably fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow, Davis.”
Serena Davis might be the youngest mayor our little town has ever had, but she is damn good at it. She is a third-generation shop owner by day— she runs the small mercantile down the street from the firehouse. Being mayor doesn’t pay much, but she treats her second job like it is the most important thing she does. And I respect her for that.
It is still warm out, and I decide to swim before cooking dinner. One of the things I love most about this place is the lake. Fifty feet out my back door, and I’m knee-deep in cool mountain-fed water. The land surrounding the lake is all private, so there isn’t a lot of traffic, and none of it is from motorized boats. Once a year, there’s a rowboat race during the festival, and other than that, only the lucky few of us who bought land here years ago get to enjoy it. I’d feel bad if it weren’t for the fact that there’s another, much larger lake just down the road, surrounded by parkland and wide open for the public to use.
