Page 24 of The Good Luck Cafe
Gil cleared his throat. “I’ve already spoken to Della. I’ll help Darla find a new spot to relocate. I’ll even help her move. I’ll do whatever I can to make this transition as smooth as possible.”
Moira looked defeated. Gil wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort her, even though he was technically the villain in this story.
“You’ve already done enough, don’t you think?”
***
Gil’s eyelids were hanging heavily, and the world was disappearing little by little as he lay in his bed later that night. Then someone knocked, and Goldie leaped off the bed, charging toward the front of the house.
Gil eyed the digital clock on his nightstand. It was only nine thirty p.m., early by sleep standards, but he was eager to put the day behind him. Who would be visiting this time of night? He sat up and slipped his feet into a pair of slippers. When he got to the front door, he peeked out the peephole.Should’ve known.
Gil opened the door and greeted his brother cheerily despite the fact he’d been pulled out of bed. “Hey, Doug. What are you doing here?”
Doug patted Goldie’s head as she greeted him. “I want to go over the campaign.” He walked past Gil into the house.
Gil closed the door behind his brother and turned. “It’s a little late, isn’t it?”
Doug pulled out a chair at the kitchen table. “Mom and Dad are still up.”
“Did they say you could come over?”
Doug looked offended, not for the first time lately. “I’m twenty-one years old, Gilly.”
“Right. Sorry.” Gil massaged a hand over his face. Technically Doug had become an adult when he’d turned eighteen. It was only within the last couple of months, however, that he’d pointed out the way Gil and their parents were still treating him like a kid. “Would you like a cup of tea or something?” Gil asked, heading toward the kitchen.
“Hot cocoa?” Doug asked.
Gil gave him a strange look. “It’s March, buddy. Hot cocoa is for winter.”
“Who says?”
Gil chuckled softly. “You’re right. You can drink whatever you want whenever you want. I think I’ve got some mix left over in the cabinet.”
“With marshmallows.” His brother offered a wide smile that made his glasses slide down his nose. One thing about Doug was that he could be offended one minute but drop his hard feelings in a quick second. Doug didn’t hold bitterness or grudges. He was as easygoing a guy as they came.
“Of course.” Gil turned toward the cabinet and grabbed the cocoa mix. Then he turned the kettle on and leaned against the counter as he waited for the water to boil. It only took a minute before it was bubbling.
“Here you go.” Gil walked the mug over to his brother, who’d taken a seat at the table. Gil sat down beside him with his own mug of decaf coffee.
“Gilly, you need to run an ad in Reva’s blog,” Doug said from over his cup of hot cocoa, its steam curling in the air and fogging his glasses.
“What do you know about running ads on Reva’s blog?” Gil took a sip of his drink.
“I talk to Reva when I walk Goldie,” Doug said. “She said she’d help me. She said Denise shouldn’t be the only one promoting herself.”
Gil sighed. “If you want to run an ad, that’s fine by me. Just make sure I see it first. And not until after I officially announce my intention to run for reelection. I’ll do that Saturday at the festival.” Gil was guessing everyone already assumed he was running again, but he hadn’t said as much. Hopefully, the announcement would rally his supporters in a big way.
Doug set his mug down. “I had pins made. To go on people’s shirts.Gil Ryan for Mayor.”
Gil sipped his coffee. “That’s great. Thank you.”
“And I’ll be wearing my hat and shirt.” He gestured across his chest. “It saysVote Gil Ryan for Mayor.”
Gil leaned over and laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Best brother ever.”
Doug looked at him. “And campaign manager?”
“Of course. Love you, buddy.”
