Page 76 of The Good Luck Cafe
“I vote Doug Ryan for mayor this year,” Gil said, glancing at his brother over his shoulder.
“You’re the mayor, and you’re staying mayor,” Doug announced.
Gil turned back to his coffeepot, which wasn’t brewing nearly fast enough for his liking. “Well, I have two competitors. My future role in this town is up to the voters.”
“We will convince them you’re the best choice,” Doug said.
Gil had always had a good self-image. It was just here lately, when some folks were more vocal about their dissatisfaction over some of his choices, that he was struggling.
“Why don’t you want people to know you’re buying Moira flowers?” Doug asked.
Gil sighed. He hadn’t exactly told Doug he was seeing Moira romantically, but Doug had likely seen her over the other night when Gil had prepared a candlelit dinner by the lake. “Because Moira is running for mayor too. I don’t know how it would look to folks if they knew we were dating.” Gil shrugged. “I don’t want people to be talking more about who she’s dating than what her ideas and values are.”
“What about you?” Doug asked.
Gil faced his brother. “I’m already mayor. I have experience. And I’m a guy. Sad to say, but sometimes people aren’t as forgiving to women about stuff like this. I just want the focus on Moira to be her platform and what she’s passionate about.”
Doug looked disappointed. “Moira is my real-life hero, but so are you, Gilly.”
“Well, you’re my hero,” Gil told Doug. “You always have been.”
***
Moira took a bite of her bagel and then halfway choked on it as Darla read Reva’s latest bullet point on her blog.
“Gil is buying someone flowers? Who is he buying flowers for?” Darla asked.
Moira beat a hand to her chest, making the bite of bagel go down her suddenly very dry throat.
Darla eyed Moira. “Did you read Reva’s blog this morning, sweetheart?”
Moira ducked her head under her mom’s watchful gaze. “No, I don’t read that stuff if I can help it.” Which was only partly true. A lot of days, Moira glossed over it just to ensure her name wasn’t there. “Gil could have been buying flowers for anyone. A sick friend. His mom. Reva is reaching for news with that one.”
Darla placed her phone down on the table in front of her. “You were great on WTI-News last night, by the way. I can’t believe how poised and well-spoken you are. You are going to make an excellent mayor, sweetie. Nothing against Gil. I love him. But you’re my daughter. I have to root for you.”
Moira sipped her coffee. “You don’thaveto root for me, but thank you for your vote,” she said. “The other night I was having a few second thoughts about running. Gil was actually the one who talked me out of dropping out.”
Darla narrowed her eyes. “Oh? And when did you talk to Gil?”
Moira popped a piece of bagel into her mouth. “After the interview.”
When Darla didn’t immediately say anything, Moira looked up. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
The corners of Darla’s mouth twitched in a barely there smile. “You saw Gil after your six o’clock interview? That must have been at least seven o’clock. Where did you see him?”
Moira glanced around the bakery, making sure no one was eavesdropping. Then she shrugged as if it were no big deal. “He came to my house, just to congratulate me on the news segment.”
“Mm-hmm. He could have called to tell you what a great job you’d done.”
“I guess he could have. He was probably just in the area,” Moira said, wishing she hadn’t disclosed that little nugget of information for her mom to run with. Her mom didn’t get a chance to run with anything though, because Gil walked over to their table.
“Morning, ladies,” he said in that deep Gil voice.
Goose bumps rose over Moira’s skin, and she felt her own cheeks flush. Darla would be the one to notice. She felt her mom’s eyes trained on her. In her mind’s eye, Moira could practically see the giddy expression on her mom’s face.
“Morning, Mayor Gil. How are you?” Darla asked, her voice a little more cheerful than usual.
“Doing well, thanks. Morning, Moira. How are you?” he asked, forcing her to look at him.
