Page 77 of The Good Luck Cafe
When she did, her heart melted a little. She was falling hard and fast for this man. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep her feelings a secret for long, especially around her mom. Her friends already knew. It was just a matter of time before everyone had figured out who was on the receiving end of Gil’s flowers. “I’m good. Mom was just telling me I have her vote.”
Gil grinned. “I should hope so, seeing that you’re family.”
“If I could vote twice, Mayor Gil, I would.” Darla cast him an apologetic glance.
“You sound like Sheriff Ronnie. He said the same thing. If I have to run against someone though, your daughter is a good choice. I’d vote for her, too, if it didn’t mean booting myself out of a job.” His gaze snagged on Moira’s, and she couldn’t look away. “Congrats again on a great news interview last night.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Yeah, I hear you went by her home personally to tell her just how well she did,” Darla said, brows lifting.
Gil glanced at Moira, a nervous smile twitching at the corners of his lips.
She cast him an apologetic look. She had never been all that great at keeping secrets. Except for the one about Felix. That was something she never wanted to talk about with anyone. Partly because she wished she had handled the aftermath better instead of landing herself in jail.
“I did drop by Moira’s. Just briefly.” He shifted back and forth on his feet. “Well, I guess I should probably go get my caffeine fix.”
“Bailey’s working the counter this morning,” Darla told him. “Pretty soon Moira and her friends will all have to find a new place to grab coffees. Maybe you can take Moira around and help her find a just-right spot.”
Yeah, Darla was onto Moira and Gil’s relationship. And now that Reva had put the word out that Gil was purchasing flowers at Somerset Florist, it was only a matter of time before everyone would know.
“I’d love to do that,” he said, gaze lingering on Moira.
She suppressed the need to argue that Sweetie’s wasn’t going anywhere. Nothing was set in stone.
“See you later,” Gil told the two.
“Yes, I’m sure you will,” Darla teased, giving Moira a hard stare. “He bought those flowers for you, didn’t he?” she asked, once Gil had walked toward the front counter.
Moira looked down at her bagel, picking a piece off. She rolled it into a doughy ball between her fingers. “I’m pleading the Fifth.”
“I knew it! I am so excited for you two. Wait. How can you be dating your rival?”
“He’s not my rival, Mom.” Moira looked around the bakery and made sure no one was close enough to even read lips. In this town, information was gold. “We’re not looking at the campaign that way. We both just happen to want the same thing, and only one of us can have it.” Moira glanced at the time on her phone. “Keep this on the down-low, okay? Don’t tell Aunt Lois. Don’t even tell Dad.”
Darla pretended to zip her lips. “My lips are sealed.”
“Good. Thank you.” Moira stood and collected her half-full cup of coffee. Once upon a time, she would have thought of it as half-empty. Things were looking up though. Her perspective was brighter under the glow of new dreams and a romantic interest. “I have to get to the dispatch.”
Darla reached for her hand and squeezed. “I am so thrilled for you, sweetheart.”
“Thank you, Mom. It’s new so it might not amount to much.” Moira shrugged, telling her mom the same thing she’d been trying to tell herself.This might be short-lived.Don’t get my hopes up. Prepare my heart to be broken.
“Or,” Darla said, trailing off for a beat, “it might amount to a new son-in-law for me one of these days.”
“Mom!” Moira said in a hushed whisper. “We’re barely dating. Don’t marry me off just yet.”
***
Two days later, Moira headed over to Lakeside Books at six p.m., holding a box of cookies from Choco-Lovers. Moira set the box on the coffee table in the back of the store and curled up in her favorite leather recliner there. “Jana sends her love.”
“Anyone else sending their love?” Lucy asked in a singsong voice.
The newest member of the book club, Lara, looked between the two women. “What’s that about? Did I miss something?”
All the women were tuned in to the conversation now.
“Does this have anything to do with Reva’s bullet point this week, saying that Gil was buying flowers for some lucky lady?” Trisha asked, one hand rubbing her belly.
