Page 115 of Summer Tease
“With that in mind,” I continue, “I’d like to show you the following video, assembled from footage I took over the past few weeks.”
The councilmembers’ eyes are all on me as I press play.
As the footage rolls, I find my gaze flitting to Beau over and over. Every time, he’s looking at me, not the video. If I could bottle up that look in his eyes and see it when I look in the mirror every morning, I’d be the most confident woman on the planet.
A throat clears, and I break my gaze away from Beau’s.
Oh. The video ended.
I clear my throat, hoping it was just a few seconds they were waiting.
“This is just a very small sampling of what I watched Officer Palmer do,” I continue, slightly warm. “One of the most poignant instances I observed of him at work didn’t get captured at all. Officer Palmer stepped in when my own safety was in danger—you heard him refer to that in the encounter the other day. He had no time to prepare for this presentation because hespent all yesterday helping with a manatee rescue and all today helping at the fundraiser.
“Councilmembers, I don’t stand before you today as an impartial observer of Officer Palmer—and I definitely don’t stand before you as someone who hates him. No one’s opinion of him changed more than mine did. I stand before you fully and completely convinced of his dedication and value as Sunset Harbor’s only law enforcement officer. Officer Palmer already puts in more than the hours of a full-time law enforcement officer. Your island is benefitting from that, whether you’ve realized it or not. If you want to keep him, and I know you do, it’s time to compensate him accordingly. He deserves it. I hope you can demonstrate that you deserve him too. Thank you.”
Applause erupts around the room as I head back to my seat. Beau stands up and pulls me into his arms. “You,” he says, his voice husky. “Don’t ever make me cry like that again.”
I laugh into his shoulder as the applause begins to die down. I wish I could just stay like this indefinitely, but this is a government meeting, so I pull back and take my seat again.
“Thank you, Miss Sawyer,” Mayor Barnes says. “I feel confident we can put this matter to a vote.”
I grab Beau’s hand, my nerves returning in full force.
He leans over to me and whispers, “I don’t even care about the job right now. I got what I want most.” His lips press to my cheek.
“All in favor of changing Sunset Harbor’s law enforcement officer position to full-time, please raise your hand.”
All five hands go up at the table. Around us, unsolicited votes pop up until every hand in the room but Beau’s and mine are raised. I add mine to the fray.
“Any opposed?” The hands all drop, and the room is silent. “Officer Palmer, the voting appears to be unanimous.”
Beau brings my hand to his lips and kisses my knuckles. “You did it.”
I shake my head. “That was all you.”
Mayor Barnes discusses the steps that have to be taken to formalize the change, but I hardly hear a word he says until they start to close the meeting and Beau raises his hand.
Mayor Barnes’s brow lifts. “Did you want to say a few words?”
“Not about the full-time issues—at least, not apart from a huge thank you to the council and to Gemma.” He looks down at me with a smile. “But I actually hoped I could pop up there real quick and…” He doesn’t finish, but it’s clear he and the mayor are silently communicating.
“Since she’s here,” Beau says.
I can only assume he’s referring to me, but I have no idea what he means.
“Oh!” Mayor Barnes says. “Right. Of course. Come on up.”
“Thank you,” Beau says, letting go of my hand and walking to the front.
I look around, wondering if I’m the only one confused by this turn of events. The eyes that meet mine in the audience smile at me.
I’m more confused than ever.
“As you know,” Beau says to the audience and council, “yesterday, we held a fundraiser for the community pool. We were fortunate to raise a significant amount of money to put toward that project.”
A bunch of nods follow this.
“Everyone in this room but one”—his eyes fix on me—“is also aware of a separate but somewhat related effort that happened over the past few days, culminating today. Gemma, I’ve had a number of people reach out to me since the last council meeting, expressing concern about the effect of its result on you and your grandma. Similar concerns were voiced about the message the community pool project might send your family given the history surrounding the subject. Elaine Pruitt”—hesmiles at her—“suggested we as a community do something to send twostrongermessages to our Sawyer friends.”
