Page 22 of Snowed In With the Maverick
A municipal official took to the stage moments later and tapped on the microphone, and the buzz of the crowd quieted slightly.
“Good evening, everyone,” the man said. “I want to start off by thanking my staff, the good people of the township of Tenacity, who worked hard to make this election run smoothly and get your votes counted carefully and expediently.” A smatter of impatient applause sounded. The man cleared his throat. “I’m pleased to announce your winner, by a slim but undeniable margin. Please join me in congratulating the winner of Tenacity’s mayoral election, Mr. Marty Moore!”
The reaction of the crowd was a mixture of celebration and a murmur of surprise. People in Tenacity talked to one another, and it was clear, at least among everyone Andrea had spoken with, that the majority had planned to vote for anyone other than Marty Moore. But then again, as Andrea well knew, people sometimes said one thing and did another.
Still, she was disappointed as she looked to the side of the stage and saw JenniLynn, as well as Ellis Corey and Graham Callahan, shaking Marty’s hand, trying their best to mask their disappointment.
Graham took to the microphone first. “I think I speak for all of us who ran for this position. We congratulate Marty Moore and look forward to having him take Tenacity to new heights.” He kept his speech short and sweet, and Ellis spoke next, not saying much of anything different, but wishing him well and thanking the crowd for their support.
When JenniLynn took the mic, someone shouted from the back of the crowd. “We love you, JenniLynn! Don’t give up!”
JenniLynn smiled a weak smile and waved, then leaned over the mic. “You haven’t seen the last of me,” she said, to a roar of applause from the crowd. “Congratulations to you, Mr. Mayor, and know that you have the full support of your town. Tenacity shows up for each other. Together.”
A loud round of applause followed as JenniLynn waved to the crowd and joined Ellis and Graham at the foot of the stage.
Marty scaled the steps with a winner’s bounce and barely acknowledged JenniLynn as he grabbed the mic from the podium. “Fellow citizens of our fine town, I stand before you today not merely as the newly elected mayor of this charming and industrious community but as a testament to the enduring power of excellence.”
Andrea glanced over at Seth and raised an eyebrow. He shook his head.
Marty wasn’t finished. “It is with a sense of profound achievement that I accept this mantle of leadership, a role for which I have been both impeccably prepared and unreservedly destined.”
“Laying it on a little thick, isn’t he?” Seth murmured in her ear.
“Gross,” Andrea agreed.
“I intend to steer this town toward unprecedented prosperity, and I assure you that under my stewardship, mediocrity will not be tolerated. To my rivals, your efforts have served to illuminate the path to my victory, and for that, I am appreciative.”
Andrea glanced over at JenniLynn, whose face didn’t betray any emotion.
Seth scoffed. “Let’s get out of here, shall we?” he said.
“I’ve heard enough,” said Andrea, and together they wove their way back through the other residents listening to Marty’s pompous speech and mulling over the results of the election.
Away from the small crowd and under the glow of the streetlamp, Andrea dug through her purse for her keys, then turned to Seth before unlocking her car door. “It’s funny,” she said. “I’ve only lived here for—what is it now—just over eight weeks. But I’m disappointed about the results. I feel protective about the town.”
Seth nodded. “It’s your home,” he said. “That makes sense.”
“It’s my home,” she echoed, the full truth of it truly settling in. It might be a little rough around the edges, but for all its remoteness and a pace that crept along a little slower than she was used to, shelikedTenacity. And she knew that part of her newfound attachment had something to do with the man standing in front of her, who had his eye on making it an even better place to be.
“Get home safe,” Seth said. “And don’t worry. Marty Moore might be a blowhard. But he’s only one person. And this town has a lot of other things going for it. Including,” he dipped his chin a little, “a certain entrepreneur who’s going to be showing people from out of town what a great little place this is.”
Andrea warmed at the compliment. “Thank you, Seth,” she said, then opened the door and slid into her front seat.
“Tomorrow,” he said, eyeing her car. “Let me give you a hand picking up those silent auction items. I’ve got another vehicle that has a bit more space than yours. I’ll bring it when I come back to town tomorrow. I’m supposed to be meeting up with Barrett Deroy and Brent Woodson. They’re working on a foundation whose goal is to restore Tenacity to its earlier glory. You should join us.”
Andrea paused. Another full day with Seth? The alarm bells were still ringing, albeit a bit more faintly now. But while her Jeep was a decent size, she’d have to do a few trips to manage all the drop-offs. “You sure you don’t mind?”
“All in the name of supporting the Tenacity city rebuild fund,” Seth said. “And meeting with Barrett and Brent will only help our cause down the road.”
She knew, however, that it had more to do with her than the fundraiser and the park, but she was happy to go along with that story.
Chapter Nine
Andrea opened the door the next day to find Seth on the front steps, and behind him, a black Land Rover idling in her driveway. She was starting to get used to this. Maybe one day he’d walk right on in through the door and make himself at home, as if he belonged there—an idea that sent a flicker of something warm through her.
“All set?” he asked. He peered over her shoulder at the new wall. “Now, that,” he said, “is some top-notch trim.”
“Thanks to you,” Andrea said. “I’m still not happy you won’t let me pay you back, though.”
