Page 131 of Everything Has Changed
Boos cry out through the room as he disappears.
“Coward!”
“Asshole!”
I bite down on my lips to keep my laughter in check when all I want to do is shout the words right alongside them.
“Okay, everyone, let’s settle down.” I speak into the microphone, repeating myself a few times before they finally listen.
My eyes track back over to where I last saw Gwen, my anxiety easing slightly when I look into her eyes again.
“I will get you those contracts. Whatever you need.”
Anything for you.
Gwen nods her head quickly, before she turns on her heel and returns to the shadows of the room.
I want to shout for her to wait. To talk to me. But this wasn’t the time and I could only hope that agreeing to give her what they are asking for will help move us all into the right direction.
46
Gwendolyn
Ahand gently pulls my thumbnail from between my teeth as I sit silently watching the lawyer unpack her briefcase, laying out stacks of pages colorfully tabbed along edges onto the coffee table.
“You’re going to gnaw off your finger if you keep it up,” Piper whispers to me.
I sigh in exasperation. “Sorry, I’m nervous.”
“Really?” My best friend laughs. “We couldn’t tell.” She points down at my leg that is bouncing up and down.
“What if she didn’t find anything?” I whisper.
“I think those tabs might mean she did,” Mitch says from the other side of me.
We had developed a friendship through this ordeal. He spent most days this week interviewing the townspeople and then the rest of the time he was writing in the cafe. I was going to miss his company when he finished his story for the paper and left. Though I have already made him promise he would come back to visit.
“You would be correct, Mr. Shepherd,” the lawyer responded.
Ramona Reilly was an intimidating woman with sharp cheekbones and a sleek black bob that framed her angular face perfectly. Her darkpantsuit was both professional and stylish, but my favorite part of her outfit had to be the red bottom stilettos.
She came highly recommended by Mitch who had worked with her on previous corporate cases he covered for the paper. And lucky for us, she was more than willing to take a look at the Triton Resorts contracts pro bono after hearing our story.
She said it was because she came from a small town herself and knew how much they meant. Mitch says it’s because she loves to take down undeserving rich men. Either way, I’ll be forever grateful she was willing to fly in on such short notice.
“First, I want to make sure you’re okay with everyone in this room discussing this topic.”
I look over to Mitch and to my best friend, before assuring her it was okay. I still didn’t fully agree with the town appointing me as the right person to lead the investigation and fight, but they did so I was going to give them my all.
We all lean forward to look at the pages she turns in our direction.
“This was probably the sloppiest contract I have ever read. Whoever this Antonio guy is needs his license revoked, and then your lovely mayor needs to be fired for being stupid enough to agree to it.”
“From your lips to God’s ears,” Piper mutters.
“They are getting a good deal, but the idiots took the bare minimum. They could have cleaned house with Triton and ran away with the money, but they were too sloppy. The greed reeks off the page, but that’s how powerful men usually fall. Whoever this Logan Spencer guy is that stepped in was the only one really thinking with a bigger picture for the town, while the rest of them didn’t see further than their own wallets. They were giving Triton everything.”
My mind briefly wanders to Logan on the stage last night. He looked so natural up on the stage, speaking from what I believe to behis heart. I had to work hard not to let myself melt for him in front of everyone last night as I approached him. A few well spoken words didn’t automatically fix the betrayal I felt from him.
