Page 141 of Everything Has Changed
“I love you, too,” I whisper, unable to get my voice any higher thanks to the emotion clogging my throat.
She drops her hand, but doesn’t go far as she pulls me in for one more hug.
The bell over the door rings through the cafe, prompting us to turn in preparation to greet another customer, only to find Piper running in with a flushed face and gasping breath as if she ran all the way here.
“Have any of you checked your email yet?” She projects through the diner, her wild eyes going to the couch in the corner then back to us.
I’m about to ask what she’s going on about when multiple phones chime through the room, including my grandmother’s. Simultaneously, we hastily draw out our devices and fumble through getting the app open.
“Another Town Hall meeting?” Mary questions out loud. “Gwen, do you know anything about this one?”
I shake my head, scanning the details. “At the square tonight? I wonder what that’s about.”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Piper muses as she walks around the counter. She glances over her shoulder at Mary who is stepping up to the counter. “Getting any vibes from this, my favorite witchy woman?”
She eyes me before responding. “Nothing new than what I’ve been feeling. Although, I have to admit there is a bit of hopefulness permeating the air that is giving me some excitement.” Her empty mug clinks on the counter and she slides it my way. A sheepish grin forming on her lips.
I roll my eyes, but still refill her cup for the fourth time. “Something tells me that’s just the caffeine high you’re riding right now. Do I need to cut you off?”
I’m not sure if I imagine the hiss I hear as she snatches her mug back up, cradling it to her chest as she scurries back to her seat. The gems and beads dangling from her shawl tinkling as she moves.
“You know,” Ophelia starts. “I don’t usually agree with the woowoo Mary talks about. But I can say I also feel a bit hopeful after that email. I mean, not much could go worse at this point. Maybe they have some answers.” She tosses me a wink. “Especially for you.”
My grandmother walks away to talk to the customer that is studying the bakery goods, pointing to all the confections they want to try.
“Famous last words,” I mutter.
50
Gwendolyn
The whole town seems to be in the square tonight, which isn’t surprising seeing how we all want answers to an unknown amount of questions. The sea of people wraps around the gazebo, which is still decorated for fall from the festival.
A time that seems like forever ago, now.
The crowd—which had been full of nonstop anxious chatter—begins to quiet down as heads turned toward the gazebo.
Piper nudges my side and I follow her finger toward the side stairs leading to the platform. My breath catches in my throat as I take in Logan.
He’s wearing what I like to consider his signature uniform; navy blue slacks with a brown belt and a crisp white button down. But there’s something different. It’s not in the way his brown hair is combed back or the smile on his face as he politely shakes hands with a man in the crowd before he ascends to the stage. It's something I can't quite put my finger on.
I don’t dare breathe too heavily out of fear that I might miss a single word he says when he calls attention to himself.
“Thank you all for coming out tonight on such short notice. I didn’t want to delay this announcement. There are already a few rumors swirling around,” he raises a browaround the crowd, eliciting a few chuckles. “I want to make sure we are all on the same page. I meant it when I told you I wanted to be transparent with all of you. My father, Richard Spencer, has been arrested and effective immediately has been removed from his position as the mayor of Willow Grove.”
Chatter grows around us, but he quickly grabs everyone’s attention again. It was shocking to see that they listened, quieting down almost instantly when he raised his hand to slow them down.
“I can’t go into too much of thewhyas there is an ongoing investigation, but I promise to share as much as I can with everyone as I am allowed. We are cooperating fully with the authorities to help ease the process and I hope that you will do the same, as that is something I wanted to give you a heads up on. Some of you will be requested to come in for an interview. I ask that you also cooperate with them. Please be truthful with whatever information you can give them to keep the investigation as quick and painless as possible. And if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask them.”
A hand raises quickly in the air and Logan points to them to speak.
“What about Triton Resorts and the merger?”
Logan rubs his hand over his jaw, gathering his thoughts before speaking. His eyes scan the people in front of him while he does so. I wonder if he can even pick people out or if it’s just a blob of faces mixed together from there. At least I wonder until his gaze lands directly on me.
His entire body visibly relaxes like he had been looking for me this whole time. And now that he did, his anxiety begins to fade away. His lips lift on one side in a grin that sends a swarm of butterflies through my stomach.
“I am happy to report that, thanks to the dedication of some special people, the contracts have all been killed. The merger betweenWillow Grove and Triton Resorts will not be continuing as originally planned.”
