Chapter 20 – Kira
KIRA
O kay, I got this.
I march up the steps of the small and quaint city hall.
I not only have a permit in hand all filled out and ready to be signed, but also a typed-up proposal and sales pitch to get the mayor to say yes to having a fun shindig in the town.
And if all goes well, I’ll be applying to have one every season to give residents something to look forward to as well as driving-distance out of towners.
After doing surprisingly little research, I found that you simply pick up a permit from the clerk, and because this town is so stinking small, you actually present it to the mayor yourself. Apparently he doesn’t have much to do.
Finding his door at the end of the hallway, I briskly rap my knuckles against it and wait… for a while. After a few minutes, I rap again, and there’s still no answer. I’m thinking over what to do next, when I hear a loud snort on the other side of the door.
I try the door, lightly push it open, and I’ve found him.
The respectable mayor of Coyote Creek is hard at work, sawing logs in his chair with his feet kicked up on his desk and his head dangling off one of his chair arms. His mouth is hung open in a less than flattering position as he snores away.
Well this is awkward .
“Mayor Wineberger?” I softly utter his name and it gets me nothing but another snort. “Mayor Wineberger?” I say a little louder.
“Zzzzzz!”
I look around, wondering if I should just leave the damn thing on his desk but I don’t like taking the chance of him not noticing it.
Thankfully, my eyes fall on a small bell at the edge of his desk. Tiny and bronze, it is a replica of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. Ring for service, right? Here goes…
I give the bell a little tinkle and the mayor shoots up ramrod straight in his chair.
“SNORT! Wha? What the? Is dinner ready?”
“Um… no,” I answer. “It’s ten in the morning. I’m Kira, by the way,” I give him a little wave.
“Oh.” He shifts his loafered feet off his desk and wiggles around in his seat, trying to straighten up. “How can I help you, young lady?” He finishes by adjusting his unbelievably thick glasses.
“Well, I just needed you to sign off on having a festival here in town in a few weeks.”
“Mmm, what kind of festival?” He sniffs.
“Just something simple.” I shake my head and roll my shoulders.
“Something that would give all the local businesses and hobbyists to share with each other, and have a good time. Also -” I feel my eyebrows go up when I remember the other reason I’m here.
“I was hoping to get your permission to start a town Facebook page.”
“Well what in Sam Hell is that?” He scowls curiously up at me and his bushy eyebrows knit together. He’s adorable.
“It’s like a bulletin board, but on the internet.
That way I can spread the word easier, and maybe even attract people from other places nearby.
Oh, and when people are looking for jobs, employers can post their needs for help, and it’s good for small communities to have for things like neighborhood watch…
” I tr ail off when the poor guy’s eyeballs look to be going in two different directions as he tries to keep up with me.
I stop, giving him time to process, and he takes that moment to stare at me from behind his magnified lenses.
“Sounds super,” he finally answers, his face unreadable, but still, I offer a thankful smile. “And you don’t need anything from me?” he asks, waving his little hands over his desk.
“No… just the permission,” I assure him, and he gives a forward wave and I set the permit down on this desk.
He makes a feeble scribble and hands it back to me. “Have Dottie process it for you, and you’re all set!” He barely finishes his sentence before he drops his face onto his desk, his poor little old body clearly demanding nap number nine of the day.
I let him sleep as I skip down the hall and out of the building, ready to get started.
“So… I kind of took the crazy up a notch…” I confess to West as we barrel down the two-lane highway towards the town of Westbridge, only eight miles away from the Creek, as I’m now referring to it along with the rest of the town folk.
“What do you mean?” West grins, not taking his eyes off the road.
That grin - I swear, mixed with the smell of his body wash and aftershave and pheromones galore…
it does things to me. Things I cannot act on, as this man has informed me he is not going to bed me tonight.
He declared when he picked me up that he wanted to take me on a proper date.
Apparently I’ve been stealing his virtue with all our hot hookups and he wants to be romantic and a gentleman tonight.
It’s sweet and swoony and totally turns me on and makes me want to get in his pants - with his consent of course.
“I mean… I kind of decided to start… an event?” I squint one eye and chew on the corner of my lip. I’m literally cringing, feel ing like I barged into this town to take it over, but I swear, it’s not what I’m trying to do.
West lets out a silent chuckle, reaching for my hand and lacing our fingers together in my lap. His hands are clean but no less calloused. “Out with it,” he lightly commands.
“I’m planning a festival,” the words zip out of my mouth and his eyebrows rise.
“What made you decide to do that?”
“I don’t know!” I throw my free hand up, feeling exasperated. “I just really like this town and the people in it, and I guess I wanted to do something fun, both with them and for them?”
“It’s sweet, princess,” he gives my hand a squeeze and his words give one to my heart. “So is this something you do a lot? Event planning? Or just when you crash land your spaceship in middle-of-nowhere towns?”
“No, not usually.” I shake my head because it’s just as much a mystery to me. “I think this newfound freedom has made me drunk with ambition.”
We roll into Westbridge, and West takes a couple of turns and pulls into the lot of a respectable looking restaurant.
“So tell me about the festival.” He crosses his arms, resting them on the table after we’ve placed our orders.
But seriously, how can I concentrate on telling him my name, let alone any elaborate plans right now when he’s sitting there in his plaid button-down shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and taunting me with his forearm porn? I like him dirty, but lord have mercy he cleans up good.
“Well.” I clear my throat and fold my hands on the table, trying to take a stab at it anyway.
“I thought it would be a good way for the whole town to get together and have fun with each other while also showcasing their services and products. There could be vendors, or activities…I’m kind of just thinking out loud right now.
” I glance up at the ceiling to see if it has any other ideas.
“Oh!” West’s eyes widen, showing me just how pretty they are.
“I did already get a permit from the mayor and st arted a Facebook page for the town so that maybe people from towns nearby would like to come check it out.”
“Wow.” Our beers are set down in front of us and he reaches for his with one hand and across the table for my hand with the other.
“That’s actually really genius.” He looks at me over the edge of his pint glass as he takes a drink.
He seems impressed but not in a surprised way, like the clueless rich girl can accomplish something other than getting a manicure.
And yet, I’m curious to know what part about this he finds genius.
“How do you mean?” I squint my eyes, reaching for my BushyTail. The beer that is.
He sets his glass down with a thud and licks his lips. He better not be serious about no sex tonight. “I mean, you’re taking small steps to promote the town. The Facebook page, the festival. People around the tri-state area are likely to see it as a way to get out of their houses.”
“You should definitely partner with me on this.”
“I don’t know about that,” he chuckles but gives my fingers a squeeze. “But I know I damn sure want to partner with you in other ways.”
“Ooh, in bed?”
“Dammit woman, I’m more than just a good lay. I’m talking I want to be your man,” he huffs.
“Really?” I let out a stupid giggle.
“If all this crazy shit like running a festival means you’re sticking around, then yes.”
“Then it’s settled,” I give a prim smile. “I’m your girlfriend. So we can have sex tonight without you feeling used.”
He lets out a hearty laugh before kissing my fingers and releasing my hand as our food is delivered. As soon as the server disappears he looks at me pointedly. “I’m still not putting out. I need a little romance every now and then.”
I feel my cheeks pink up at the notion. This ex con mechanic with the dirty mouth gives enough of a shit that he doesn’t want to cheapen what we have by basing the relationship on sex - even though it started that way. And all of a sudden, I’m more than okay with that.
“Sounds nice,” I concede before I dig into my dinner.
Somewhere in the middle of the meal, West gets a far off look in his eyes.
“What?” I ask, setting my fork down. I can tell somethings going on in those eyes.
“I just had a thought,” he says, mouth still full but he hides it behind his fist. “What if the Rolls was finished and on display at the festival?”
“Like to sell?”
“Possibly,” he swallows and nods before continuing. “I could run a silent auction, and if no high rollers come through and bite, then oh well, it at least added a nice visual to the event.”
“And showcase the kinds of things you can pull off at Shane Auto,” I point at him and his eyes widen.
He rests his elbows on the table and crumples a napkin between his hands. “Fucking genius,” he shakes his head. “And, I think I might know how I can kill two birds with one stone with that one.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, remember the doucheface that gave you shit over darts?” I nod, and roll my eyes. “I’ve been putting him through sort of a, let’s call it a character-building program in the shop. I’d need to seriously bust ass to get the car done for the festival, but I can enlist his help.”
“So you’ll be pretty busy then, huh?” I ask, pushing my plate aside, trying not to feel my little heart mope in my chest cavity.
“Well, so will you, with everything you’re planning,” he points out.
“And besides”—he leans over the table, bringing his face a breath away from mine—“that’s what so great about a small town.
I’ll still see you all the time. Besides, if you think I’ll go a single day without that smile you’ve got another think coming,” he promises, before sealing it with a kiss.