12. Elka
Chapter 12
Elka
O ne of my favorite things about Tulip specifically, and Texas in general, was the abundance of sunshine. It seemed there were more sunny days than gloomy ones, and today was perfectly beautiful, which made it the perfect day to make a few special deliveries to the locals who had supported my business. Their business meant everything to me and even though I didn’t understand why they were so compelled to help out, I was grateful enough that I’d gotten up early this morning to bake a batch of lavender shortbread cookies as a small gift of thanks.
With my car in working order again, I took my time and enjoyed the cool morning air as I loaded the car and made the short drive to my first stop. The door opened and both Mimi and Trixie appeared in track suits that were exactly the same, except in color. Mimi wore a vibrant red and Trixie’s was a deep green.
“Good morning, Elka.”
I shook off the creeps caused by them speaking in unison, and beamed a smile at them. “Good morning, ladies. I have your order and a special gift of thanks for supporting my business.” They stepped aside to let me enter with the box that contained nearly a dozen different candles, a few bottles of essential oils, potpourri sashes, and even sunscreen because Tulip was a small town and word had spread quickly about what happened with Paul. The whole town was behaving like I was some kind of hero, but I did for Paul what anyone would have. He was a nice old man and I could listen to the story of how he and Doreen met and fell in love a thousand times.
“This personal touch makes me feel very important,” Mimi admitted, an adorable pink tint to her cheeks.
“Then you’ll love these lavender shortbreads. I made them this morning.” Before Mimi could grab the decorative box, Trixie scooped them up and bit into one.
“My goodness, girl. You cook like this and you look like that? I’d be real careful if I were you. A younger version of me might put itching powder in your panty drawer.”
Mimi snorted. “A younger version? Didn’t you threaten Betty with the same thing last week?”
Trixie huffed and crossed her arms. “That’s only because …” Whatever else she was going to say was halted by a very long, intense, and silent twin conversation between the two women.
Knowing when it was time to leave was becoming a specialty of mine. I inched towards the door. “I hope you enjoy your products, ladies!”
“Wait!” Trixie darted off with the box of shortbreads still in her hand and returned a moment later. “We made you some more of the corn jelly since you seem to like it so much.”
“I do,” I told her, oddly touched at the gift. “Thank you. This is very kind.”
Now it was Mimi’s turn to snort. “Don’t you believe that for one second, little girl.” She flashed a smile that took the sting off her words. The moment she found her opportunity, Mimi made a grab for the cookies. “Thanks again, honey.”
My face was fixed into an amused smile as I made my way towards the car because those old ladies reminded me so much of me and Austin, always bickering just because it was our default. Taking each other’s crap because it was a fun to get a rise out of your siblings. My smiled grew just a little bit wider when I realized it didn’t hurt as much to think about Austin anymore.
In the short time I’d been inside with Mimi and Trixie, the temperature had shot up by at least ten degrees. I turned on the air conditioner before the next delivery so I didn’t show up to the mayor’s office looking like a vagrant. Even though I had no plans to become politically active beyond voting, I didn’t want to show up looking anything less than put together, since the last time I saw the man, I was on my knees in the dirt with a gun aimed at me.
“Nope, not thinking about that. Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.” It became my mantra every time thoughts of Deputy Vargas crossed my mind. Each time I thought of him as Antonio instead of deputy, I said the words. Dirty thoughts, same. Naughty thoughts, also the same. Apparently it was a pretty useful all-around mantra. “Not ever,” I said one last time as I stood on the cement steps of City Hall before pulling one of the large metal doors open.
The building was old on the outside but once I was inside, all the modern renovations were present and accounted for, including air conditioning, ramps, and a shiny new elevator. The copper accents gave it a much older appearance but the ride to the fourth floor was smooth and silent, a testament to the newness of it.
I stood just outside the door with “Mayor Leland Ashford” emblazoned on it and took a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart. I didn’t know why I was nervous, only that I was so anxious, the gift bag of goodies shook in my hand. A moment later, the door to the office opened and Penny appeared. “Are you planning a terrorist attack or what?”
I blinked, stunned, and shook my head. “I’m here to make a delivery. Mrs. Ashford purchased a care package for the mayor.”
Penny rolled her eyes and stepped back. “Of course she did. Go on back. He’s just changing his tie.”
I stepped inside the large, dated office and found Mayor Ashford staring at me with a wide, Texas-sized grin. “Ms. Nyland, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”
I held up the basket and set it on his desk. “A special delivery from your wife.” As the mayor unpacked the gift bag, I explained what everything was and how he should use it. “It’s very simple and it’ll make the place smell welcoming and relaxing.”
The mayor blushed and shook his head. “My wife really is something special, isn’t she?”
“Seems to be,” I agreed, even though I hadn’t met the woman.
“She takes good care of me. Do you have a man to take good care of you, Elka? Or a woman,” he added hurriedly.
“No, sir, I’m completely single for the time being. I have to focus on my career.”
He held up the silver-and-lavender spray bottle and sent two pumps of mist into the air. “Smells incredible.” Like a child with a new gift, Mayor Ashford did it again and groaned at the scent. “You’re quiet a talented young woman, Elka. You make these wonderful creations and you saved Paul, something we’re all mighty grateful to you for.”
I felt the blush rising up my neck and cheeks before my brain could tell that little embarrassed part of me to sit down and shut up. “It’s what anyone would have done. I’m just grateful he’s all right.” Aside from a wicked case of sunburn and dehydration, Paul Brinkley was already lounging on his porch and drinking beer. There was no direct sun there, which made him safe. “I won’t keep you, mayor. I just wanted to drop off the order along with these cookies to say thank you for your business.”
“Nice touch,” he said with a smile around a bite of lavender shortbread. “Have a seat, Elka. There’s something else I’d like to discuss with you.”
Suddenly I was a kid again, caught with a bag of cheesy popcorn and a small stash of chocolate and candy when I knew I shouldn’t have been eating them. Even though I was no longer a child, I sat when he told me to. “Is there something the matter, mayor?”
“The opposite. Sheriff Henderson couldn’t stop raving about your chili. Said it was better than any he’s ever had.” He said what ? That news was shocking to me. I mean, sure, he did eat two and a half bowls, but he seemed like a man with a huge appetite.
“That’s nice to hear.” But I had no clue where he was going with this. Did he want me to make him a batch and, more importantly, was that an appropriate request from the mayor of my town? “You want me to make you some chili?”
“Yes. Me and the whole town at our Tulip Annual Chili Cook-Off. We’ve had it every year for the past thirty years and it would be nice to have some new blood who also happens to be a pretty lady and a hero.” Oh he was laying it on thick to make sure he got his way. “Me and Judge Mayburn, along with Tyson, will be judging the dishes,” he added, punctuated with a charming smile.
“Can I think about it?” I didn’t want to be the center of attention, for any reason. It would probably give Deputy Vargas exactly the excuse he needed to run me out of town like some Wild West villain.
“If you must, but this would be a great way to get to know some more of your new community. Maybe find a fella for you.”
I didn’t bother to tell him that the first man to show any kind of interest in me seemed to hate my guts. It was humiliating and hard to explain. It was sweet of the mayor to worry, so I smiled and inched my way out of the office.
“You can’t run from the mayor.”
I whirled at the closeness of Penny’s voice and gasped. “Maybe not, but I can try.”
“Resistance is futile,” she said without any real emotion as she handed me a white envelope with a red tulip splashed across the front. “This is your entry application. Most of it is already completed, so figure out what kind of chili you want to make and then name it.”
Her matter of fact tone might have thrown off a lesser woman, but my mother was the queen of making demands without them sounding like demands. “I haven’t agreed to do it yet.”
“You will,” she sang breezily.
My fingers bent and flexed, itching to shake some sense into the no-nonsense woman. “We’ll see. I made chili exactly two times in my whole life, both using a recipe I found online. I don’t have a special recipe, Penny. Or a name for said nonexistent recipe!”
Penny was unfazed by my outburst but there was a hint of sympathy shining in her eyes. “Add a weird ingredient like chocolate and give it a cutesy name so you stand out. The end.”
I knew enough about lost causes to recognize one right in front of me, so I took the envelope, sighing heavily sigh, rolled my eyes, and left City Hall. I had a few more deliveries to make, a stop at the post office, and now, apparently, chili research.