Chapter 15
Roar – Katy Perry
Cassidy
Ihad never wanted to commit violence more than I did at that moment. Especially as I could feel the ass wipe staring at me.
“Gunner, to quote a Clockwork Orange, I’m not going to hurt you, but I will if you make me.” I turned my stare on him, and I knew it was hard because he reared back.
“What did I do?”
I blinked slowly. “Aside from breathing too close, which I have to say is off putting seeing as I’m not a lover of garlic.” I shook my head and turned back to watch what was happening on stage. “Not to mention the fact that every conversation we have ends up with you disrespecting me.”
Thankfully, Mayor Taylor tapped the microphone to start the meeting. “Good evening everyone, thank you for coming tonight.”
The woman sitting next to him sighed and smoothed down her skirt as she looked off to the side.
“Who is she?” I whispered to Gunner.
“Are you talking to me?”
I turned to glare at him and had to clench my hands into fists to avoid physical violence. His smirk was irritating at the very least.
“Yes, I’m talking to you. Who is the woman who clearly doesn’t want to be here?”
“Grace Rogers, Mayor of Sweet Maple Falls. The little round guy, that’s Ron Matthews the mayor of Clementine Hills. And the other guy, on the microphone, that’s—”
“I know who our Mayor is, Gunner,” I snapped. “She agrees with the development then?”
“I do believe she might.” Gunner cleared his throat. “I think we’re ready to start.” He pointed at the stage, and I gave it my full attention.
Mayor Taylor led the discussion about the development, explaining the plans that had been presented to him by the County Mayor’s office.
The hall fell into shocked silence as he laid everything out.
The meat packing factory with its huge, refrigerated warehouse of thousands and thousands of cubic square feet.
Then there were the forty, two-story houses and three two level apartment blocks with eighteen apartments in each.
Not to mention the infrastructure of roads and sidewalks around it all.
And that was only the beginning, there was much more coming in another three phases which would affect Clementine and Sweet Maple.
“And where do the County think all the children from those properties are going to go to school?” A woman I recognized from the bank asked. “My kids are at the high school and it’s already full to busting, seeing as it’s for all three towns.”
She wasn’t wrong, I had a friend who taught Math at the high school, and she was always telling me how big the classes were.
How stretched they were for books and equipment.
We were lucky that each town had their own elementary school otherwise we’d be in the same situation.
Mrs. Wright was always telling us how tight the budget was, and we were just one small town.
Add more kids to that and I dreaded to think how bad it would get.
“Because I’m betting there are no school extensions in those plans of yours,” she continued, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Our kids’ futures will look bleak if you let them do this.”
“I agree, Sylvia,” Mayor Taylor responded, glancing at Mayor Rogers. “And I have already raised this as a concern with the County.”
The discussion continued until the mayor asked for any other questions.
Gunner raised a hand and stood. “We’re the tiniest damn county in the state, so why the hell have these businesses and property developers decided to build here?
” He pointedly looked at Grace Rogers. “Is there some incentive they’re getting that we don’t know about? ”
Mayor Taylor smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Grace, do you want to answer that seeing as you spoke to the County only yesterday.” Grace reared back in her seat. “You did go to County Hall didn’t you?”
She shifted and clutched her phone to her chest, like it could protect her. “I haven’t spoken to them any more than anyone else, but I can assure you that there will be no incentive. The land speaks for itself. It’s the best place for them to build.”
“Well, I think I will have to disagree with that.” Gunner scoffed and folded his arms over his chest, his biceps bulging against the cotton of his shirt.
A white button down that looked very much like the one he’d worn on our fateful date all those years ago.
One that made his golden skin look even more tanned.
“Are they aware that wild weasels live along that part of the land? And they’re breeding at the moment, so have the necessary environmental checks been done?
” He leaned forward, expecting an answer.
When Grace Rogers inhaled slowly and her shoulders lifted almost to her ears, Gunner grimaced and shook his head.
“Thought not. Can I suggest that whoever has the ear of the County speak to them about that and get things put in place.”
He didn’t sit down but continued to stare at everybody on the stage. Mayor Taylor nodded at Gunner and then turned to the other two mayors up there with him.
“I think maybe we have a few questions to ask,” he aimed at them before turning back to everyone else. “Thanks for that Gunner. Anyone else?”
Gunner took his seat again and growled from the back of his throat. “Fuckers.”
My skin pebbled with goosebumps as his arm brushed against mine and every inch of his manliness wafted through the air.
I could smell his cologne, nothing overpowering, a subtle mixture of spice and…
roses. It hung in the air to the point that I felt I could touch it.
And the worry about the wildlife, that I hadn’t expected from him. He kept on surprising me.
I leaned in closer to him. “I didn’t know you had weasels on the property.”
“Yep. We also have a family of beavers living in the pond on the south boundary and Wilder said he saw a couple of Golden Eagles up near the high ground.” Gunner leaned closer causing the hairs on my arms to stand on end. “Not to mention the bunnies.”
I huffed out a laugh, disappointed at feeling amused by him. “Bunnies?”
“Yeah, they’re all cute and fluffy and procreate like there’s no tomorrow. Shane isn’t so fond of them if they wander into the lavender field, but I think we’ve solved that issue. I won’t tell you how, it might upset you.”
I gasped. “You shoot them?”
“Never said that. We have other ways.” He wiggled his fingers on both hands and made a sizzling noise.
“Oh, my God, you’re right I don’t want to know.” I turned back to the stage as Mayor Taylor was talking about the next steps. How we place our objections with the County.
“Now,” he said. “ I know we’d all love to storm county hall and demand they reconsider their plans, but we can’t do that.”
“Works for me,” Nash called out. “Wilder is in Denver today looking at machinery, but he’d agree with me,” he slapped Gunner on the back, “and him. Right Gun?”
“Right. Let’s drive down there right now,” Gunner agreed.
“Boys,” Mayor Taylor warned. “Let’s not get too riled up just yet.”
“We shouldn’t be getting riled up at all.” Grace Rogers stood gracefully and walked to the microphone, taking it and addressing the crowd. “The plans for this development have been finalized and they will be breaking ground soon. Nothing is going to change that.”
“And the issues we’ve raised tonight?” I asked. “The environmental ones, the schools, the general overcrowding.”
She pinned me with a glare that said, ‘we’ve covered that, bitch, now shut up’. “I don’t think there’s much else we can say about that for now.”
“Why, because you don’t have the answers?” I returned. “Or are you just acting like you don’t?”
Gunner laughed quietly beside me. “Keep poking with that stick, honey.”
I flattened a hand against my stomach, hoping it might stop the butterflies that his words had started.
Grace Rogers didn’t respond but turned and left the stage, leaving the other two mayors to field a bunch of questions that were being thrown at them.
“This is going to be so much worse than anyone thought.” Nash sighed, rubbing a hand over his head. “I never thought about the high school.”
“Not to mention the traffic.” I looked at Gunner. “The noise is going to be bad for the horses isn’t it?”
He nodded. “Not to mention the pollution for them and the kids at the camp.”
“Pollution?”
Nash nodded. “Yeah, not just the energy usage emissions but the chemicals from the packaging, the waste that could end up in landfill.”
“And we’ve already had the problems with water pollution,” Gunner added.
“Admittedly Dad did that, but the Public Health & Environment’s water division will be making double sure it doesn’t happen again.
A plant that size could leak nitrates and phosphates into the water table.
It’ll ruin our well water and kill any fish in the creek.
The runoff alone could poison the soil.”
“The slightest hint of pollution and they’ll shut them down, surely?” I asked.
“Them and us,” Gunner replied. “Our cattle and the cattle of three other ranches drink from that creek.”
“Plus, can you imagine parents wanting to send their kids to a camp with the stench of meat in the air?” Nash said.
“This could create access problems for us, too,” Gunner added. “The other entrance we were thinking about will be right next to the factory entrance. And there’s bound to be safety issues with having kids so close to it.”
My stomach bottomed out at the idea Nash and Gunner might be reconsidering the plans. “Do you think it might mean we can’t go ahead?”
“Like fuck,” Gunner growled. “The kids need it. We just might have to get it up and running quicker than we’d hoped. Get it established before that monstrosity comes along.”
“The wedding venue might be a no go, though,” Nash replied, his tone flat.
“Unless we move it to the other side of the property. No bride is going to want a meat packing plant as the backdrop to her wedding pictures. And that is going to cost us a whole load of cash.” He fished his phone from his pocket.
“I’m going to call Dougie and see whether he knows a good corporate attorney who might be able to help us. ”
“Dougie?” I asked as Nash stepped away.
“Family attorney. He’s taken care of us since Mom died.”
The lost look in Gunner’s eyes didn’t escape me at the mention of his mom. I reached out a hand, determined to comfort him, but he cleared his throat and pushed out of his seat before I had a chance.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
The bottom dropped out of my stomach at the rejection, even though there really was no rejection. We didn’t like each other so why would he even want my comfort?
“I walked,” I said curtly.
“Then I’ll drive you.”
“No thanks. I’ve seen you drive. Walking will be much safer.” It was also much easier being salty with him.
“You’re not walking alone. I’ll walk you and come back for Nash.” He clearly wasn’t taking no for an answer because he waved out a hand. “After you.”
“It’s a couple of blocks, Gunner. Nothing is likely to happen to me.” I rolled my eyes. “It’s Silver Peaks.”
“It is indeed.” He studied me carefully. “Sleepy little Silver Peaks where nothing happens, and we don’t know how to teach our kids.” He looked to the stage. “But I guess with all this it’s just like the big city now with all that pollution and overcrowding. You must feel right at home.”
“God damn it, Gunner, this is getting boring. How many times do we have to have this conversation?”
He held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, I get it. No more talk about big city life.”
“And for your information I was brought up on a farm in Trimble.” When his mouth dropped open in surprise the feeling of victory it gave me was incredible. “Yes exactly, so quit with the shit about me being a city girl and I can walk home alone.”
I picked up my purse and stalked out of there, wondering how one man could be so damn annoying and yet smell so delicious all at the same time.