Chapter 23
W ill strolled alongside Lou and Lady down McKenzie Ridge’s quaint Main Street, the kind of place where even the sidewalks seemed to smile at passersby. The sun bathed the town in a golden glow, and flower boxes spilled over with color from every windowsill they passed.
“She could be anywhere, knowin’ her,” Lou said with a chuckle, clipboard tucked under one arm. “Always helpin’ someone. I need to chat with her about Founder’s Day.”
“I thought Founder’s Day was earlier in the year here,” Will replied, brow raised in polite confusion.
“It is. We have two,” Lou said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“I don’t follow.”
“The two founding families didn’t agree on who arrived first,” she explained, waving a hand in the air. “Both had great evidence, so we celebrate both. Small-town politics and all.”
“I guess so,” Will said, a soft smile forming as he glanced around the town. “I’ve always been fond of this place and spent a lot of time here in my younger years.”
“I thought you were familiar,” Lou said thoughtfully.
“You must have me confused with someone else. It’s been years since I’ve been here.”
“I don’t usually forget a face, but maybe it’s because it’s on the back of all the books on display over at the bookstore,” Lou added with a sly grin.
“You know who I am,” Will said, chuckling.
“I read you before you were fancy, honey. Your secret’s safe with me,” Lou said, tapping the side of her nose in a conspiratorial way.
“I prefer anonymity, so thank you,” Will replied gratefully.
“Sure thing,” she said with a wink.
What followed was a full-blown McKenzie Ridge-style scavenger hunt. Lou, clipboard in hand like a general on a mission, led Will and Lady around town in search of their elusive mayor.
Their first stop was the front desk of the local bed and breakfast, where the clerk offered an apologetic shake of the head. Without missing a beat, Lou handed over her clipboard, which the clerk signed with the gravity of someone accepting a public office.
Next came the flower shop, where a young woman behind the counter gave a vague wave in some distant direction before scrawling her name on the clipboard with a flick of her wrist that suggested she did this sort of thing often.
A short stroll later, they passed a friendly townsperson on the sidewalk who paused long enough to shake their head, point the other way, and sign without hesitation—another signature down.
At the coffee shop, the barista gave them the same sympathetic response. A quick signature, a few pointed fingers, and Lou and Will stepped back onto the street, fresh cups of coffee in hand. Lady padded along beside them like she’d placed an order too.
Finally, they arrived at Baker’s Bakery, where Jed Baker didn’t just shake his head—he offered a full box of donuts along with a signature that came with flair. He signed with the confidence of a man who clearly believed pastries could fix anything.
Eventually, their search led them to The Word Well Bookstore, where the scent of old pages and fresh coffee lingered in the air.
Lou eased the door open just enough to peek inside.
Behind the counter, Tori was fully immersed in her task, her brow furrowed in concentration as she adjusted a book display with the meticulous care of a heart surgeon—every angle scrutinized, every corner perfectly aligned, as if the fate of literature itself depended on it.
“Hey Tori, hon?” Lou called out. “You happen to know where I can find Alex?”
“Sure do. Helping out at Mel’s. Everything okay?” Tori asked without even looking up.
“Just peachy. She has a visitor here lookin’ for her. Thanks, darlin’,” Lou said warmly, letting the door swing shut behind her.
Tori finally glanced up and caught the retreating figures—Lou, Lady, and a man she didn’t get a good look at. Her brows knit as realization struck.
“Lady?” she murmured to herself. She pulled out her phone and began pecking at the screen.
Coffee cups in hand, the trio resumed their search, Lady's eager gait suggesting she was the only one truly in the know–– as if she knew exactly where they were going.
“She’s just up the block at the mechanic shop,” Lou informed him, nodding toward the end of the street.
“So she’s a florist, a barista, a baker, owns a bed and breakfast… and she’s a mechanic?” Will asked, half in awe, half in disbelief.
“That girl has her hands in everything,” Lou said with a laugh. “Can’t sit still. Likes to help everyone out who needs it.”
“That’s awfully generous of her,” Will remarked.
“That’s our Alex. A people pleaser to a fault,” Lou replied with fondness. “I take it she didn’t know you were comin’?”
“It was a spontaneous decision. I don’t even know why I did it,” Will admitted.
“Oh, sure, you do,” Lou said knowingly. “To get out of that stuffy city, free your mind from whatever is in your way, and have a bit of a soul cleansin’.”
“I suppose you’re right. There’s something special about this place,” he said, the weight of the city already beginning to lift from his shoulders.
They reached Mel’s Mechanic Shop, a cozy garage with a colorful sign and flower pots lining the windows.
“I think we both know what’s special about it now…” Lou added, flashing him a wink as she pushed open the door.