Chapter 26 #2
“Why does this matter so much to you?” I demand. “You know the house is mine. You were there when we read my father’s will. Half mine and half Georgia’s. Hugh’s name didn’t appear anywhere. He was gone. He has no rights to that place, and definitely not to tear it down. Why do you want him back?”
He looks away for a second, and I latch onto that. Georgia always did the same thing when she was preparing to hide something. “Hugh is from here, Cassidy. He’s one of us.”
“So am I.” I’m not letting him wiggle out of this one. Why the fuck is he chasing me out of town?
Yes, some of it has to be that I’m a human, and therefore he thinks he can get away with this type of thing. Maybe he’s more anti-human than I ever suspected. But that can’t be all that this is. This is a big fight for that.
And maybe I’ve been oblivious for years, but I didn’t think Mayor Davies disliked me. He always stopped to chat politely when he saw me. Most of this town has been kind to me, if sometimes misguided. Surely they haven’t all hidden such a deep-seated hatred.
He hesitates, eyes shifting like he’s trying to find out who is listening.
The party is in full-swing around us, but we’re not so interesting as to have anyone’s real attention.
The view through the mayor shifts, his form becoming more and less transparent with his emotions.
“The world is moving forward, and Hearthstone is getting left behind. We have to consider modernizing. And Hugh has plans that could benefit the town—”
Finn interrupts. “His modernizing isn’t going to stop at Cassidy’s house.
You and he have decided she’s an easy target to start with, but he’ll go after the rest of us, too.
Businesses that have been open for decades will close down when he prices them out.
If you want a tourist town, Davies, you can be prepared to kiss the locals goodbye. ”
The air is heavy and silent between us for a moment. I don’t know if that’s true, but I do know Finn has a point; Hugh won’t stop at just one thing. He’ll want more, and more, and more. People like him always do.
Mayor Davies mouth opens and then closes, clearly unaware of what to say to that. Finn presses on, undeterred. “Shame on you for pitting people in this town against each other for money. Money that you won’t ever see, by the way.”
“I haven’t—”
“Cassidy lives here,” Finn interrupts, my eyes darting back and forth between the two of them.
“She is one of us. Hugh left, and he came back because he thought he could make a quick buck. I’d ask you how long he’s been planning this, if he’s been counting down the days until Georgia left, but I don’t think I want to know. ”
I grab Finn’s hand and squeeze it. The broiling, rolling anger comes off him in waves, permeating the air around us.
I can practically feel the heat of it. I love that he wants to protect me.
This is probably the most words Mayor Davies has ever heard Finn speak, and I’m honored he’d do that for me.
But I don’t want him getting himself into trouble.
“I have to think about what’s best for our future,” Mayor Davies says weakly. “This isn’t a gamble, Finn. Hugh has been busy developing his businesses these last twenty years in supernatural towns all up and down the coast. He has a proven track record. He could change Hearthstone for the better.”
Finn remains skeptical, holding me tighter.
I fight it for a second, not wanting to seem weak, but it’s damned nice to have someone who wants to defend me so publicly.
I let myself sink into his embrace. “By kicking out the people who have run their businesses for generations? Or will you decide to throw some other residents out for their land, too? Because let me tell you, if you go through with this, you can start with me. I’d rather take my chances out there than stay in a town that allows this to happen. ”
I bite my lip. Finn shouldn’t say things like that. He’d be miserable away from Hearthstone. He has so much to lose. He shouldn’t do this for me.
Mayor Davies looks between the two of us, opacity flickering as he shifts. “I look forward to you voicing your opinions at the town meeting tomorrow,” he says diplomatically. “I hope you’ll reconsider, Cassidy. This could be good for the town. If you love this place, keep that in mind.”
I bite my lip. I do love this place. And I want there to be a place for Georgia and I here, but is that being selfish?
“I have to speak with some other people tonight. Excuse me,” he says, and then floats away through the table.
When I don’t move, just staring at where he was, Finn turns me gently, tucking me into his body and lifting a wing to shield me. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“Am I being selfish?” I ask in the safety of his embrace.
“Fuck that.” I scoff; that’s easy for him to say. But he just brushes along my exposed back with his wing. “This is like those movies you’ve shown me, right? The small town is invaded by some big money business guy, and you’re the plucky heroine who’s going to defend us all.”
I swallow. “I don’t think anyone would describe me as plucky.”
“Maybe not,” he concedes. “But brave, determined, good? Those all work. You’re going to win this tomorrow.”
His confidence in me is something else. G believes in me because I’ve practically made her; I ensured she only ever saw a super-competent version of me. But if there’s one thing for sure, it’s that Finn definitely doesn’t get that version of me. Yet here he is, with absolute faith in me regardless.
“And this town doesn’t need whatever stupid capitalist hellscape Hugh’s come up with,” he adds.
I snort. “Maybe he has great ideas.”
“And maybe he’ll knock out every business on Main Street to make a buck. No. He doesn’t belong here. But you do.” He kisses the top of my head. “We can go home right now. Or—we can refuse to let them ruin our night.”
I take a deep breath. He’s right, and I put all this effort into getting dressed for tonight. “Let’s dance,” I tell him, nodding toward the crowd. “I want to show off my husband.”