Toni looked out her front windows on Thursday morning to see a police car, two large panel trucks, a half-dozen pickups and at least a dozen people in front of the community center. Onlookers stood on the sidewalks, sipping their morning coffee and gazing at the activity. Off to the side, Wyatt conferred with Chief Montoya and community center director, Martha Chase. She was, as usual, animated and energetic about whatever they were discussing. As Toni watched, more citizens joined the onlookers. Soon they would have a sizable crowd lining Elm Street.
“This doesn’t look good,” Toni whispered as she let the curtain fall. She rushed to her bedroom and pulled on jeans and an old Dallas Stars sweatshirt, stuffed her feet into shoes and headed for the front door.
She completed a fast walk across the street in seconds, eavesdropping on the conversation as she went. Wyatt was up to something, that was for sure.
“This could be a safety issue,” Chief Montoya was saying, pointing to tall poles that circled the wooded lawn of the center. Apparently they were erecting some type of fence.
“If you’re worried, I’ll provide security,” Wyatt said.
“We want the surprise factor!” Martha insisted.
“What’s going on?” Toni asked, slightly out of breath as she approached the group.
“Chief Montoya is being unreasonable,” Martha said to Toni. “Mr. McCall has arranged for a truly spectacular Christmas display as a surprise to the town, but for some reason the police want to stop us.”
“I’m not trying to stop the display. Just do it out in the open, where we can protect the citizens and also the decorations. If everything is concealed, we can’t see if anyone breaks in to steal or damage the items, whatever they are.”
“Then it won’t be a surprise!” Martha said, throwing up her arms. She was obviously strongly on Wyatt’s side. No shocker there. He could sweet-talk anyone, from toddler to grandmother, as long as the person was female.
“Are you building a fence?” Toni asked Wyatt.
“Yes, for privacy, just until the chili supper.” The annual event, usually held the next weekend, was taking place on Saturday evening in honor of Wyatt’s return to town. “I’d like for everyone to get their first glimpse as they arrive at the center. Besides, the unveiling should increase attendance and make more money for the food bank and clothing closet.”
He had a point. The local charities raised much of their annual budget and received useful merchandise through the chili supper proceeds and donations. “Can you provide security?”
Wyatt shrugged. “Sure. I’m certain we can hire some off-duty police from Brody’s Crossing or Graham, or even recruit some Young County deputies. Everyone needs extra cash at Christmastime, right?”
Another good point. “Chief, would that be acceptable to you?”
“As long as the area is patrolled. We can send cars by, but if the fence is opaque, as Mr. McCall has said, we can’t see what’s going on inside without doing a search. And also from what he’s said, there will be some pretty big items there, which perps could hide behind.”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, it’s a Christmas display!” Martha exclaimed. “Who in this town is going to try to harm it or steal it or whatever?”
Everyone except Martha turned to look at Wyatt. This type of situation was just the sort of thing that would have tempted him when he was around fourteen.
“Don’t look at me. I’m all grown up and responsible now. Are there any young versions of me running around town these days?”
“No, thank God,” Toni said.
Wyatt narrowed his eyes and frowned at her.
“An off-duty officer or even a rent-a-cop would be fine with me,” Chief Montoya said. “We’ll do drive-bys also.”
“Okay, then. We need to get back to work,” Wyatt stated. He waved at two men who were waiting by the panel trucks. “Go ahead with the fencing.”
“I’m sure this will work out just fine,” Toni told Martha. “We have to be careful of anything that will be on public display.”
“I just want the citizens to have something spectacular—not that the reindeer and such aren’t wonderful, too. Mr. McCall has promised a winter wonderland, and I can’t wait to see the result.” She hugged her arms over her heavy sweater. “Come in for some coffee or tea before you leave if you’d like,” she told Wyatt, then turned and went back into the building.
“So,” Toni said, folding her arms on her chest against the chill, and also because she was slightly miffed at Wyatt’s secrecy. Especially after their conversation yesterday. And what happened while they were talking. “What do you have planned?”
“It’s a secret,” he said, smiling down at her. “You’ll have to wait for the unveiling just like everyone else.”
“I’m the mayor. I need to know what’s going on.”
“Winter wonderland, that’s what,” he said. “I’m not telling.”
“That’s so juvenile.”
“It will be fun.”
“I want to see what you have planned before the public unveiling.”
“You don’t trust me.”
“You’ve got that right.”
“I’m wounded,” he said, and put his hand over his heart. “How can you think I’d do anything to harm the town?”
“Oh, let me count the ways. Streaking. Disrupting the Settlers’ Stroll. Creating a public nuisance. Driving without a license. And let’s not forget the one that got you into the most trouble, painting the water tower.”
“Years ago. Water under the bridge,” he said with a dismissive wave. “I’m older now. Besides, I’m trying to do something nice for the town, as I told you yesterday.”
“I remember. Pardon me if I don’t believe every word you say.”
“You should have more faith in me.”
“I don’t trust you any farther than I could throw you.”
“You want to get naked and wrestle?”
“Oh!” Toni felt her face blaze. Thankfully, the crowd was standing back and Wyatt had spoken rather softly, so they hadn’t heard his entirely inappropriate comment. Toni turned on her heel and stalked back across the street.
Wyatt’s laughter followed her all the way into the house. “Cretin,” she growled under her breath. “I wouldn’t look at his display if he were the last man on the earth.”
She would avoid him all together, since the director and the police chief had already agreed to his ridiculous plan of keeping secrets. Fine. She would go on record with a memo, explaining her opposition to their plan. If he tried to pull anything…she didn’t want to be responsible.
Wyatt McCall might just cause her to develop ulcers before he left town.
And thinking of ulcers reminded her that she might have indigestion fairly soon, as she had to attend his parents’ dinner party tonight. Where she would no doubt have to watch him charm everyone into forgetting what a scoundrel he really was.
NOT EVEN FACING A BORING dinner party at his parents’ house could dampen Wyatt’s mood. The eight-foot, black, vinyl, mesh fence had gone up quickly on metal poles and the trucks had unloaded the most fantastic decorations he’d seen in years. The community center was going to look like a true fantasy wonderland. Wyatt had also supervised preparations for the new home of the reindeer and spiral trees. The Scouts would not be disappointed.
Even hiring off-duty cops hadn’t been a problem. They were happy with the double-overtime wages they were receiving for patrolling the property. Since the display crew had filled up the remaining rooms at the Sweet Dreams Motel, this was a win-win situation for everyone in town.
Tonight, Louisa and Cassie were hosting an impromptu party for the workers and community center staff at Dewey’s, and they’d all been warned to keep quiet about what was being installed. Cassie had even decided to try country-western dancing, and Louisa was taking photos to upload onto the Web page later.
Wyatt thought it odd that he had to have a Web page or a blog about his public life, but Louisa insisted it was a good idea to focus everyone on his philanthropic and charitable work. If it helped the foundation, he’d go along, but it still seemed silly to put any emphasis on his activities, especially when he was only doing what was right.
After making sure everything went well at the community center, he headed back to the motel with Cassie and Louisa, handing them the keys to the Hummer when they arrived. Everyone had to get ready for tonight. He needed to check his e-mail and authorize a transfer of funds to the foundation. And then he had to make a phone call.
After shutting down his laptop, he dressed in a black silk T-shirt, charcoal slacks instead of his usual jeans and a black leather jacket. That was as formal as his attire could get without making a shopping trip or arranging a special delivery from his wardrobe in Carmel. The weather was nice, and the forecast was favorable for the new Christmas display. High winds or rain could prove disastrous to their plans for that winter wonderland.
He settled back in the chair in his honeymoon suite, then dialed the number from the business card Toni had given him.
“Hey, babe—I mean, Miss Mayor. I need a favor.”
“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU have to bum a ride with me to your own parents’ dinner party,” Toni said as soon as Wyatt climbed into the seat of her extended-cab pickup. At least she didn’t have a tiny little car, where he’d be right next to her. Of course, as he stretched out his left arm and his legs, he seemed to take up the whole front seat.
“Louisa and Cassie needed a vehicle tonight. They’re going to take a group to Dewey’s. I couldn’t strand them with a bunch of workers they don’t know.”
Okay, that was probably true, but still…“It seems awfully convenient. Them taking a group to Dewey’s on the same night that your parents are having a party in your honor.”
“The workers are only going to be here a couple of days. Besides, it’s just dinner at my parents’ house,” he said with a trace of defensiveness.
“They’ve never had a dinner for you before where city officials were invited.” She glanced at Wyatt as she stopped at the traffic light on Main Street at Commerce. The McCalls had invited her to the house as part of the city council when they hosted an event. They treated her exactly as they would anyone else, as though she’d never been a big part of Wyatt’s life.
He shrugged. “Maybe they just got the Christmas spirit.”
“Maybe.” But she doubted it. The McCalls weren’t the most warm and fuzzy people she knew, although they were generous enough with their money. They did love the town and their only son, but they weren’t overly social on a personal basis. Of course, Mrs. McCall especially had her reasons for being reserved and private. She’d never talked about her problems with anyone as far as Toni knew, but few secrets were really kept in a small town.
“You know,” Wyatt said as he shifted position, “my mother thinks you’re doing a great job as mayor.”
“That’s nice of her to say.” Margaret and Bill McCall had never been wild about Toni when she was dating Wyatt. She hadn’t known why, exactly. Perhaps Mrs. McCall had had bigger plans for her son. The Casales hadn’t been wealthy with land and oil, but they’d always been business owners and had gotten by without experiencing the financial crises common to ranchers. For whatever reason, Toni had always felt a bit of chill from Wyatt’s mother.
His mother shouldn’t have worried; Wyatt had no intention of taking their relationship anywhere. Unlike some of their classmates who dated through high school, went off to college together or just got married right after graduation, Wyatt couldn’t wait to get out of town and leave his teenage “sweetheart” behind.
Toni had felt as if their three years together had been wasted, nothing but a lie. She’d felt deceived and hurt, and when she was totally honest with herself she still blamed Wyatt for playing her like a fool.
She’d gotten over him, though, except when she was angry with him. Which was only when he came back to town, or when someone mentioned him or she saw a photo in a magazine. Not all the time, not anymore.
“You’re quiet tonight,” Wyatt said as Toni drove northwest out of town toward the ranch. The sun had already set, but some purple-and-orange streaks remained in the dark sky.
“I’ve got a lot on my mind. The renovations to the old hotel, the parade Saturday afternoon, the upcoming budget meetings and last but not least, your secret project at the community center. Oh, and to top everything off, I have to decide whether I’m running for office again. So, yes, I do have a lot to consider.”
“Why wouldn’t you run for office again?”
Of course he picked up on the one thing that she didn’t really want to discuss. “Maybe it’s time to concentrate all my energy on my business.”
“You’ve been doing both for how long now?”
“Three years. Four, as of next election.”
“You’re the youngest mayor in Brody’s Crossing history.”
“Probably.”
“Will you have an opponent in the primary or general election?”
“I don’t know. I could.”
“I think you should run again.”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
“What are you upset about?”
“Nothing.” It’s not as if she had anything better to do with her time. Like develop a personal relationship. Get married and have children. How could she do those things while in office? She barely had time for a minimal social life with family, much less try to find a man. Plus, the pool of bachelors in Brody’s Crossing was shrinking fast, thanks to Christie Simmons Crawford, Raven York and Sandy Brody. Not that Toni had ever been interested in Cal, Troy or James.
“You are, too. I made you upset, and I didn’t mean to. Not this time. So tell me what I said.”
“We don’t have to discuss this. Let’s just say that maybe I have plans for my life that I can’t pursue if I’m spending a big percentage of my nonprofessional life on city business.”
“You mean, as in your personal life? Do you have a secret boyfriend?”
“No!” As if she could keep a relationship a secret.
“But you’re thinking about it, right? Anyone I know?”
“No. I am not in a relationship or thinking about having one with anyone in particular.”
“With the male population in general, then,” he said. “You’re looking, aren’t you? Thinking about looking?”
“You make it sound so tawdry. No, I am not looking.”
“Humph,” he said, crossing his legs so that he took up even more room in the cab of her truck.
“Just don’t start on me tonight, okay? I’m going to be nice to your parents and have dinner, then I’m going home and mark off one more day on my calendar until you’re finished and out of here.”
“That’s cold, Toni. What have I done…lately, that is, to make you angry?”
She slowed, pulling into the long drive to his parents’ house, and gave him a look as they rolled to a stop. “Yesterday afternoon,” she said. “My office.”
“Oh, yeah.” She could see his flashing white teeth even in the dim light of the interior. “Well, no one but Cassie knows.”
“What matters is that you did it.”
“Go ahead and say it. It matters that I kissed you.”
Toni thumped her head against the headrest, again and again. “What did I do to deserve you? Why am I being punished?”
Wyatt laughed. “If you don’t move this truck, you’re also going to get honked at.”
Toni turned around and looked at headlights right on her rear bumper. “Great.” She took her foot off the brake and headed toward the house. Hopefully, Wyatt had gotten all his foolishness out during the ride here. If she was lucky, he would leave her alone the rest of the night.
She was not taking him home. Back to the motel. Let him bum a ride with someone who liked to be around billionaire bad boys.
UNDER MOST CIRCUMSTANCES, Wyatt found dinner parties boring. Dinner with his parents and their friends had added potential to be a yawner. However, sitting next to Toni, who was obviously still miffed about that kiss in her office, gave the food some serious appeal.
His mother served a standing rib roast, complete with little white fancy “boots” for the rib bones. The beef was presented with roasted potatoes and some sautéed green beans with almonds. He watched Toni pick at her food, eating more potatoes than meat, and breaking a dinner roll into small pieces. He’d known her long enough to know she was about ready to jump out of her chair and drive off in that big pickup truck of hers.
Without him, of course.
“Dinner is delicious, of course,” George Russell, president of the bank, said to Wyatt’s mother. George was a big eater and loved a free meal almost as much as he loved a big depositor in his bank. “You always serve the best, Margaret.”
Wyatt wanted to roll his eyes at the obvious sucking up. His parents had considered changing banks last year, shifting their business to a new branch in Graham. George Russell was still trying to get them to stay at First National with compliments rather than good service and competitive interest rates.
To distract himself from his parents’ situation, beneath the level of the tabletop he broke off a bit of his roll and tossed it at Toni. The little piece landed on her folded hands. Her head jerked up, her eyes big and round.
He raised his eyebrows and shrugged. She frowned and seemed to turn her attention back to the table, but he knew she wasn’t interested in hearing the other guests talk about a fishing trip to Minnesota. He took another piece of roll and tossed it at her arm, bare from just below the elbow down to her plain, sensibly manicured fingernails. The top she wore was a soft, dark blue velvet that draped at her neck and only hinted at what was beneath.
Wyatt remembered, though, and he wondered how much she’d changed in all these years. Was she still as sensitive?
The bread missed the mark, falling to the floor. Wyatt took another piece and aimed a bit higher. This time, he managed to land the crouton-size morsel on her chest, where it almost immediately disappeared under the drape of her velvet top.
She jumped and looked at him. He couldn’t hide a smile at the thought of making that three-point shot into her cleavage.
“Excuse me, please,” Toni said to his mother and the table in general. When she popped up from her seat, he did the same and pulled the chair back.
“What are you doing?” she whispered fiercely as she turned her head toward his.
“Being a gentleman,” he whispered back.
“By pelting me with bread crumbs?”
He chuckled. Louder, he asked, “Do you know where the powder room is?”
“Yes, I believe I can find it. Alone.” Toni hurried off.
He sat back down and sipped a little more of his wine. Someone had chosen a nice Napa Valley cabernet. Not his parents. They had no interest in wine. The two of them were drinking iced tea tonight.
Just before he expected Toni’s return, he took his empty glass and excused himself to the kitchen. In the short hallway to the left, he intercepted her as she walked toward the dining room.
“Are you going to give me a ride home?”
“No, I hadn’t planned on allowing myself such a pleasure.”
“Ah, you’re getting sarcastic. That’s so sexy.”
“No, it’s not. Neither are bread crumbs in my…Never mind.”
“Sorry about that. I was aiming at your arm.”
“You shouldn’t be aiming at me at all.”
“I was bored. I was dreading a slide show of dead fish shots. Or maybe a photo album of the fishing trip, including a recital of all the songs sung on the road.”
That made Toni smile. Just a little, and he could tell she was trying not to be amused. “I have a busy day tomorrow. I’m going home in a few minutes, and I wouldn’t think of having you cut your visit short.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I’m sure James and Sandy Brody will give you a ride back to the motel.”
“They’re driving her new sports car. There’s barely a backseat.”
“Then the Russells. I know they have a Buick.”
“Have you seen how thick his glasses are? I’d be scared to death to ride with him.”
Toni laughed out loud, quickly putting her hand over her mouth. “You, who paraglide off cliffs and mountain bike in the Grand Canyon, would be afraid of a middle-aged banker?”
“I value my life. Riding in the backseat of the Russells’ Buick is too scary to consider.” He leaned a little closer. “Besides, if you give me a ride home, I promise I’ll give you a preview of the Christmas decorations before we take the fence down for the big reveal.”
“You will? I mean, you should—I am the mayor, after all.”
“Of course. I was just kidding about it being a secret from you. I meant it was a secret for the town.”
“That’s not what you said.”
“I was joking. How about tomorrow night? We’ll light it up and I’ll show you a special feature you won’t believe.”
“Tell me, Wyatt.”
He tilted his head a little and smiled at her. “I think that’s the first time you’ve said my name without cursing me.”
“I don’t curse you.”
“Maybe you should.”
She looked away. “No, I try not to curse anyone.”
He touched a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her ear. “Even juvenile delinquents who go off and leave you?”
“That was a long time ago,” she whispered.
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel like all that long ago. Sometimes, when we’re together, I feel like I’m eighteen again.”
Toni stepped back, her expression blank. “Well, whenever you feel that way, just head back to California. I’m sure the sensation will go away quickly.”