Candace sat on the hard bench in the city council room, staring at the same Wyoming bison-centered flag, and tried to breathe. The media had covered the story well, sans the misstep with Misty. Feedback from her fliers had been positive – the public was outraged and there were petitions started on their behalf. She knew Katherine Clive and Glenn had been pressured by the people in their circle to vote against their downtown block. Jeffrey Dean, of course, and Edward would vote for destroying it, and Zoey was the unknown vote. Zoey was the vote they needed. Whichever way she voted so would change their lives.
Had they done enough to save their piece of downtown? She wanted to say yes, but she honestly didn’t know. The vote could go either way.
Luke hadn’t sat with her and their fellow business owners. He stood in the back of the room looking absolutely smoldering in his warm gear. His dark auburn hair and clean-shaven face made her want to reach out and run her fingers through it and down his face, then kiss him. She sneaked a peek at Luke. His solemn face was fixed on the empty desk row in front. She couldn’t pull her eyes from him. What would it take for him to stick around for more than a kiss? She honestly didn’t know the answer. He must’ve felt her lingering eyes on him because he looked right at her. She swallowed hard at his intensity burning a hole in her. She wished she could’ve protected him from the entire situation.
The five city council members came in through a side door and took their respective seats. Jeffrey Dean didn’t waste time. He banged the gavel and called the meeting to order.
“We are all here tonight for the vote on the convention center. We’ve heard the concerns both for and against at the last meeting and since then.” He singled Candace out with a pointed stare. “Thanks to the additional media coverage, we’ve all heard quite a bit on the subject.”
Candace glared back at him and clenched her hands tighter in her lap. She wanted to stand up and scream at Dean, but the time for action had passed.
“Do the council members have anything to say before we vote?”
No one spoke.
This was probably the most politically charged vote of their lives. Frank was taking note of how each member voted – not a good indication for the future of the people who voted against her.
“Very well. In the matter of the downtown convention center project being placed on the blocks of A Street from 1500 to 1508—” he looked to the recordkeeper in the back right of the room before continuing “—when I call your name say ‘yea’ for the convention center being put on A Street from 1500 to 1508, or ‘nay’ to not have the convention center built on that site. Edward Ford?”
“Yea.”
“Katherine Clive?”
“Nay.”
“Jeffrey Dean? Yea. Glenn Davis?”
“Nay.”
The room as silent. The vote was tied, just as Frank predicted it would be.
“Zoey Graham?”
Candace looked over her shoulder to Luke. This was the moment of truth. All she wanted to hear was a nay. Then she would run back to Luke and wrap her arms around him. She returned her gaze to the front of the room.
Zoey looked at Jeffrey with a stone cold face. “Yea.”
Candace couldn’t breathe and her head became dizzy. We failed. They’re taking our businesses. She couldn’t process this information. She knew the vote could swing either way, but in the end she still thought she’d win. She was a winner. Losing sucked.
“Let the record show in a three-to-two vote, the convention center project has been approved to be constructed on the downtown block of A Street between 1500 and 1508.” He banged the gavel in front of him.
Candace wanted to take that gavel and beat him senseless with it.
“The businesses that are affected will hear from the city attorney in one week’s time on the timeframe of the project.”
The crowd finally broke its silence. There were murmurings and loud talking, but all Candace could do was sit, nothing more, and pray this last month had been one giant hallucination. Someone touched her shoulder and her trance was broken. She looked over to see Mable’s comforting glance. Why is she comforting me? I should be the one comforting her. Candace couldn’t though. She couldn’t speak. Anything she said would sound fake; lying under emotional distress wasn’t her strong suit.
She needed to get out of here. Her breath came faster and she couldn’t stop it. She needed fresh air. There was nothing more she could do here now. Or ever. The decision had been made. She’d lost. They’d all lost.
She tried her best to smile sympathetically to Mable and the others she accidentally made eye contact with while leaving.
She pushed open the doors to the building – she was free. She had a short block to her car in the cold. A light white washed the dark sky; snow would be falling any moment. But big, white flakes would not help her mood tonight. She slipped into her car, started it, and fired up the seat warmer. Just as she turned the wheel to maneuver out of her parking spot, she caught sight of Luke walking to his SUV parked a couple of spots up from her on the street. Their eyes met. For a moment she thought about pressing on her brakes, throwing her car in park, and running into his arms. Only for a moment. She continued her steering and left the spot. She didn’t feel like talking about the vote. Not with Luke. Not with the one person she didn’t want to let down.
Luke saw Candace drive off and he knew where she was going – her flower shop. They were going to talk tonight even if she didn’t want to. He had stuff to get off his chest. He wasn’t sure exactly the right words to use yet, but he’d figure it out.
The pub was being taken from him and he knew anger existed on the emotional rollercoaster he was riding, but, more than that, a feeling of loss rode front and center – not for his pub, but for Candace. She’d take this loss hard and blame herself, pulling away. He could see the story unfold before him as he turned into the back parking lot of their businesses.
He and Candace wouldn’t be next door to each other in the future. A ball of fear rolled over his body. They would become acquaintances again, and that wasn’t the life he wanted. He wanted Candace in his life. He had to nip her pulling away from him in the bud.
Luke parked in his spot and rapped his knuckles on the back door marked ‘Kiss From A Rose.’ He waited. The silence turned his skin from cold to hot to cold again. Was he really going to voice all of his thoughts about their relationship and where he wanted it to go?
How is she going to react?
The metal door pushed open and he took a quick step back. Candace leaned out, one hand on the frame and another on the door bar. He fixated on her face, taking in the soft curve of her cheeks and her wide eyes staring at him with weariness clouding them.
“Just hear me out,” he said and put his hand on the door in case she decided to shut it in his face.
She moved back and he stepped inside where the fragrance of roses and evergreen filled his lungs. She didn’t say a word, which struck him as odd. Candace usually tried to speak first to get her opinion out in the open. Instead, she braced herself on an island in the middle of the room and watched him intently.
Now he’d have to speak his peace, but all of his senses told him to gather her in his arms and reassure her that life would go on and be all right. He’d be there with her; they’d all start over and make a future together.
He started toward her but she moved around a corner of the island, keeping it between them. He froze.
“I know what you’re going to say.” She didn’t meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it didn’t work out and that I put you and the others in this mess. I know you’re mad.”
He shook his head as she continued.
“I don’t feel like arguing right now.” Candace’s blue eyes met his stare. “There’s nothing left to say.”
“Candace…”
“No.” Her tone was curt and her lips pursed. “Please leave.”
She wasn’t going to listen; he could see she’d shut down. “I’m sorry about your shop as well. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
There’d be no getting through to her tonight. Not exactly the best time to tell someone I love you.