Two years later
THE GOVERNOR OF COLORADO stepped up to the Plexiglas lectern at the front of Pinyon Ridge Community Church, the largest auditorium in town.
He gave a charming speech—not too short, not too long—about the wonderful vision that had gone into the development and refining of the plan for Pinyon Ridge. About sustainability and heritage and getting the most important things right. The TV crew that had followed him out from Denver filmed the governor and his wife, the mayor and his wife, and the entire crowd.
“The best things take time,” the governor concluded. “The citizens of Pinyon Ridge can be confident that this town’s development will be a model for the rest of our state. Indeed, for our nation.”
Naturally, that got a lot of applause. When the clapping died away, the governor said, “On behalf of the U.S.A. Living Foundation, it gives me great pleasure to present the Best Small Town in America award to Pinyon Ridge, Colorado. Mr. Mayor, would you please join me here on stage.”
The crowd went wild.
The mayor started to make his way forward, but people kept stopping him to clap him on the shoulder or shake his hand.
Seated in the second row, Jane murmured to Kyle, “Don’t you wish you were still mayor? All this glory could be yours.”
“Nope.” His arm tightened around her shoulders. “I don’t have time for glory. I’m too busy keeping my wife happy.”
“Very happy,” she agreed. “You weren’t kidding when you said you’d want lots of sex.”
As he kissed her, his free hand moved to the swell of her belly. “We must be doing something right. We’re churning these things out pretty fast.”
The baby, due in eight weeks’ time, kicked against his hand. “Definitely a girl,” he said.
“That’s what you said last time.” Their son, Matthew Charles Everson, age sixteen months, was spending the evening with his nana, Barb. Hal, his poppa, was doing much better these days, walking with the aid of a stick, and mostly able to be understood. One person who always understood him was Daisy, who’d been invited to tonight’s ceremony but had opted out since she didn’t like to let her little brother out of her sight. Jane figured those minding skills would come in handy when they were busy with the new baby.
Kyle’s hand traveled higher. His thumb caressed the underside of her right breast through the silk of her dress.
“Mmm.” Jane closed her eyes in a moment of pleasure.
“When do you think we can go home?” he asked.
“Not until after the mayor’s speech.”
He groaned. “You know how longwinded that guy is.”
“We can sleep in tomorrow,” she promised. “It’s Micki’s day at the Eating Post.”
Jane had joined Micki as a partner in the café a year ago when she’d decided that, yes, Pinyon Ridge felt like home. She still did some consulting under the First Impressions brand, but mostly she let Amy run the business in Denver. The café connected her to the community the way nothing else could, and she loved it.
Kyle was back running his own landscape architecture practice and doing very nicely. Deciding to pull out of the election two years ago was the smartest thing he’d ever done, he often said. Even if he could have overcome the prejudice against him marrying a Slater, he hadn’t wanted Jane subjected to public disapproval from even a few fools. As it turned out, not only had it been easier to lobby for his development plan without the other responsibilities of mayor to contend with, but he also had more time for Jane, for Daisy, for Matthew. And soon for Junior.
At last, the mayor reached the stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the governor said, “please welcome your mayor, Charles Everson, and his lovely wife, Micki.”
The applause grew. There was even some foot-stomping.
“Good grief, he’ll think he’s a rock star,” Kyle said.
“I’m not sure whether it was becoming mayor or marrying Micki that gave him a new lease on life,” Jane said.
“Both,” Kyle said.
She nodded. “I love that he’s enjoying it to the fullest. They both are.”
Charles had stepped up in the ballot when Kyle dropped out of the race, and he hadn’t looked back since. This was what he did best, serving his town. Second best, actually, to being Micki’s husband. He was passionate about that. Jane didn’t think she’d ever seen a happier couple, other than her and Kyle.
As Charles started to speak, a piercing wolf whistle came from the seat directly behind Jane. Kyle groaned; Jane snickered. Cat had arrived back in town two days ago. She’d been a regular visitor over the past couple of years as she straightened out her life. Now, she was back for good. Well, she said she was back for a year to work as a project manager for Kyle. But Jane had seen the way Gabe looked at her sister, red-haired again, as she’d been when they were teenagers. Jane suspected that if Gabe had anything to say about it, Cat would be here a very long time.
Jane listened to Charles’s speech with half an ear as she silently gave thanks for her large and growing family.
Then there was more applause as Charles stepped off the stage. Before he’d reached his seat, Kyle was on his feet, tugging Jane’s hand.
“We can’t leave now,” she protested.
“You said after the mayor’s speech,” he reminded her. “Excuse me,” he said to the lady on the other side of Jane, “we need to leave. My wife...” His hand indicated her bump.
People immediately made way for them, assuming a childbirth emergency.
Jane was laughing by the time they made it to the door nearest their seat in the hexagonal auditorium, then out into the lobby. “Ex-Mayor Everson, your behavior is disgraceful.”
He hauled her into his arms, covered her mouth in a hungry kiss that had her pressing closer to him, then closer again.
“Stick with me, Mrs. Everson,” he murmured, “and I’ll show you what disgraceful is.”
Now there was an offer Jane couldn’t refuse.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Other Side of Us by Sarah Mayberry!