it.”
Frozen in time to the backdrop of beating hearts, she
stilled in his embrace, took the support he offered. His hands stroked her
hair, down her back. He kept at it until the tension released from her body.
“Whatever you feel, helpless and out of control doesn’t sound much like you.”
When had Jared become part of her strength? His warmth, her
courage? Her professional world might have gone to hell in a handbasket, but
nestled in his arms it didn’t seem to matter. She’d take it on, like she always
did, this time with him by her side. It was that Wizard of Oz moment,
when her life changed from black and white to vivid color, full of potential
and new roads. It recharged her batteries.
“It’s not. I’ll find a way around the vote, there are things
I can still do.” With a gentle kiss, she wriggled out of his arms and swigged
her drink. A little extra courage never hurt. “No, this has nothing to do with
us. Let’s go out and have some fun. It’s open mic night at Carousel. A chance
to laugh at Madison’s finest if there ever was one.”
His bellow brought a smile to her face. “You never do
anything on a small scale, Joci. Let’s go be seen. I’m driving if you want to
keep chugging scotch.”
“Spoilsport.”
Carousel, a former production factory for ceramic carousel
horses refurbished into a restaurant, was hopping when they arrived. Jocelyn
had helped the owner finance the renovation so she could always get a seat when
she needed it. Vanilla-scented candles topped mosaic tables, each individually
designed by a local artist, creating an eclectic but artsy feel to the room.
Jared’s finger idly traced the blue, green and black tiles of the storm motif
raging across their tabletop. “This is how we met,” he said.
“Looks like we would’ve met anyway.”
“True, but the outcome probably wouldn’t have been the
same.”
Would she have let him in her life had it happened
otherwise? She gazed at his lean, angular cheeks, the blazing blue eyes she had
lost herself in more times than she could count, the hard, masculine nose that
had seen one fight too many, and those soft, warm, sensual lips whose kisses
sent her to the moon. The face of the man she loved. She didn’t know when that
had that happened, but she couldn’t deny the truth of it. “Jocelyn Wade, aren’t
you just full of surprises.” Debbie Hester’s words dripped acid. “Don was
right. Your professional opinion can no longer be trusted.”
“I’ve never known her personal circumstances to cloud her
professional judgment. I don’t believe it now,” said Myron Atwater, who walked
over to join them.
Jocelyn flashed him a grateful smile, glad from head to foot
to see she still had friends.
“Of course, Mayor,” Debbie said through gritted teeth. “I
was just leaving anyway.”
“It’s good to see you two out. May I sit down? We need to
talk.” Before either of them replied he pulled up an empty chair from the
adjacent table and joined them. Myron turned his body toward Jocelyn as if he
wanted to avoid looking at Jared. “As you know, the School Board is about to
announce the proposed budget cuts next week—a one million dollar shortfall.
Then we’ll have a couple of months to figure out where to cut. It’s not going
to be pretty.”
“Let me know what I can do,” Jocelyn offered.
“Help us raise extra funds. Derrick Karsen at the foundation
promised two hundred fifty thousand dollars. Can you implement a campaign to
raise the same amount in two months?” Myron’s gaze remained on Jocelyn. He
never glanced at Jared, whose silence sent alarm bells ringing through her
head.
“Of course.” She couldn’t answer otherwise. Myron just handed
her a way to fix everything, to regain her integrity after the Chamber
betrayal. It would be time intensive, especially on top of the work schedule
set up to deal with the Health Corp closure. And her father seemed to be
worsening. It didn’t matter. She was Jocelyn
Frozen in time to the backdrop of beating hearts, she
stilled in his embrace, took the support he offered. His hands stroked her
hair, down her back. He kept at it until the tension released from her body.
“Whatever you feel, helpless and out of control doesn’t sound much like you.”
When had Jared become part of her strength? His warmth, her
courage? Her professional world might have gone to hell in a handbasket, but
nestled in his arms it didn’t seem to matter. She’d take it on, like she always
did, this time with him by her side. It was that Wizard of Oz moment,
when her life changed from black and white to vivid color, full of potential
and new roads. It recharged her batteries.
“It’s not. I’ll find a way around the vote, there are things
I can still do.” With a gentle kiss, she wriggled out of his arms and swigged
her drink. A little extra courage never hurt. “No, this has nothing to do with
us. Let’s go out and have some fun. It’s open mic night at Carousel. A chance
to laugh at Madison’s finest if there ever was one.”
His bellow brought a smile to her face. “You never do
anything on a small scale, Joci. Let’s go be seen. I’m driving if you want to
keep chugging scotch.”
“Spoilsport.”
Carousel, a former production factory for ceramic carousel
horses refurbished into a restaurant, was hopping when they arrived. Jocelyn
had helped the owner finance the renovation so she could always get a seat when
she needed it. Vanilla-scented candles topped mosaic tables, each individually
designed by a local artist, creating an eclectic but artsy feel to the room.
Jared’s finger idly traced the blue, green and black tiles of the storm motif
raging across their tabletop. “This is how we met,” he said.
“Looks like we would’ve met anyway.”
“True, but the outcome probably wouldn’t have been the
same.”
Would she have let him in her life had it happened
otherwise? She gazed at his lean, angular cheeks, the blazing blue eyes she had
lost herself in more times than she could count, the hard, masculine nose that
had seen one fight too many, and those soft, warm, sensual lips whose kisses
sent her to the moon. The face of the man she loved. She didn’t know when that
had that happened, but she couldn’t deny the truth of it. “Jocelyn Wade, aren’t
you just full of surprises.” Debbie Hester’s words dripped acid. “Don was
right. Your professional opinion can no longer be trusted.”
“I’ve never known her personal circumstances to cloud her
professional judgment. I don’t believe it now,” said Myron Atwater, who walked
over to join them.
Jocelyn flashed him a grateful smile, glad from head to foot
to see she still had friends.
“Of course, Mayor,” Debbie said through gritted teeth. “I
was just leaving anyway.”
“It’s good to see you two out. May I sit down? We need to
talk.” Before either of them replied he pulled up an empty chair from the
adjacent table and joined them. Myron turned his body toward Jocelyn as if he
wanted to avoid looking at Jared. “As you know, the School Board is about to
announce the proposed budget cuts next week—a one million dollar shortfall.
Then we’ll have a couple of months to figure out where to cut. It’s not going
to be pretty.”
“Let me know what I can do,” Jocelyn offered.
“Help us raise extra funds. Derrick Karsen at the foundation
promised two hundred fifty thousand dollars. Can you implement a campaign to
raise the same amount in two months?” Myron’s gaze remained on Jocelyn. He
never glanced at Jared, whose silence sent alarm bells ringing through her
head.
“Of course.” She couldn’t answer otherwise. Myron just handed
her a way to fix everything, to regain her integrity after the Chamber
betrayal. It would be time intensive, especially on top of the work schedule
set up to deal with the Health Corp closure. And her father seemed to be
worsening. It didn’t matter. She was Jocelyn
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