Page 21 of A Moment In Time

“No. That’s not even close.”

Cabe nudged Paxton. “Just let it go, Pax. Gage will tell us when he can.”

“Well, that’s bull.”

Gage raised a hand. “I’ll give you a tiny hint. You’ll never in a million years guess what it is.”

“Wow, brother.”

Cabe nodded. “Yeah. Wow.”

Chapter seven

"Doctor will always trump newspaper guy."

Gage finally went home after leaving the bar. The cabin he lived in was built by Lincoln and Rand when they were young men, and it was only accessible by horseback. When Gage was nineteen and ready to move out of the family home, he renovated the small cabin and had a road put in between it and the road to Cooper’s barn.

He had added a bedroom and a bathroom over time. And recently refurbished the kitchen. The place was still small. But he loved it. At night, when the weather allowed it, he slept with the window open and fell asleep to the sound of the creek fifty yards from his back porch. It was remote, quiet, and perfect fora guy who preferred his own company over anyone else’s. Except for maybe his brothers and Clementine.

He parked the truck under the three-sided garage next to his vintage Mustang. He only drove the car when there was no snow or ice on the roads, which was generally April through October. Although this year, the snow came early.

Gage went straight to bed after starting a fire in the woodstove. It was cold in the cabin, so he slept under several layers of blankets. When he woke in the morning, he’d kicked most of them off.

As he drank his morning cup of coffee, Gage thought about agreeing to take on the job of mayor. It wouldn’t be real until he called his uncle. He could still back out if he wanted to. But Sydney and Clementine were so confident he could do the job, it made it hard for him to decline.

“Shit.” He picked up his phone and sighed when he saw he had service. It was touch and go at his cabin. But of course today, it was working. He dialed Duncan’s number.

Duncan answered with, “I hope you have good news for me.”

Gage sighed. “I do. I’ll do it.”

“I’m so pleased to hear that. I’ll talk to Bessler and Jack Patterson. Hopefully, the election will just be a formality.”

“And if it isn’t? If Jack wants to run against me?”

“No contest, son. You’ll take it either way.”

“Hmm. I guess we’ll see. So when can I tell the family? I hate keeping something this big from them.”

“Give me today to talk to Mayor Bessler. I’ll see when he wants to make his announcement. But I’m sure he’ll be fine with you telling the family as long as word doesn’t get out before he wants it to.”

“Okay.”

“What made you change your mind? You were pretty set against it yesterday.”

“I talked to Clem. You know how hard it is to say no to her.”

Duncan laughed. “That girl is a pistol alright. Even more so than my girls.”

“Yeah. Except for Hadley. You’ve had your hands full with her.”

“I sure have. Love her to death, though.”

“I need to get into town and do some work in the darkroom before the auction.”

“All my girls are going. Keep an eye on them, will you? Make sure they only bid on cousin approved bachelors.”

“Sure. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

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