Page 40 of A Moment In Time

“Hey. Are you here for lunch?”

“No. Just pie. For Sydney.”

“That’s sweet. What kind does she want?”

“Um… I don’t know. What does she usually get?”

Londyn cocked her head. “You’ve been working with the woman for three years and you don’t know what kind of pie she likes?”

He shrugged. “I’m a terrible person. What can I say?”

Londyn smiled. “No, you’re not. You’re just a little chronically distracted.”

“Can you be a little chronically distracted?”

“Sure. You can be whatever you want.” She smiled slyly and lowered her voice. “You’re the next mayor of Calaway Crossing.”

Gage put a finger to his lips. “No one is supposed to know.”

“My father is the mastermind behind this plan. Of course, I know.”

“What do you think about it?”

“Father knows best.”

“I guess we’ll find out. So, pie?”

“Right. Sydney usually gets peach or banana cream. If she’s eating at her desk, then I think she deserves banana cream.”

“Banana cream it is.”

Chapter twelve

"I wore it just for you, sweetheart."

The mayor’s Valentine’s Day dinner was a bit of an elitist affair. But it had been a thing in Calaway Crossing since the eighties. The city council attended, along with the chief deputy and several prominent business owners. The latter included the editor of the newspaper. But Gage had never attended. This year, however, Mayor Bessler was announcing his retirement and endorsing Gage as his successor. This year, Gage had to attend.

When he pulled up in front of the Ambrose Tavern, he checked his tie in the rearview mirror. He’d been struggling with the knot since he put it on.

“Dammit.” He got out of the truck and saw Booker and Clementine walking toward him. Clementine looked beautiful in a long, red dress, and Booker was wearing his dress uniform.

Gage smiled. “Whoa. Look at you two.”

Clementine laughed. “Whoa, right back at you.” She scowled at his tie. “What’s going on with this?”

“I don’t know. I can’t get it right.”

Clementine stood in front of him and untied the tie, then re-tied it. “There you go.”

He laughed. “I don’t know what we would’ve done all these years if Mom hadn’t taught you how to tie a tie when you were, what, ten?”

“Twelve. She said with all these brothers, I needed to learn.” She stood back. “Perfect.”

Gage checked it out in his side mirror. “Thank you.”

“Where’s Sydney?”

“She’ll be here.”

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