Page 57 of Leo
“Let me guess.”I sighed.“You’d like to know if you can count on my vote in the board elections to unseat Dempsey?I’m sorry, Cynthia, but I’m letting the home’s membership lapse.The Rainbow Chamber of Commerce is relying too heavily on respectability politics and frankly, I want no part of that.It does the business owners a disservice and the town of Gaynor Beach a disservice, having an organization like that involved in anything to do with such a large part of the town’s culture.”
Cynthia shook her head with a hint of impatience.“I’m not here asking for your vote.I wanted to ask if you’d make an official statement to the board, on record, regarding Willis Dempsey’s accusations—he’s been throwing them around like water to anyone who will listen, but I feel it’d be more powerful if it came from you, directly, the person he was attempting to manipulate.”
I blinked.“You want me to… what are you asking here, Cynthia?Is this a question of writing a letter to the board or are we going full on mock trial?”
“More along the lines of legal action to remove Dempsey from the board entirely, along with the handful of supporters he has still in seats of importance.”
“Seriously?”I nearly dropped my jar of pasta sauce.“You’re suing to have him removed?”
She made a side-to-side motion with her head.“More likethreateningto sue.The other members of the board have retained a lawyer and have had papers drawn up.We’re just giving him a chance to save his bacon before we go forward.”
“And you decided to hunt me down at the grocery to get my cooperation?”
“Like I said, I saw an opportunity and I took it.Iwasgoing to come to your office on Monday like a civilized person, but I saw you perusing the sauces and decided to strike while the iron is hot.And,” she beamed, “I know something that might sweeten the pot for you.”
* * *
“So let me get this straight,”Ambrose laughed, stretching out on his sofa with a belly full of noodles and wine as I rubbed his feet.“She basically bribed you?”
I sniffed imperiously.“I prefer to think of it as she made it known what the upcoming plans were, and they happened to align with things I’d been suggesting the RCC look into for a few years now.”
Ambrose laughed, jerking his feet out of my grasp and rocking up to kiss me.“You’re such a dork and I love it.Just an FYI on that.”
“I’m not a dork,” I grumped.“I’m too old to be a dork.”
“There’s no upper age limit,” he promised.“So, to reiterate: you give them a written testimony and appear in mediation to detail what Dempsey said to you and confirm his ongoing hostility toward you, and the incoming board has promised to implement a community assistance program you’ve been suggesting for the entire time you’ve been part of the RCC?”
“I’m not the only one who’s been pushing for it,” I defended.“I just brought it up again after helping the Simms family with their needs at the home.It reminded me that as nice as Gaynor Beach is, we still have a lot of people here who need community support and the RCC is perfectly positioned to create a charitable program to help provide individuals or families in need with things like temporary shelter, clothing, food assistance, jobs, or even direct financial assistance.”
Ambrose stretched out his feet again, wiggling his toes against my thighs.“I might actually join if they’re going to actually use their powers for good instead of clout.”He grinned, closing his eyes as I swept my thumbs along the high arches of his feet.“Speaking of using your powers for good…”
“I need to leave and get Edward later,” I murmured.
“And Bethany is going to be home by nine.”He sighed.
“So, we have about two hours before we have to be presentable,” I grinned.
He lurched up again, yanking at his shirt.“Stop wasting time talking and get those pants off!”
CHAPTER20
AMBROSE
“Oh!”
Bethany stopped short at the sight of Leo and me in the living room.We’d, thankfully, gotten our clothes back in order but it was kind of obvious what we’d been up to.She turned on her heel and marched back into the kitchen.“I’m gonna throw some pizza rolls in the oven and give you guys a minute to… to do something else.”
Leo leaned in and whispered, “She didn’t see….did she?”
I shook my head.“Impossible.She came in through the back door—don’t you dare,” I hissed when Leo giggled.“She used the kitchen door,” I amended.“You can’t see into the den from there.Besides.”I paused to peck his lips.“Our clothes are on.Zippers are zipped.”
“Hickeys are obvious,” Bethany added, striding past us toward her room, determinedly avoiding eye contact.“For god’s sake, you’re in your thirties!”she added over her shoulder.
Leo and I held it together until her bedroom door slammed shut.“Oh my god,” he breathed around a laugh.“We’re officially too old for sex.”
“Speak for yourself,” I growled, pushing him back against the arm of the sofa for another kiss.We were both laughing but it soon turned to sighs, to hands slipping beneath shirts again, and to the outraged shriek of a teenager walking in on her brother and his boyfriend making out again.
“Oh.My.God!”
