Page 36 of The Boyfriend Boycott
“I like it over there, if I’m honest. Keeps me out of any gossip or town drama. You know I hate drama.”
“Well, I guess you still managed to snag yourself a date, even hiding way out in the boonies.” My shoulders tense, my body going into defense mode, ready for Spencer to deny that we’re together, but she doesn’t. Instead, she casually sips her wine asif unaffected, but I notice the pink flush that’s spreading up her neck.
“I sure did.”
Eleanor turns her attention to Spencer now.
“How are you liking Heartwood?” she asks, gesturing for us to take a seat around the table, as Marko starts plating our food. I pull Spencer’s chair out for her, and she sits, offering me a shy smile. I take the seat to the right of her, opposite Eleanor and Marko.
“I absolutely love it here. Some of my very favourite people are here in Heartwood.” I know that Spencer is talking about Ally when she says this, but when her eyes dart over to me I can’t help but wonder—hope—that I might be included in that group of people now as well.
“Right, you’re Ally’s friend. I forgot that you had some connections here,” Eleanor says as Marko places a steaming plate of pasta in front of her before returning to the kitchen to get his own. “Now that you have another one, will you stay here a while longer?”
Spencer hesitates with her answer, and the hope I felt earlier dwindles.
“Maybe,” she offers, giving a half-hearted answer to placate Eleanor. “I have a job opportunity that I’m hoping comes through. It’s based in Vancouver and would require more travel.”I lean my elbows on the table and rest my mouth against my fist, hoping it disguises any evidence of the disappointment I’m feeling. I’ve been actively trying to avoid thinking about Spencer leaving. Just focus on the positive, focus on the plan.
“Too bad, we could really use someone like you here. The tourism board has absolutely adored what you’ve done so far, the posts you’ve shared of Heartwood are incredible. We’ve already seen an uptick in people wanting to visit. Rosie said thather inn has more guests calling about booking and she hasn’t even opened the place yet.”
“Well, it’s not me, Eleanor. Heartwood really has a lot to offer. I’m just showing people that.” Spencer deflects the compliment, and it pisses me off how humble she is when she is always the most incredible woman in the room.
“Don’t sell yourself short, Spencer,” I cut in. My tone comes out more gruff than I anticipated, but I’ve made a point up until now not to let those kinds of comments from her slide. “I’ve seen the photos that you’ve taken around town and the way you captured the essence of it, it’s amazing. You have a talent for it, for seeing the things that make a place special and allowing other people to see it, too.”
“Thanks, Grady,” Spencer says, her eyes lingering on me for a beat before looking down at her plate of half-eaten pasta. For the last few minutes, all she’s done is push the noodles around without taking a bite.
Eleanor covers her mouth and swallows her bite of food before speaking.
“I would love to see what you’ve prepared for the tourism board. You did bring your presentation with you, right?” Spencer nods in response.
“It’s not quite ready yet though …” Her voice trails off. I don’t know where this side of Spencer has come from, and I hate it. The woman who exudes confidence in every other area of her life, has suddenly shrunk herself at the mention of something she has every right to be proud of—her knowledge, her expertise.
“I’m sure it’s wonderful,” Eleanor decides. When Spencer only replies with a shrug, Eleanor says, “That’s settled. After dinner, we’ll clear the plates, and you can show us all what you’ve done.”
Spencer has suddenly gone a cute shade of green, but she nods silently and finishes her food without another word. I usethe lull to shift the conversation to the reason that I really came, although now I’m not so sure of my motivations. I’m more than happy to just have an opportunity to be out with Spencer in a capacity that is more than friends-with-benefits.
“Spencer really has highlighted all the best parts of Heartwood,” I say, twirling some noodles around my fork and trying to make the segue sound natural. Three pairs of eyes land on me and my palms sweat, my fork becoming slippery in my grasp. They’re all waiting for me to elaborate, so I come out with it. “It would be such a shame if the town were to change.”
“Why would it change?” Eleanor shoots me a quizzical stare.
“You know, with the law that Carter Bouchard is trying to overturn. The one that prevents big chain stores from setting up shop here.”
“Oh, that.” Eleanor takes a long sip of her wine, a gulp more like. “That seems like a done deal, as much as I hate it, too,” she admits.
“It’s not a done deal though, not until the council meeting,” I remind her.
“If Jodi is offering the other council members ‘incentives’ to vote in favour of overturning it like she did for the tourism board, then I’d say the decision has been made. I don’t think the other councillors have as much integrity as I do, but who knows? I can smell a bribe from a mile away.” Eleanor shoves a forkful of pasta in her mouth as if she didn’t just drop a bomb.Bribingthe council? How the fuck am I supposed to make anything happen in this town when she’s got them all eating out of the palm of her hand?
“You’re not planning on fighting it, are you?” Marko pipes up. I almost forgot he was here.I shake myself out of my thoughts, as all-consuming as they are right now.
“Sure am,”I answer, though my resolve is waning now.
“Good for you, son. Someone needs to. It would be a damned shame if they let this happen. Heartwood would never be the same.”Validation settles over me, calming me a little. If Marko feels this way, surely other people do, too.
“Thank you, sir. Spencer is going to make sure I have the best shot possible at the council meeting.”I lean back in my chair and place a hand between her shoulder blades. She doesn’t recoil the way I expect her to, given the fact that I just broke my promise to limit the PDA.
“Just don’t give yourself false hope, Grady. I know how the council members are, and once they see dollar signs, which Carter has a lot of, they don’t tend to budge no matter how hard someone tries.”Eleanor casually picks up her napkin and dabs her mouth, even though there was nothing on her face.
“At this point, I don’t care. Someone has to try. And the only person I see willing to do it is me,” I say.
