Page 37 of The Boyfriend Boycott
“It is nice to see you so passionate about this. It’s been a very long time since you’ve been this fired up about anything,” she says. I give a slight nod in agreement, but I keep the thought to myself that my newfound passion is thanks to the gorgeous redhead sitting next to me. “Regardless of how it all turns out, Grady, you have my support at the council meeting.” A feeling buzzes within me, from my solar plexus all the way down to my fingertips.Hope.I stifle it just a little, for now. Eleanor is justoneof the council members, and although it will help immensely to have her on my side, the battle is far from won.
“I appreciate it, Eleanor. More than you know.” I hold my glass up towards her, and she clinks hers against it, toasting our newly formed alliance.
We finish up dinner, and I stand to help Marko clear the plates, taking mine and Spencer’s over to the sink. The plates clatter together when I drop them in the soapy water, but I still hear Eleanor say something to Spencer in time to turn aroundand catch a flush blooming behind the freckles on her cheeks. Marko thanks me for clearing the plates, but I barely hear him, my ears trained on the conversation happening at the table. I just make out Eleanor’s hushed words, something about how natural Spencer and I look together, how she can tell that we’re made for one another. I could tell her that all day, how I think she was made for me. It’s just Spencer that needs convincing now.
Spencer changes the subject, diverting the conversation away from me, us, and she gets up to fetch her laptop from her bag at the front door.
Once we’re all seated again, she opens it up and turns it so her presentation is facing Eleanor across the table from her. She starts flicking through photos of Heartwood. They’re all familiar places, but the way Spencer has photographed them shows them from a new perspective.
“This is the version of Heartwood that the tourism board should sell. Highlight the locals, the lesser-known places, the corners of the community that make you feel like you’re home, like everyone here is family.” As Spencer speaks the words, she’s taking them right out of my mouth, right out of my heart.
Eleanor reaches a hand across the table and places it on Spencer’s arm.
“Spencer, this is beautiful. You truly did capture the essence of our little town, and I speak for the whole tourism board when I say that we are so grateful. I will present this to the board at our next meeting. I think they’ll be very pleased with the new direction for marketing.” Eleanor’s face suddenly brightens, and she clasps her hands together. “On that note, we should have dessert.”
As she says it, everyone at the table jumps at the sound of a clatter in the kitchen, followed by loud, wet, slurping noises behind the kitchen island.
“Wallace,no!” Marko jumps up and runs to the kitchen, shooing the Great Dane out. He sulks off towards the living room and makes himself comfortable on his cushion in the corner, licking his jowls with loud smacking sounds. The three of us round the counter hesitantly, and collectively cringe as we take in the pile of pastry on the floor.
“My pie! My pie is ruined!” Eleanor shrieks when she sees the dessert lying crumbled on the floor, the blueberry filling oozing out of the crust onto the tile. A good portion of it is missing now thanks to Wallace. Eleanor covers her face with her hands. “It’s ruined. It’s done.”
“It’s not that bad, honey. I’m sure we can salvage some of it,” Marko offers, clearly trying to help.Sorry, Marko. You’re on your own.There’s no way I’m eating that, not even to console Eleanor.
“We can’t serve this,” she says. Spencer lets out an audible sigh of relief at the decision, and I mirror the sentiment. I’m not about to sit here pretending to enjoy floor pie. “I’m so sorry.” She turns, apologizing to Spencer and me.
“It’s okay, Eleanor. I’m already stuffed from the delicious dinner,” I say, trying to come up with something to make her feel better.
“I’m just so embarrassed. I really had this evening all planned out. It was going to be perfect.”
“It was perfect,” Spencer chimes in. “I think Grady and I should go, we don’t want to get in the way of the clean-up.” We both watch with no small amount of horror as Marko tries to scoop the pie off the floor with his hands, the filling spilling out of his fingers across the floor, making the whole situation worse.
“Okay,” she replies, her voice a bit dejected.
“Thank you for a lovely dinner.” I lean in to give her a peck on the cheek. “I’ll come and visit more often, I promise.”
The corners of her downturned mouth lift slightly at that.
“I’ll hold you to that, Grady. Don’t make me hear about your engagement or something through Winnie.”
Spencer and I exchange a brief glance, before saying goodbye and seeing ourselves out. She is the first to mention the comment as we get back into the car.
“Ourengagement? What did you say to her when I wasn’t listening?”Spencer turns in the passenger seat to face me, the light from the streetlight outside casting shadows across her face.
“Nothing, I swear.” I throw my hands up in a show of innocence, but I can’t hold back my grin. “Just that I’m in love with you, and I’m fairly certain that I’ve been in love with you since the moment I saw you.”
Spencer throws her head back and laughs, and the sound is almost melodic. I could die a happy man if that was a sound I heard every day for the rest of my life. She laughs, and I don’t care that what I said was not a joke, because I just love hearing it.
“I actually feel reallybad for her,” I say, making the turn off Eleanor and Marko’s street, onto the one that leads into town.
“Me too. But you have to admit, it was pretty fucking hilarious. Wallace had hisfillof that pie.” Spencer chuckles, and I can’t help but laugh, thinking about the manic slurping sounds coming from the kitchen as if Wallace was trying to eat as much as he could as fast as physically possible before someone found him.
“Yeah, dude won the fucking jackpot,” I answer, a comfortable silence falling between us as Spencer’s laughter trails off. “Thank you for coming up with an excuse to get out ofthere. I thought for sure that Marko was going to make us all sit down and eat it off the floor.”
“I mean, that pie looked so good, I was almost tempted. I was eyeing it on the counter all through dinner.”
I flick on my turn signal and veer off the main road.
“Where are you going?” Spencer asks, but I’ve already turned down the alley behind the bar. It’ll be packed tonight, and I don’t exactly want to socialize with anyone.
