Page 57 of Side Hustle
Amelia didn’t say a thing, but her face said it all. She looked like she’d bit into a bitter lemon and found a worm. She stayed by the door and tucked her hands into her pockets.
Mom pushed a pizza box out of the way and had a seat on the couch. She didn’t look too happy to talk to me either. Probably thought I was here to yell at her like usual.
“I’m glad you wanted to talk, Hazel. I would really like to stay here in Auburn Hill where I can be close to my mom. And you, if you’ll let me. Listen, I won’t push you to have a relationship with me, but I really hope you’ll keep an open mind.” The tears shining in her eyes didn’t look rehearsed, but I’d been wrong about her before.
I swallowed hard and dug deep to find that small kernel of affection I still had for her. How does one completely cut off all feelings for the woman who gave you life? “I wouldn’t mind that, if it meant you got clean and stayed clean. If this is just some sort of game to get money from the gold mine and use it for drugs, then that’s not going to work for me. Or for this town.”
She sat forward, her hands coming up excitedly. Now I knew where I got my hand-talking habit from. “I know, I know. I was actually thinking about that. What if I talked to Rip to see if he can simply send my portion of the gold money to a rehab facility or a drug counselor. That way, the money never touches my hands, but it’s used for what I need most. Professional help.”
I stood up straight. That was a brilliant idea. My heart must have thought so too because a little flicker of hope flared to life for the first time since I was eight years old. I took a step toward her, the actual distance small, but the invitation within the step absolutely huge.
“I’m happy to hear that. I’m open to seeing how you do and going from there. Actions speak louder than words, so if you can show me you mean it, then we can see where that leaves us.”
My mom smiled, and even though her teeth showed she’d lived a hard life, the happiness at my response was evident. She clasped her hands to her chest and the shininess in her eyes came back.
“I’ll show you. I promise.”
I smiled back and we shared a moment in that dingy hotel room. The lines connecting us were still gossamer thin and easily broken, but they were there. It was a start.
A sob had us both turning to the door. Amelia had a hand to her mouth, but her eyes were filling up with tears and a few had already spilled over to run down her cheeks.
“Seriously?” I said around a chuckle.
Amelia furiously swiped at her cheeks, shouting, “It’s just allergies!”
I rolled my eyes and walked over to her, rubbing my hand up and down her back. Looking back at my mom, she was looking at Amelia with both curiosity and a healthy dose of nervousness. Kind of how we all looked at Amelia when we first met her.
“Talk soon?” I asked my mom.
She nodded and stood, scrubbing her hands down the front of her jeans over and over. I didn’t envy her. She had a long road ahead of her and none of it would be easy. I just hoped she had the courage to go down that road and stick to it. I’d like to have a mom back in my life.
I grabbed Amelia and steered her out the door. She was sniffling and carrying on down the hallway like it was her own mother she’d just made up with. Although I couldn’t see her mom ever allowing a snit to wedge those two apart in the first place.
“Come on, bat girl. Let’s get you some tissues.”
23
Rip
I adjusted my tie for the seventh time in just as many minutes, clearing my throat and hoping to God I didn’t vomit in front of my hometown. Citizens were gathering around the tiny stage set up in the park faster than a sale at the Hardware Store. Running for mayor had really started to sound like a good plan the last few weeks, especially after the pep talk from the chief. I had ideas for the town I’d grown up in, and I hoped to make a real change in the community for the good of everyone. But looking out over the sea of faces, I was starting to wonder if I truly had the courage to lead a whole town when I’d barely gotten my own life together.
“You’re going to do great. Just breathe.” Hazel appeared at my side, giving my arm a squeeze.
She looked amazing in a burgundy dress that tied at her waist. She’d curled her long hair and pinned little pieces back. The black heels she wore were new and highly distracting. They highlighted her calves and made me want to scrap this whole press conference idea to take her home.
I tugged at my tie again, this time because it felt like it was strangling me. “Did you give any further thought to marrying me yet?”
Hazel’s eyes darted around to see if anyone heard me, now as flustered as I felt. “I told you, Mister Mayor. I’ll consider it when you do it properly.”
I winked at her. Little did she know I already picked out a diamond and had a jeweler working on her ring. I didn’t want to wait any longer to start our lives together. Which included doing this press conference and having a career that meant I could buy a decent car to replace Hazel’s bucket of rust with a permanent moon roof.
“Hold that thought.” I leaned down and kissed her, spinning to take my place at the microphone. Funny how one look at Hazel and I could tap into the confidence to do all the things I wanted to do. She helped clarify what I wanted. She got me out of my head anddoingthings.
“Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming out today. You’ll be handsomely rewarded with free muffins and libations from Coffee afterward.”
The crowd cheered. Hazel had fought me on that one. She’d wanted to supply her own special baked treats today, to which I’d had to quickly and expertly turn her down. Her time was better spent on helping me create, print, and distribute my campaign materials. The fine citizens of Auburn Hill would never know I’d saved them from extreme gastro distress.
“Last time we met like this, I told you about the gold that had been found on my land. As promised, I’ve moved forward with mining the cave responsibly and will start to have proceeds to distribute in the next few months. But today, I have another announcement that affects the town. As you all know, my father, Benjamin Bennett, stepped down after the allegations against him I brought to light recently and his subsequent arrest. In his absence, the town council has suggested we have a special election to find a new mayor as soon as possible.” I paused, sucking in a huge breath and letting the moment sweep over me. “I’m here today to announce that I’m running in the race to be your town mayor.”
