Page 29 of Summer Ever After
“It wouldn’t kill you to try, would it?”
“No, it wouldn’t kill me.” Trying to flirt with Jane is something I’m already a fan of.
A satisfied look flashes through her eyes. “That’s my boy.” She stands abruptly. “Well, thanks for coming, but I have a pinochle game I have to get to in five minutes.”
“You’re kicking me out?”
She bends down and kisses my cheek. “You can come back tomorrow.”
At least it will give me something to do.
Jane
Mayor Barnes peeksover his reading glasses at the four other city council members seated beside him at the front of the room. “Let’s move on to item number seven on the agenda: the reallocation of funds to put in a new community pool.”
Whispers and mutters ripple through the room. Tonight’s city council meeting is more crowded than usual. The long-debated topic of a community pool always draws a good turnout.
“I’m going to turn the time over to our city finance director, Heath Vanderduesen.”
Heath nods at Mayor Barnes as he clears his throat. “As you all know, at last month’s meeting, it was proposed that we set aside land by the nature preserve to put in a new community pool.”
“We wouldn’t need a new pool if that Palmer family hadn’t bulldozed the last one for the retirement home.” Virginia Sawyer’s fist shakes in the air as she glares across the room at Beau.
Beau smiles sweetly at her. “Ms. Sawyer, aren’t you moving into the Seaside Oasis Retirement Home this weekend? So aren’t you glad my family built it? Now you can stay on the island and havea place to live.”
Her glare doesn’t soften.
Keith Vance stands out of nowhere. “I’m with Virginia. I don’t like taking land from the nature preserve for a pool. If people want to swim, they can get in the ocean.”
“Amen!” Mildred O'Donnell claps two rows behind him.
Mayor Barnes leans forward to his mic. “Now, Keith, as the island park ranger at the nature preserve, I can appreciate your concerns. But we’ve already been through this. The land set aside for the community pool is not part of the nature preserve. We’re not here to discuss whether or not the pool is happening. Today’s agenda item is about financing it.” He gestures to Heath. “You can continue.”
“Thanks, Mayor Barnes.” Heath glances down at his paper, choosing to read straight from it. “It is proposed for consideration of a resolution to approve inter-fund transfers from the Storm Water Fund of thirty thousand, the Capital Projects fund of sixteen thousand, and the Vehicle Replacement Fund of nine thousand to the Community Pool Project to fund the building of the pool.”
“I move to approve the resolution for inter-fund transfers,” Marlyss says into her microphone.
Mayor Barnes follows. “I second the motion.”
I lean forward with bated breath. This is the big moment we’ve been waiting for in our city office. I’m pro the building of a new community pool. I’m pretty much pro anything that brings the great people of Sunset Harbor together. But we can’t make it happen without funding, and three city council members still need to pass the inter-fund transfer so we can afford the build.
“I vote no.” I cringe as Dill O’Donnell answers. I shouldn’t be surprised, after his wife’s outburst a minute ago, but still, it hurts.
Paul Hershey hangs his head. “I also vote no.”
We’re tied at two. Everything hinges on Les Erickson. But he’s old and doesn’t care about a new swimming pool with a slide. He wears a Speedo, for heaven’s sake. I should probably be hoping he votes no just so we don’t have to see that.
Les’s grim expression says it all. “I would have to vote no as well.”
Mayor Barnes sighs. “Motion for an approval of an inter-fund transfer has been denied.”
Cheers and groans mix together as the residents react.
My eyes stop on Beau Palmer. He shakes his head as if he’s just as disappointed as I am. Then he shrugs with a sad smile that’s kind of cute. Maybe I don’t need to force anything with him. Maybe thiseyes locking across the roomis our big moment. There’s a shared history. We know exactly what the other person thinks and feels. It doesn’t get moreromance tropethan that.
Mayor Barnes adjourns the meeting, and everyone buzzes as they exit, giving their thoughts and opinions.
“Marge Wentworth got to Les,” Marlyss says as she glares over her shoulder at him. “Marge hateseverything,and I bet she told him to vote no to the pool.”
