Page 20 of The Fun Part
I keep my voice low. “Why is a lawyer here?”Are you matchmaking again?
“Ignore him but be polite.”
“If he’s not worthy, why keep inviting him to stuff?”
She smiles serenely, taking a pen from her purse and a small notepad. “Because I’m helping him network.”
“But you invited him to Sunday dinner too.”
“That was also networking. Dad and I are very well connected.”
Hmm…good excuses. Possibly not matchmaking?
Cal takes his seat. Mom smiles at him, her eyes sparkling like she thinks he’s all that. This is definitely a setup.
Shane hits the gavel twice, and everyone settles down. Despite his age, sixties, his hair is still red with only a tinge of gray on the sides. “Last year’s races and events brought in a nice boost to business. This year we want to draw in people notjust locally but across the entire state. To do that, I propose we give the fair a name that has something to do with the state of Connecticut.”
“Bigger than Clover Park,” Mom says, “but centered in Clover Park. Great idea!”
Shane inclines his head.
“Well, it is the nutmeg state,” I say. “How about a Nutmeg Festival?”
“Good thought, but another town’s already doing that,” Shane says.
“How about Nutmeg Pie Festival?” Barry asks. Let’s just say Barry often has out-there ideas. His fro-yo shop is called The Dancing Cow, and he’s been known to put on a cow costume and dance for customers. I used to feel bad for his daughter, Violet, as a kid—at least my parents had the decency to dance in normal clothes—but now that she’s grown up, she joins him sometimes.
“Is that a thing?” Rachel asks. “Nutmeg pie?”
“Can you even eat nutmeg pie?” Mom asks. “Doesn’t nutmeg kill you in large quantities?”
Barry points at Mom. “You’re thinking of almonds. Cyanide.”
Mom’s eyes widen. “That can’t be. I eat almonds all the time.”
Barry pulls out his phone. “Fact check!”
“Later for the fact check,” Shane says.
Barry puts his phone down. “The state bird of Connecticut is the American robin.” He’s big into birds. He even goes on vacations specifically to bird-watch. “Our spring fair could be an American robin festival. That would bring in bird-watchers from all over the East Coast.”
“The problem with a bird festival is…” I trail off, sensing Cal’s intense stare. Actually it’s more a smoldering look, like he’s remembering me in the bedroom. I discreetly pull my blouse away from my overheated skin, but it’s no use. My body goesinto a full meltdown of sexy memories with a tingling that has no right to be there in present company.
“You feeling okay, Mackenzie?” Cal asks in a deep voice like when he spoke in my ear in bed, coaxing more and more pleasure from me.
“This was a bad idea,” I say much louder than I mean to. I glance at Mom, who gives me a blank stare. Oh, she’s good. Trying to cover up her delight that I’m this affected by the man she put in my path.
Not today, Mom!
I stand. “I need some fresh air.”
“But everyone loves birds,” Barry says as I’m walking out. “Violet built this cool bird-watching app.”
I walk out of town hall and continue briskly down the street. I forgot my coat, but the cool night air feels good after the hot confines of the meeting room. Way too many people in that space. I’m a block away when a familiar voice calls, “Hold up!”
Temptation follows me.
I turn to find Cal approaching, holding my coat and purse. “You forgot these.”
