Page 41 of The Last Love Song
“Yes. This is the mayor.” Not for much longer, if he had anything to do about it. He needed to be done with this job and let other people fix small-town dramas.
“Hi. Er. It’s Megan Bryer. My dad is on the town council?” She sounded tentative
Because she was a high school kid nervous about calling the local mayor’s office? Or because she faced a lot bigger problem than that?
Zach’s thoughts shifted from Heather to the young woman on the phone. A young woman he was worried about, even though he wasn’t even sure he remembered what she looked like.
He lowered himself to sit on the edge of his desk, ready to give her his full attention. If she were in trouble, he would be there for her the way he hadn’t been for his sister.
“Yes, Megan. Of course I know who you are. I’ve been looking forward to talking to you.”
“you can’tgive up your audition spot because of this.”
Heather held the phone away from her ear slightly. Erin had raised her voice over the din of live accordion music at the Gumbo Fest where she and Remy had been taking in the sights. Heather had disrupted her sister’s day with the news about the town’s investigation.
“I won’t,” she replied automatically, even though she had no idea if it would come to that or not. “At least, I hope this will all be taken care of before I have to leave for Charlotte.”
She sat in her newly fixed car outside the town’s baseball field. She had a front-row view of the game currently in progress between the fire department and the local teachers’ association. New lights flooded the field, an addition she’d lobbied hard for last spring. They’d been expensive, but a government matching fund had helped. And despite the griping about the increased costs passed onto various leagues who played on the field, they sure did pack the stands now that they had a better place to play. Concessions alone would make a serious dent in paying down the money the town had borrowed for them.
Heather planned to help out in the concession stand tonight as sitting at home and brooding wasn’t doing her a damn bit of good. Besides, Finleys didn’t hang their heads and worry about idle talk. Better to be in the thick of things and prove she had nothing to hide.
“You hope it’s taken care of? Heather, that’s my whole point.” Erin must have taken the call somewhere more private since the zydeco music in the background had faded a bit. “You can’t afford to wait and hope the situation gets taken care of. You know the family runs on drama. Even if the new sherifffigured it all out and Dad’s name was cleared, Mom will be too distracted to take her meds and she’ll go in a tailspin. Or she’ll overcompensate with meds and she’ll need help leveling out again.”
“She can’t help that?—”
“I know. I understand her better than I used to, so I’m not suggesting she uses the drama for attention. But we’ve weathered enough episodes where we should realize that any implication of Dad’s involvement in the scandal is going to wreak havoc with her emotions and her health.”
“I asked her to make a doctor’s appointment so we can get on top of that.” Heather tipped her head back against the upholstery seat, watching as Quinton Lee, the owner of Lucky’s Grocer and a fire department volunteer, tapped his bat on home plate. “I want to be with her when she goes. I want to hear what the doctor says firsthand.”
“Let Mack or Scott go with her,” Erin urged. “You’ve waited too long for this chance to follow a dream, Heather. You have to go for it.”
Right. Except with her own appointment now canceled, she didn’t feel quite as motivated to sing her heart out in front of strangers. What if her fingers were stiff that day and she couldn’t play her guitar? She really needed medical help and she’d feel better if she could get on a treatment program before her audition.
“I can catch up with the program when they do auditions in New Orleans next month.” She’d already checked to see where elseAmerican Voicewould be scouting talent. “The invitation doesn’t expire.”
Out on the baseball diamond, Quinton Lee connected with a pitch, sending the ball over the fence and into the parking lot nearby.
“Next month?” Erin must have moved again, because the sounds of a fiddle grew louder. “And then you’ll be saying ‘next year.’ Don’t do this to yourself. I’ll come home before I let you miss out on the audition.”
“Absolutely not.” A couple of kids scampered down from the stands to retrieve the baseball. “You’re on your honeymoon.”
“Yes. And that’s how important it is to me that you get to your audition. I would leave my honeymoon early.”
“I won’t let you do that.
“Well,Iwon’t letyoustick around Heartache to be Mom’s keeper anymore. It’s as simple as that.” A low voice with a Cajun twang spoke in the background on Erin’s end. Remy must have joined her. “You know, you could always call Amy and see if she wants to take a turn overseeing Mom.”
The hometown crowd cheered while Quinton ran the bases. Heather used to play on the teachers’ team, but she hadn’t signed up for the fall league onceAmerican Voicehad invited her to audition for the show. She had counted on being gone by now.
“If she didn’t want to come home for a fun thing like a wedding, she’s sure not going to run home to cart Mom to doctor’s appointments.” Heather checked her watch to make sure she wasn’t missing her shift at the concession stand. She’d volunteered to take over for Trish, her hairdresser, who’d wanted a chance to watch the fire department guys in action.
“You should stop in Atlanta on the way to Charlotte and see Amy.” Erin’s voice went quiet. Thoughtful.
“I thought we were mad at her for not coming to the wedding.” Heather hadn’t been mad. But she knew Erin had been hurt.
Her gaze flicked to a couple pushing a stroller, who walked in front of her car, their baby covered with a fuzzy blue blanketto keep out the autumn breeze. That could be Erin soon. Would Amy come home for a new baby in the family?
“Wearemad at her. We can be mad at one another and still love each other. It’s a sister thing.”
