“Well...” Anita had picked up her knitting and was glancing at it in her lap. Unlike Harper, she was more reserved. “We weren’t exactly trying—”
“Oh, you were doingsomething,” Harper cracked.
The tops of Anita’s cheeks reddened. “You know what I mean. If it happened, it happened. And...”
Riley grinned. “It happened. When are you due?”
“January.”
Olivia stilled. Anita had been pregnant for almost four months?
And she’s just now telling me?
Anita leaned against the chair. “It feels so good to spread the news finally. Tanner’s been wanting to let everyone know for a while now, but I needed to be sure everything was, you know, okay. And it is.”
“This is amazing.” Riley lifted her coffee cup. “To babies!”
Harper and Anita followed. So did Olivia, but she barely made the toast. No one noticed.
“Okay, Riley, your turn.” Harper dipped a graham cracker into the cookie-dough dip.
“Are you pregnant too?” Anita said, hope in her eyes.
“No. You two are a hard act to follow, by the way.” But Riley was still smiling. “Hayden’s officially running for mayor next year.”
“Oh,” Harper said, crunching on the dip and cracker.
Anita nodded. So did Olivia.
Riley’s grin faded. “All right, I know it’s not as exciting or wonderful as having a baby, but come on. A little enthusiasm would be nice.”
“We’re enthusiastic.” Harper grinned. “But that’s not really news, is it?”
“The whole town expects him to,” Anita added. “Mayor Quickel—ew—needs to go.”
“And Hayden is the perfect man for the job,” Olivia pointed out.
“Yeah,” Riley said, pushing her toes against the rug underneath the coffee table. “He is.”
“But?” Harper said.
“I’m not sure I’m ready for all that entails. The campaigning. The time and money he—I mean we—will have to put in.”
“I’d be happy to help you with organization and scheduling,” Olivia said. “And I can put campaign collateral on display in the library.”
“I’ll make phone calls and put flyers in the café window,” Anita said. “Obviously Tanner will do the same at the diner.”
“And I’ll handle the PR.” Harper grabbed another cookie. “And put together a bake sale or three.”
“But you’ll both be pregnant,” Riley said, then looked at Olivia. “And you’re so busy as it is.”
“Not too busy for this.” Olivia smiled.
“Never too busy for a friend and her soon-to-be mayor husband.” Harper lifted her mug again. “To the future Mayor Price!”
“To Mayor Price!”
“And Mrs.Mayor Price,” Anita added.
