The mayor chuckles. “Wouldn’t know what to do with ourselves if the Palmers and Sawyers started getting cozy, would we, Jane?”
“No, sir,” she says with amusement.
“I understand you’re selling your grandmother’s house, Gemma,” Mayor Barnes says as Jane and Beau start chatting.
“That’s right, sir. Hoping to have it up on Tuesday.”
“Nothing we can do to make you change your mind?”
I give him a funny look. “I think it’s a little late for that.” Most people on Sunset Harbor pass their homes down to their children and grandchildren, but if they wanted that for us, maybe they shouldn’t have done their best to drive us away.
“It’s never too late to let bygones be bygones, you know.”
“Sometimes the best way to let bygones be bygones is to saybyeand be gone.”
He chuckles, making his round belly go up and down. “You’re as clever as your grandma. You know what’s best for your family, of course, but if I may be so bold…”
I raise my brows, waiting for him to finish.
He frowns, then takes a few steps away from Beau and Jane. He clearly expects me to follow, so I do.
“It would mean a lot to the island,” he says, “if you’d pick your buyer with us in mind.”
“Meaning…”
He tips his head from side to side. “There’s growing interest in Sunset Harbor. And rightly so! But we’d sure prefer to welcome residents who are invested in the island rather than in how much money the island can make them, if you know what I mean.”
I don’t even know how to respond to that. What say doesSunset Harbor think they should have in who Grams sells her house to?
My gaze flicks to Beau and Jane. He’s got his arms crossed, leaning against the booth, while they both laugh.
“Two of Sunset Harbor’s finest,” Mayor Barnes says, following the direction of my gaze. “If you ask me, there aren’t two people more perfect for each other.”
My heart clenches. “How so?” I ask with as much lazy curiosity as I can muster, even as my eyes devour every body language indicator between them: the way they’re turned toward each other, the smiles, the obvious familiarity their proximity implies, the mutual attractiveness. No wonder Xena was so excited to see her.
“There aren’t two bigger cheerleaders for this island anywhere,” the mayor says, watching them with patent admiration. “Jane’s my city manager, you know. Works like a horse for the good of Sunset Harbor. I won’t pretend I didn’t cheer silently when I found out they’d been going out. They’ll both be on the island forever, so why not together, I say!” He bumps me with an arm, and I force a smile back.
“Seems like a shoo-in.”
“Ah,” Mayor Barnes says, waving to someone across the square. “If you’ll excuse me, Gemma, I need to have a word with Rick Hershey about a city council issue.”
I nod, and he walks off, leaving me to observe Beau and Jane on my own. City manager and island cop. Certainly seems like they have plenty in common—and a close relationship. Together, they’d have a whole lot of power over the direction of the island, and there’s nothing a Palmer likes better than that.
I pull out my phone and take a video of them chatting together—to showcase Beau’s good rapport with the city officials, of course. Not because I plan to analyze their body language at a later time.
Beau glances at me, and his eyes scan the area for Mayor Barnes, I assume.
“I’ll see you later, Beau,” Jane says, taking note of his absence at the same time. “Gotta catch up with the boss.” She waves, leaving us alone as a family who was at the dog enclosure comes to ask Beau some questions about pet ownership laws. I stand to the side but close enough to listen and take some video.
Even when Beau’s talking about leash laws and poop disposal, he draws laughs. Go figure.
I wish I couldnothave him come over to move furniture later. I wish I could do it all on my own. But I can’t. And, knowing him, he’ll show up even if I tell him I don’t need help. Unless he has another date with Jane today.
There’s only so much video you can take of a man going over laws and regulations with people, no matter how attractive that man is. Also, as it turns out, sitting and observing Beau for an hour goes directly against all three rules I set this morning.
So, when there’s a break, I walk over to him as he cracks open a water bottle and pours it in his mouth.
I blink to get rid of the image. “Hey, I think I’m gonna shove off. Got plenty of material to work with, and I’ve got a lot of cleaning to do before the photographer comes on Monday.”
