20
tate
The followingday was utter madness.
I had two artists pull out last minute and I scrambled to call down my list of backup people. At the same time I had to drag out my electrician for the fourth time to add onto our breaker box because our light show needed the power of a small fucking city by the time Andre was done with his design.
It was awesome, but holy shit he was killing me.
“Tate?” Valerie ducked her head into the trailer, her iPad in hand.
“Please don’t tell me another vendor called looking for me?”
“No. The electrician is here as well as the mayor. She would like a tour.”
“Crap.” I gave her a cajoling smile. “Do you think you could show the mayor around? You’re our social media maven.”
“I would, but she asked for you specifically. She brought the Haven Chronicle press with her.”
Fuck me.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I knew keeping the mayor happy was the only way to keep my life stress free, but man, I did not have time for this.
I followed Valerie back out to newly paved walking path. I’d sacrificed a stretch of the front pasture for parking, and they’d just painted the lines for cars and trucks as well as larger areas at the back of the paved area for buses. I was determined to make the Haven Winter Wonderland accessible to as many people as possible.
Mayor Candice Walsh was camera ready, her winter white hair swept back from her scarily unlined face. She wore a smart suit in power red with an icy white blouse that matched her hair perfectly. The junior reporter was clipping a microphone to her lapel as Mitchell Barton, the owner of the Chronicle, smiled indulgently at the mayor.
They had a long-standing rivalry that sometimes ended up with a visit to a hotel at the edge of town for them to blow off steam. I didn’t really want to think about it, but since I’d bought the hotel to refurbish it, I’d been the unfortunate witness to one of their steamy encounters.
I’d handed off the hotel remodel to someone much more qualified instead.
I did not need to know those kind of secrets in Haven, thank you very much.
Before I could get across the parking lot to meet them, the mayor spotted Amber sneaking out of my house.
Shit.
Her head was on a swivel as Amber met my gaze. Mitchell followed her gaze and his shoulders went back.
“Miss Dalton, do you have a moment?”
Amber froze, her hand on the gate. “I, uh...” She met my gaze with an apologetic smile. She tucked her hair behind her ear as she crossed the driveway between my home and the entryway tothe Wonderland. “I always have time for you, Mitchell.” She held out her hand to him, then to Candice. “Mayor Walsh, so nice to see you again.”
“It’s been too long, Amber.”
“The last few years have been very busy.”
“Not too busy to have a new romance?”
Amber’s cheeks pinked. “Yes, well, it was a new development.” She gave me a wide-eyed look as if asking for help.
I moved next to her and laid a proprietary hand on her lower back. I don’t think that was exactly what she was looking for, but she didn’t try to move away from me.
“So, does that mean you’ll be at the opening of the Haven Winter Wonderland?” Mitchell pressed.
“Of course.” She smiled up at me. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I’m very proud of Tate and what he’s created here.”
“Does that mean you’ll be performing?” The mayor asked with a bit too much guile.
