“Just saying.” I laughed emptily. “I know how much you like the excitement that Silver Peaks just doesn’t bring.”
She didn’t answer but took a pause with a huge inhale. When she inched her chair away from me, I thought the conversation was over, but then she nudged me hard in the ribs.
“Hey, that damn well hurts.”
“Good. It was meant to.” She scowled at me. “You know nothing about me, so don’t ever try and tell me how I think, or what I feel. I’m here because I hate the idea of some ugly ass buildings ruining the beauty of this place. Those mountains are like the backbone of this state. When I look at them I’m in awe at the way their peaks seem to pierce the sky. And how impossibly blue is that sky? And the land,” she took a deep breath, “it’s the deepest green and the way it undulates, it’s just like…” She took a breath. “…like crashing emerald waves, while the pines, so damn tall and grand, stand sentry over it all. So no, I do not want this development marring all of that.” She faced forward and gritted out. “Keep your opinions and shove them up your stupid damn hairy ass.”
And didn’t that little tirade give me a warm feeling deep down in my belly.
Chapter 15
Roar – Katy Perry
Cassidy
Ihad never wanted to commit violence more than I did at that moment. Especially as I could feel the ass wipe staring at me.
“Gunner, to quote a Clockwork Orange, I’m not going to hurt you, but I will if you make me.” I turned my stare on him, and I knew it was hard because he reared back.
“What did I do?”
I blinked slowly. “Aside from breathing too close, which I have to say is off putting seeing as I’m not a lover of garlic.” I shook my head and turned back to watch what was happening on stage. “Not to mention the fact that every conversation we have ends up with you disrespecting me.”
Thankfully, Mayor Taylor tapped the microphone to start the meeting. “Good evening everyone, thank you for coming tonight.”
The woman sitting next to him sighed and smoothed down her skirt as she looked off to the side.
“Who is she?” I whispered to Gunner.
“Are you talking to me?”
I turned to glare at him and had to clench my hands into fists to avoid physical violence. His smirk was irritating at the very least.
“Yes, I’m talking to you. Who is the woman who clearly doesn’t want to be here?”
“Grace Rogers, Mayor of Sweet Maple Falls. The little round guy, that’s Ron Matthews the mayor of Clementine Hills. And the other guy, on the microphone, that’s?—”
“I know who our Mayor is, Gunner,” I snapped. “She agrees with the development then?”
“I do believe she might.” Gunner cleared his throat. “I think we’re ready to start.” He pointed at the stage, and I gave it my full attention.
Mayor Taylor led the discussion about the development, explaining the plans that had been presented to him by the County Mayor’s office. The hall fell into shocked silence as he laid everything out. The meat packing factory with its huge, refrigerated warehouse of thousands and thousands of cubic square feet. Then there were the forty, two-story houses and three two level apartment blocks with eighteen apartments in each. Not to mention the infrastructure of roads and sidewalks around it all. And that was only the beginning, there was much more coming in another three phases which would affect Clementine and Sweet Maple.
“And where do the County think all the children from those properties are going to go to school?” A woman I recognized from the bank asked. “My kids are at the high school and it’s already full to busting, seeing as it’s for all three towns.”
She wasn’t wrong, I had a friend who taught Math at the high school, and she was always telling me how big the classes were. How stretched they were for books and equipment. We were lucky that each town had their own elementary school otherwisewe’d be in the same situation. Mrs. Wright was always telling us how tight the budget was, and we were just one small town. Add more kids to that and I dreaded to think how bad it would get.
“Because I’m betting there are no school extensions in those plans of yours,” she continued, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Our kids’ futures will look bleak if you let them do this.”
“I agree, Sylvia,” Mayor Taylor responded, glancing at Mayor Rogers. “And I have already raised this as a concern with the County.”
The discussion continued until the mayor asked for any other questions. Gunner raised a hand and stood. “We’re the tiniest damn county in the state, so why the hell have these businesses and property developers decided to build here?” He pointedly looked at Grace Rogers. “Is there some incentive they’re getting that we don’t know about?”
Mayor Taylor smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Grace, do you want to answer that seeing as you spoke to the County only yesterday.” Grace reared back in her seat. “You did go to County Hall didn’t you?”
She shifted and clutched her phone to her chest, like it could protect her. “I haven’t spoken to them any more than anyone else, but I can assure you that there will be no incentive. The land speaks for itself. It’s the best place for them to build.”
“Well, I think I will have to disagree with that.” Gunner scoffed and folded his arms over his chest, his biceps bulging against the cotton of his shirt. A white button down that looked very much like the one he’d worn on our fateful date all those years ago. One that made his golden skin look even more tanned. “Are they aware that wild weasels live along that part of the land? And they’re breeding at the moment, so have the necessary environmental checks been done?” He leaned forward, expecting an answer. When Grace Rogers inhaled slowly and her shoulders lifted almost to her ears, Gunnergrimaced and shook his head. “Thought not. Can I suggest that whoever hasthe earof the County speak to them about that and get things put in place.”
