I smirk. “Nice try, but I’m not saying.”
My mother wiggles her finger at me and grins. “You don’t want to tell your dear old mom? I won’t tell a soul.”
“You would be the last person I trust.”
She lets me off without further investigation because our attention turns to Rosie who joins us. “Congratulations.” Her ear-to-ear smile mirrors my own before she gives me a hug.
“Thanks.” I appreciate how she naturally settles next to me, in the perfect spot for my hand to find home on her lower back. Her radiant smile between us all is a bonus, too.
“Ready?” Rosie asks me, while my mother waves to my father. The way Rosie peers up to me from my side, forcing me to glance down, is perfect.
“Nothing to be nervous about. I’m sorry if they plant you next to me for the next hour for photos.”
She stifles a laugh. “Mayor posing next to his baby mama,” she mutters.
I squeeze her close to me. “Don’t make me want to reprimand you right now,” I taunt her under my breath, and my long fingers cascade a little lower to borderline inappropriate on her lower back.
My father is thrilled when a tray of champagne arrives to add to the celebration. He is quick to shove a glass into my hand, while my mother offers Rosie a glass of orange juice.
Maybe I do have a few tiny butterflies inside of me. This is a career shift, after all. A milestone in someone’s life. Okay, maybe there is a little adrenaline, too. Fine, it’s excitement.
With one ding from my father’s glass using a cocktail fork, the room grows quiet. “If I can have your attention, I think we can celebrate what we all came here for,” he says, addressing the room. “It’s a great day for Everhope. I received a call to confirm, please join me in a toast for our new mayor, Carter Oaks.” He glances over his shoulder at me and lifts his glass. “I couldn’t be prouder of my son.”
The moment everyone claps, Rosie joins in, and I kiss her cheek while I bask in the fact that everyone is staring at me.
“Congratulations, Son. How about a few words.” It’s not a request from my father, it’s a cue.
Dropping my hand from Rosie’s back, I wait while the claps die down. Holding up my glass, I begin a speech that I didn’t practice except for a sentence or two. “Thank you everyone, for your vote and for being here with me to celebrate. To my parents, brother, friends, and most of all, Rosie, my…” My smile stalls, and I’m not sure what to say. Maybe people notice the moment of awkwardness in the air, and Rosie softly gawks her eyes at me. “Who I’m having a baby with.” It’s true. “I look forward to helping Everhope and ensure we stay the great little town we are. It’s an honor to serve you just as I have as sheriff, which is still a member of government.” I throw my gaze at my mother whose smile strains. “Cheers, everyone.”
The room clinks glasses with one another, and the buzz of conversations returns after people take sips of their drinks.
Rosie leans into me and touches our flutes. “Nice save there,” she teases me quietly.
“Well, we could rectify that title any moment,” I remind her.
She shakes her head playfully. Her demeanor changes to serious. “Congratulations, Carter, on becoming mayor.”
I side-hug her and lean down to kiss the top of her head. “Thanks.”
Before I can say more, a photographer appears before us, and she’s already adjusting her camera strap. My mother is encouraging Rosie to squeeze tighter into me.
“There we go. Perfect,” my mother is directing. “A smidgen closer perhaps.”
Rosie just finds it all hilarious. “Obvious much?” she whispers to me.
We give her three poses to fulfill the quota, and then she is dragging my brother and Hailey into the picture, along with my dad, and it’s a full-on family photo.
After a few photos, everyone is freed from my mother’s demands.
“Not you, Carter. We need some solo photos and, of course, with some others here.” My mother stops me from taking any movements.
But Rosie does, and she steps back. “She’s right. You have mayor responsibilities to fulfill now. Besides, I’m going to head home, and you can stay here. Hailey said she’ll take me. I’m tired.” She’s still smiling at me, and her words speak truth; she’s not trying to run.
I touch her shoulders, and my eyes drop to her lips then draw a line back to her eyes. “Of course. I’m not sure how long I’ll be, but don’t wait up. You’re carrying important cargo.” I wink at her.
She closes our space. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She rises up on her toes to steal a kiss from me.
The kiss lasts longer than it should for public settings, but I don’t care.
