“It’s fine.” I throw her an assuring look.
She waves me off. “Well, you go back to your table, and I’ll bring you guys a piece of cake on the house.”
Perks of being mayor. “Can’t say no to that.”
As I’m nearly at the home plate of my seat at the table, with a coffee waiting for me, Rosie raises her brows and smirks to herself as her lips wrap around the rim of her teacup.
“Mayor Carter.” A new deep voice greets me.
I repaint a polite smile on my face as I side turn to see Sam, a local farmer. “Good to see you.”
He shakes my hand and nods a hello to Rosie. The middle-aged man has his hat tucked under his arm. “Just wanted to check if you’ve heard the news about Bessy.”
Licking my lips, I grin to myself because his first pride is his animal, not his son. “Of course, who in Everhope hasn’t. Great to hear that your son won in the junior livestock over at the Sandwich Fair. Goats, right?”
“Yeah. You’ll be coming around for pictures? You can bring the whole family. We have a new litter of puppies, too.” He’s proud as he should be.
“I’ll be there next Tuesday, I believe. That’s what the office told me.”
“See you then. Sorry to interrupt.” He offers Rosie one more smile before he scurries away to the counter.
Finally sitting down, Rosie now grins at me.
Dragging a hand across my jaw, I soak in that my wife is always right. “What?” I shrug.
She stabs a fork into a piece of carrot cake that must have arrived during my conversation. “Nothing.” She’s playing coy. “Just…” she adds, appearing puzzled to the mix. “Imagine if someone were to tell you that there is no way you will be left alone for a peaceful cup of coffee at Foxy Rox.”
My head bobbles side to side before I throw up my arms in defeat. “Okay, you were right.”
Rosie cups her ear. “What was that? I’m not sure I heard you.”
A grin stretches my cheeks. “My beautiful wife was right.”
She giggles to herself as she shakes Cassie’s plastic toy in front of her. We gave up on only wooden toys, handwashed cotton, and classical music when our sleepless states led us to doing whatever possible to survive. “Carter, it’s no big deal. You’re popular. Every time. Grocery store, park, walks on Main Street,” she lists.
I cluck the inside of my cheek. “But Everhope Road’s attention is reserved for you, my Mayoress.”
All the neighbors love her like crazy. It’s either questions about our daughter, advice on yoga or what herbs to burn, and simply Rosie being cheery all the time. The mailman can talk Rosie’s ear off sometimes, too.
She snickers a laugh. “It’s more like I need to keep our neighbors quiet since this little one probably keeps everyone up.”
Our little girl coos and blows a little bubble.
“Cassie’s growing, it’s expected.”
“Is that why your parents put rum on her gums?” she deadpans.
Snorting a laugh, I steal her fork. “It was a rough few hours when they babysat. I mean, she did have a tooth coming in,” I attempt to justify the logic.
“Sure.” She rolls her eyes.
I indicate with my hand that she can hand our daughter over and I’ll hold her. It’s an easy tradeoff, and Cassie settles on my lap, and I can’t help but notice how Rosie is admiring the view and seems to grow quiet.
“You good?”
She nods and presses a smile. “Very.”
Sliding the plate of cake away from me to avoid little curious grabby hands, I remember what we’re supposed to be doing today.
