Crunch. I noisily ate my grilled cheese.
Fleur made a face. “My meal plan doesn’t include dairy.”
“That’s a bummer,” I said. “I like to add butter to my steak when I cook it. You know, grease up the meat.”
Hunter narrowed his eyes at me.
“My meal plan doesn’t include steak either. It’s all vegan,” Fleur replied brightly.
Hunter’s scowl turned into a grimace. “You’re vegan?”
“Yes, sweetie!” she chirped.
“Yeah that’s not going to work for him. He’s from Wyoming, so he eats meat with every meal. Come to think of it,” I said, taking a spoonful of my soup then slowly sliding the spoon out of my mouth, “so do I.”
“Men can change when they have the influence of a good woman,” Fleur insisted, her grip a little tighter on Hunter’s suit jacket. She tilted her face up at him. “I’m going to make you some fantastic health food, babe. You’re going to be vegan before you know it!”
I smirked as Hunter squirmed.
“Unfortunately,” I told Fleur, “some men can’t change. But enjoy your kale and mushrooms, Hunter.” I chuckled as I turned to go grab a plate of parmesan truffle french fries and a cocktail. I hid behind a column to eat them before the townspeople accosted me.
Eating secretly and dealing with the small-town characters was all that my life consisted of at this point. During the first few years after moving home to Harrogate, I had chafed at being stuck in a small town. But by now I had resigned myself to my existence. In addition to doing my job as deputy mayor, I also did a good portion of Mayor Barry’s work. Between my busy schedule, taking care of my sisters, and fighting the Svenssons as they tried to screw over the town at every turn, was it any surprise that I stress ate?
I peeked around the column. Speak of the gray-eyed devil. My younger sisters Rose and Minnie were flirting with two of the teenage Svensson brothers.
My situation might have been endurable if only Hunter wasn’t here. He made my life a thousand times worse. Years ago, he had broken my heart then hadn’t even had the decency to go back to Manhattan to live out his fancy billionaire lifestyle and leave me to my fried food and small-town politics. Nope. Instead, he moved to Harrogate permanently to care for his dozens of little brothers and to make my life miserable.
“Meg! Yoo-hoo! There you are, Deputy Mayor!” Ida, with her gaggle of fellow senior citizens, hustled up to me. I stuffed another handful of fries in my mouth then downed half my drink.
“I want to propose a new idea for the town,” Ida declared.
I took a deep breath.
“It’s amazing!” Ida chattered on. “Hear me out. I know this gal, Dorothy, great gal. She has a naked yoga franchise—”
“We are not doing naked yoga on city property,” I interjected.
“Now wait a dang minute!” Ida put her hands on her hips. “We have a public health crisis in this city. People are eating too much fatty food. Not to mention the drinking.”
“I have to drink,” I mumbled in my glass.
“Yes, but everything in moderation,” Edith Roberts insisted. “We need an activity to motivate people to be active and moving.”
“Keep Harrogate mobile!” Ida shouted.
“Can’t you do regular yoga?” I asked.
“We do,” Bettina said, “but no one shows up. If we had naked people, then everyone would show up!”
Dear lord.Why was this my life?
“Just think about it,” Ida said.
I gave them a noncommittal statement then grabbed another drink and joined my sister, who was helping Uncle Barry onto the stage. The mayor was wheezing as he climbed up the three short steps. He stood leaning on his cane while I stepped up to the microphone.
“Thank you all for coming to celebrate Mayor Barry’s eightieth birthday,” I announced. I raised my glass and turned to my great-uncle.
Uncle Barry smiled wanly at me. A large man, he was normally red-faced and loud, if not particularly mobile. Now he looked a bit pale. He took a sip of the drink Hazel handed him.
