“Also, Kate bought wine and enough cheese and cured meat to feed an army, if you’re interested after your shift.”
“Are there olives?”
“Of course there are olives!”
Frank’s cousin and his new wife were dancing happily to the pulsing dance music that was blaring out of the speakers. They started when I tapped them on the shoulder.
“You have the wrong form!” I yelled over the music.
The wife seemed confused, then her eyes widened as I explained that they were going to lose their house.
“I thought we had everything in!” Frank’s cousin fretted. “What do we do?”
“It will be fine,” I assured him. “I filled out the correct one. I just need you both to sign.”
The corgi raised himself up on his stubby legs and started licking my purse. I tried to shoo him away as I fished out my notary stamp while the two signed the form.
“So we’re not going to lose the house?” his wife said anxiously.
“Nope. I’ll have this filed with the city tonight and give Frank the ID number, then you should be good to go,” I said as I stamped the form and signed it.
The corgi was back pawing at me. The couple looked at me, clearly guilty.
“I’m sorry,” the wife said in a rush, “we didn’t vote for you.”
“It’s fine,” I said, resigned, still trying to shove the corgi off me.
“We’re voting for you next time, though, right, honey?” Frank’s cousin assured me.
But his wife screamed, and Frank’s cousin yelled, “There’s a cricket on your head!” And he swatted at me.
28
Hunter
“Excellent turnout,” Karen purred, sidling up to me with two drinks. “Thought you needed a little extra celebration.”
In truth, I was tired of celebrating. I had just finished talking to a number of well-wishers. A part of me kept surveying the crowd, hoping Meg would show up, but that was crazy. There was no way she was coming to a victory party for me, the person who had beat her this round and, if the exit polls were correct, would beat her in the runoff election. Besides, if I was watching the crowd, I needed to be focused on my younger brothers. The teenagers seemed hell-bent on breaking all the rules. I should have left them at home.
“Do you like my dress?” Karen asked as I absently sipped the drink while doing a quick head count. One of my brothers was missing.
“Yeah,” I said, automatically glancing down then back out to the crowd.
“Recognize this dress?” Karen asked coyly.
I glanced back at her again. “Should I?”
“You bought it, silly!”
I frowned.
“Well,” she said, nudging me, “I bought it with the money you paid me! You have to admit,” she went on, “I’m a great campaign manager.”
“We spent so much money on it; I’m actually a bit disappointed it didn’t go any better,” I said, still peering into the crowd. Was that Meg? Maybe I was hallucinating. She had been haunting my dreams more than usual.
“Let’s go talk to the senator,” Karen said abruptly, maneuvering herself in front of me.
I turned but caught a familiar silhouette in the distance. “Did Meghan actually come?” I asked in disbelief.
