However, the consensus tonight was that they needed a serious course correction after their least-attended event in years.
“I do think another concert could be a good idea, though,” the mayor said pointedly, his gaze sliding to Merritt. Slowly, everyone else’s did, too.
Merritt opened her mouth, then closed it. Blood rushed in her ears. “Um…” she managed, after an uncomfortable silence. Then Niko’s voice came from beside her, startling her.
“What do you say? Are the Grateful Dudes ready for the big time?” he asked Larry, grinning.
Crested Peak had a fairly robust local music scene, with one bar or another hosting live music almost every weekend. Larry played rhythm guitar for the Grateful Dudes, the second best of the three Grateful Dead cover bands in the area.
“You know it,” Larry replied, with equal good humor, to a few scattered chuckles. The mayor frowned, but to Merritt’s relief, he didn’t push it, and they moved on.
“What about a talent show?” suggested one of the part-timers.
Daniela wrinkled her nose. “That feels a little middle school,” she said, and a few other people nodded in agreement. “But I do like the idea of something that anyone can participate in.”
“How about a beauty pageant?” Larry said, which was immediately met with groans and eye rolls from most of the women.
“I’ll just dust off my bikini and heels,” drawled Pam, whomMerritt had never seen in anything but Blundstones and oversized cat sweatshirts.
“What if it was a pageant for men?” Merritt said, and every head in the room turned to her again. She wasn’t surprised—it was the first thing she’d contributed the whole meeting. “Mr. Crested Peak. The contestants could all pick a different organization they’re raising money for. We could make it kind of silly and campy and fun. And skip the swimsuits.”
“Now, hold on there,” said Freya. “If it’s a pageant, I want to do some objectifying. They shouldn’t get let off the hook that easy. Fair’s fair.”
“Are you volunteering to host?” the mayor asked Merritt, who was already growing weary of his fixation on the potential publicity she could bring to the event.
“I don’t know if I’d do a very good job,” Merritt said sweetly. “But I’d be happy to be a judge, if you’d like.”
“I can host,” Daniela volunteered immediately, a wicked smile flashing across her face. “Sounds like a trip.”
“Will there be an age limit?” Larry asked.
“How is this not just a talent show?” grumbled the person who originally suggested it, but everyone ignored them.
A few people threw out other ideas, but when they took a vote, Merritt was shocked that the Mr. Crested Peak pageant ended up sweeping. They wrapped up the meeting soon after that, and Merritt took her time gathering her things as the room hummed with side conversations. When she looked up, Niko was still there.
“Want a ride?” he asked.
That’s the problem, actually.
“Sure. Thanks.” She slung her bag over her shoulder and stood up, following him out. “You should probably start charging me, though.”
“I’ll just add it to your invoice.” His grin disappeared, his brow furrowing. “That was a joke. I’m not gonna add it to your invoice.”
“I’ll have to make it up to you some other way, then.” Her cheeks heated as soon as the words slipped out. It had only taken about four sentences for her vow not to flirt with him to devolve into “offering to exchange sexual favors for taxi services,” which felt like a personal record.
Thankfully, he didn’t take the bait, though she thought she saw him do a double take before he opened the door of his truck for her.
“I thought this was Olivia’s thing,” he said, pulling onto the quiet main street. “Is she still feeling sick?”
“Yeah, we did the classic twin switcheroo. How could you tell it was me?” she deadpanned.
His forehead creased in confusion. “Wait, you guys are twins?”
She let out a burst of surprised laughter. “You came to our joint birthday party. Twice.”
“You can have the same birthday without being twins,” he said, a little defensively.
Merritt opened her mouth to object, though she had to admit it was technically true.
