“Of course. All I’ve got to do is stare at you and tell people you’re wonderful. I can do that.”
He narrows his eyes, and I smirk. Even pissed off, he’s so endearing. The temptation to kiss him dances through me, but Maria isn’t paying us any attention, so it would be wasted effort. I’ll save it for tomorrow, when he needs a wife.
Anticipation and dread colour every bite I take of my meal.
***
WE DO NOTget off to a good start the next evening. I put on the same dress I wore to Bradley’s party, only with a cardigan thrown over so I look a bit more conservative.When I step out, ready to go, Sid is waiting for me, nursing a cigarette.
“Oh, come on! You know we’re going to have to kiss tonight.”
“It’s not like it has to last long,” he says, which makes me think this isn’t a stress smoke. He’s being deliberate. Fine. Great. Isn’t he considerate, making himself less appealing?
“Whatever, let’s just go.”
The meeting is in an old community hall not far from Salt Spring’s largest natural harbour. It’s a prime location for anyone who wants to visit from the other gulf islands like Galiano and Pender.
I don’t recognize anyone, which becomes even more distressing when I realize that the chairs set up on the stage are for the candidates. I’m expected to sit in the audience.
Sid moves towards the stage but my grip tightens on his hand. His face morphs from confusion to empathy when he notices the way I’m eying the crowd. There must be two hundred chairs set up, including a reserved spot for a newspaper stenographer. In all our discussions about the town hall, I never considered how daunting it would be to sit alone in public, surrounded by hundreds of people.
Sid squeezes my hand sympathetically, then leads me a few rows back to where an old woman wearing a boiled wool hat is seated. She is not who I would have picked to approach—her mouth is set in a deep frown and the bags under her eyes give a look of perpetual misery. Her expression doesn’t improve when Sid’s shadow falls on her. If anything, the scowl intensifies.
Sid nods to her, not that it helps. “Good evening, Mrs. Buckerfield.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t know if you remember me, but I’m Sid Charles—”
“I remember.” She turns to look at the stage.
“Wonderful.” How Sid keeps smiling, I’ll never know. “Forgive me for imposing, but my wife wanted to meet you. She keeps asking who taught Carlos all those wonderful recipes, so I had to introduce you.”
“Oh! You raised Carlos?” I ask.
Her gaze snaps to me. She scans my simple outfit and unruly curls, trying to decide what a girl like me means, standing next to him. “I didn’t realize you got married, Mr. Charles,” she says at last.
“We did.” I put an arm around his waist, both to steady myself and in hopes that it makes us look like a happy couple. “I know I shouldn’t pick favourites out of the boys, but if I’ve got one, it’s Carlos. He taught me your flapjack recipe the other day. They were incredible.”
“That boy hadsuchpotential.” She sighs, and I understand why she’s been so frosty with us. It’s impossible not to love Carlos. I can’t blame her for being gutted that he picked his TNS crew over her. “How is he, then? Good to hear he’s still cooking.”
“He’s wonderful.”
“Would it be all right if Kayla sat with you? She’s been meaning to ask about your café,” says Sid.
My head whips round to him. What the hell is he doing? But I can’t make a stink about it right now. Not when the whole point of coming here tonight is to make Sid look good.
On the other hand, arguing with him in front of strangers while sexual tension simmers beneath the surfacewouldmake us look very married. But he’s already heading for the stage, so without any other option, I slide into the seat next to Mrs. Buckerfield.
“Your husband isn’t running, is he?”
“He is.”
“Hmmm.” She’s polite enough not to directly insult him in front of me. “And I suppose you’re here supporting him?”
“Of course. We’d be lucky to have him on council.”
She chuckles, eyes still fixed on the stage. “Naturally,youwould think that. Not that it’s a bad thing. We all see the good in those we love. It’s veryBeauty and the Beast, isn’t it?”
