“Please tell me you’re not Delilah Stone.”
I took a startled step back. From that angle he might very well be able to see right up my skirt. My dripping-wet skirt. What was pageant protocol in a situation like this? Years of training and etiquette classes had left me unprepared. So I did what I imagined the reigning Miss Lovin’ Texas should do in a moment like that—stepped over the man lying at my feet, straightened my sash, and proceeded up the steps of city hall.
The door had barely closed behind me when he followed me in. “I’m so sorry. Please, let me get you a towel.”
“Is there a powder room nearby?” A drop of water ran down my cheek, and I resisted the urge to swipe it away, lest I smear my favorite volumizing mascara.
“Right this way.” The man gestured to the right. “I’m so sorry. I already said that, didn’t I? I was trying to clean off thesidewalk for the kickoff event tonight. We’ve had a problem with pigeons shitting—I mean pooping—all over the square.”
I didn’t care about pigeons or poop or anything beyond finding a place to pull myself together in private. “I understand.”
“Bathroom’s right here.” His voice dropped as I put my palm on the door. “Are you sure I can’t get you a towel or a change of clothes, or?—”
“That’s quite all right. I believe you’ve done enough.” I pushed the door open and took refuge in the sanctity of the women’s room. First things first, I checked under the stalls to make sure I was alone. It wouldn’t do me any good to let someone get a bad first impression.
Satisfied I was the only person in the small space, I gritted my teeth and faced the mirror. My once-loose waves stuck to my head in wet clumps. Black streaks ran down my cheeks and had dripped onto the white silk shell I’d slipped on under my blazer. And my sash. I let out a soft groan. A few drops of diluted mascara had splashed onto my white satin sash. How the heck was I supposed to get that out? I reached into my purse for a stain wipe—one of the many items I carried in my small emergency bag.
As I dabbed at the black dots, the door to the bathroom opened and a woman walked in, a nervous smile pasted on her face.
“Hi, I’m Mayor Lacey Cherish. I heard you had some trouble outside of city hall.”
I turned toward the mayor. “Just a little run-in with your maintenance man. Nothing a stain wipe and a dryer won’t fix.”
“I’m so sorry.” Lacey held a hand towel out to me.
“Thanks.” I pressed it onto my hair, trying to sop up the water that continued to drip onto the tile floor. “Accidents happen.”
“Can I get you anything?”
“Oh, I’ll be fine. Contrary to popular belief, pageant queens don’t melt when they get doused with water.” I tried to make light of the awkward situation. It wouldn’t do any good for me to get off on the wrong foot with the mayor.
“Would you like to reschedule our meeting? We can move it back a little bit and give you a chance to settle in and get cleaned up.”
The thought of getting the trailer situated and having a chance to compose myself tempted me to agree. But it was already after four, and I had to be ready for the kickoff event in just a few hours. “Why don’t we go ahead and get the details out of the way? I’m going to need a little extra time to get ready for tonight, so I’d rather touch base now so I have the rest of the afternoon to get settled if that’s okay.”
“Of course. I’ll give you a few minutes. Just head down the hall when you’re ready. My office is at the end. You can’t miss it.”
“Thank you.” I met Lacey’s gaze in the reflection of the mirror. “I’m going to run to the camper and grab a dry set of clothes. I’ll be there in five.”
Jasper
I ranmy palms over my denim-clad thighs. Delilah Stone had been in town for less than five minutes and I’d already screwed up. How the hell would I explain to my dad that I’d managed to ruin Ido’s run for the title before the judge even made it up the steps of city hall?
“What in the world happened?” Lacey entered her office, her cheeks flushed.
I jumped to my feet. “I don’t know. I was cleaning the pigeon shit off the sidewalk and all of a sudden there she was.”
“You didn’t hear her? See her heading your way?”
I shook my head. “I came around the corner and before I knew what was happening, she was soaked through.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll fix this.” Lacey crossed her arms over her chest, her mouth set in a determined line.
“Me?” My stomach dipped. “How do you expect me to do that?”
“I need a hospitality host, and you owe me.”
“Wait a sec. I said I was sorry and I meant it. But I don’t think?—”
