“Books aren’t less important,” the librarian said with umbrage.
“The fire department might disagree. The guy whose house burns down because we don’t have a fully-funded fire department might disagree, too.”
“Don’t we have volunteer firefighters?” Lisa asked.
I turned to her. “We do. But the trucks and equipment aren’t free. And when you consider the risk firefighters take, it seems disingenuous to rely on volunteers donating their time to get trained and risking their lives to save yours. Surely you can get book donations or a grant or something.”
Holly didn’t like hearing what I was saying, but her nod told me she understood. “You’re right. Maybe we could have a fundraiser. The Harvest Festival is coming, and maybe we could do something there.”
“Deputy Mayor Jones might be able to help with this, too,” I said, still finding it strange to call Sinclair by her new last name, Jones. Although I was about ten years older than her, I’d known Sinclair and her family, since we all grew up here. When I started working with her as my deputy mayor, I found her to be intelligent, hardworking, and a fighter. She was pretty, too, and I found myself wanting to ask her out but never did because I was her boss. One thing I understood about workplaces—don’t fuck the staff.
When Wyatt Jones returned to town, and the two of them conspired to stop Simon Stark’s buying farmland to build a prison, I’d thought their marriage was fake, to give her a reason to side on the issue as well as garner support from the community. As it turned out, Wyatt was her daughter’s father, and in the end, they appeared to be living in wedded bliss.
Probably just as well. I had terrible luck with women. Shelley was proof of that. There was also my one indiscretion with Frank’s daughter—no, I couldn’t think about that.
Holly stood. “Thank you, Mayor Valentine, for your time. Would we be able to count on your support in fundraising efforts?”
“I’ll do what I can.” I stood as well, running my hand down my tie. I’d come a long way, from jeans and riding a horse to wearing a suit and running a city. I motioned for the ladies to proceed with me out of the conference room.
“Mr. Mayor, it’s nearly lunch. Let me buy for you,” Lisa said.
The librarian rolled her eyes.
“Thank you, Ms. Cummings—”
“Call me Lisa.”
“I have other plans.” Like to hide in my office.
I watched the ladies as they walked out of the building to make sure I was safe. Then I headed back toward the mayor’s office. City Hall housed several department offices, but we all shared the conference room. I stopped in the shared break room on the first floor and grabbed a coffee. As I left the room, I ran into a familiar face.
“Frank.” Seeing him was always a mixed bag. He was one of my oldest friends, but I couldn’t look at him and not think about what I’d done to his daughter, Brooke. It wasn’t just that I’d gone down on her that filled me with guilt and self-loathing, but also, how often that memory flashed into my brain, especially during my drought with women that led to my only sexual outlet being dreams and jerking off in the shower. The taste of her and the sounds she made were front and center every time I got off, making me feel even more like a pervert.
Frank smiled. “Mo. You’re looking very mayoral. I don’t see you much anymore.”
“Yes, well, the job keeps me busy.” That, and I can’t bear being with him and dealing with my guilt.
“Of course, of course. Do you have a minute?”
“For you, I’ve got several.” I patted his shoulder. “Come into my office.”
We entered the outer section of the mayor’s office where my admin, Trina Lados, worked. Within this area, there were three offices, one for me, one for the deputy mayor, and a third that was empty.
Frank whistled as I brought him into my own office, shutting the door behind us. “These are some fancy digs.”
I motioned for him to sit in the chair by my desk as I sat behind my desk. “I don’t know. I miss spending my days on a horse, sometimes.”
Frank’s smile faltered slightly, making me wonder what was up.
“How can I help you?”
“Brooke just graduated from college and has decided to return to Salvation.”
I tried to maintain my smile as my insides went cold. After our encounter, I avoided her whenever she was home and prayed that she’d find work in Chicago and not return to Salvation permanently.
“You must be proud,” I managed to say.
Frank grinned. “She’s my pride and joy.”
God, I was a perverted fuck. “Is she okay?” I wondered what this had to do with Frank’s visit.
“Oh, yes, but well, she got her degree in public administration and needs a job. You’re the center of public administration. I don’t want to ask you for any special favors, but well, I was wondering if any departments here were hiring? I have her resume.” He handed me Brooke’s resume.
I looked it over, even as my stomach felt sick. She had all the requisite degrees and classes. She’d also done several internships in public and community agencies.
“She’s always been a smart kid. I’ll see what I can do. The city jobs are listed online, as well.”
Frank nodded and then looked down, again giving me an unsettling feeling.
“Is there something else?” I asked.
He shrugged and then nodded. “No.”
I studied him, wondering what he wasn’t telling me. I began to feel guilty that I’d been distant from him since my encounter with Brooke. Were there things going on in his or Brooke’s life that made her returning home and getting a job crucial? Was he sick?
I had a reputation for being fair and a stickler for rules. I didn’t ask Sinclair on a date because that would have been inappropriate. Offering Brooke a job without announcing an opening and going through the right protocol was wrong. It was an abuse of my authority, especially since Frank wasn’t just my friend, but our families had been friends forever.
So, I was not sure what got into me when I said, “Send her here when she’s back in town, and I’ll see what I can do.”
Frank’s face lit up. “She’ll be home for good next week. I’ll send her then.” He stood and reached out his hand to shake mine.
I stood, gripping his hand but feeling like shit. I betrayed him. I wanted to think that offering Brooke a job would make up for that. But as the beautiful young blonde woman’s image came into my head, I couldn’t help but think this had disaster written all over it.
“I’m happy to help,” I said, mustering a smile.
He turned to leave but then stopped and looked at me. “Oh, and can we keep this little visit a secret? I don’t want Brooke thinking she got a job from a favor. I want her to think she earned it.”
I tapped her resume. “She did.”
Frank grinned, and again, guilt lanced my gut. I was going to hell for sure.
When he left, I sank into my chair and self-flagellated by mentally berating myself. What the fuck was I doing hiring her? Not just because I could get called on the ethics of it, but also, I still dreamed about her sweet pussy. How was I going to work alongside her with her scent and the taste of her sweet juice when she came was still so vivid in my brain. I had to hope to hell that crush she had on me was long gone.
2
Brooke
It was strange being back in my own room. Not that I hadn’t stayed here whenever I came home to visit my father, but now I was home to stay. If I was going to live here until I got settled into my new job, I’d need to redecorate it. The pink frills and posters of pop stars weren’t who I was anymore.
Not that I was a big city slicker after spending four years for college in Chicago. The truth was, I liked being home in rural Nebraska. The air was clean. The area was less crowded. And of course, I’d be able to see Mo again.
When my infatuation with Mo first started, it was similar to having a crush on a movie star, emotionally strong an
d yet, unattainable. After that night nearly four years ago, Mo wasn’t a dream or fantasy anymore. He was real, and my love for him grew. But I’d have to be an idiot not to know that the fact that I hadn’t seen him at all over the last few years was by his design. The first few times I returned home, I was disappointed not to see him. I knew he’d been bothered by what happened, but I was sure if I could see him, I’d be able to reassure him that we weren’t wrong, and then win him over.
After a psychology class, I was able to see the situation more from his side, and I felt guilty for putting him in a situation in which he felt he’d betrayed my father or taken advantage of me. I would have liked the chance to talk to him about that, but he’d been MIA whenever I was home.
“Mo is busy with being mayor and his ranch,” my father said last year when I asked about it.
“That’s it?” I’d known my father was unaware of what happened between Mo and me, although I was a bit surprised Mo hadn’t confessed and apologized. He seemed to be a Boy Scout when it came to ethics and acting right.
“What else would it be? Since Shelley left, he’s kept himself busy.”
“Does he date?”
“Not that I’ve seen or heard. But you know, once bitten, twice shy.”
I wondered if Mo’s self-imposed singlehood now was by design or a lack of opportunity. When he saw me again, would that little spark that one cold winter night still be there? Would he still look at me as his friend’s daughter? Or worse, a girl?
I shook my head at myself, looking in the mirror. “Seriously, Brooke, you need to get over this schoolgirl crush.” Now a few years out from that night, I had to concede that I’d been a silly girl, and yet, I couldn’t get him out of my mind or my heart. He was once again relegated to an unattainable crush like young girls had on celebrities. Sometimes I wondered if that night ever really happened. Maybe it was just a vivid dream.
The point was, I was older and wiser, and though I understood that Mo was off-limits to me, even if after all this time, I still thought about him and wished I’d had a chance. Truth be told, I was eager to see him again. A part of me hoped that when I did, my infatuation would come to an end. Another part of me still had that dream of him seeing me and being unable to keep his hands off me, and then he would sweep me off my feet.
I studied myself in the dark skirt and white blouse. Would he see a sexy secretary or a young girl playing grown-up?
I was excited about this job, and not just because I’d finally be able to find out if this infatuation with Mo was just a lingering schoolgirl crush or something more. I was eager for this job because I thought I’d have to start at the bottom of some lowly department. Lucky for me, there was an opening in the mayor’s office. I didn’t even have to interview. Of course, I had really good experience. I couldn’t imagine anyone in Salvation had equal experience since I was able to get in my internships in Chicago.
As I slipped on the coat that went with my skirt and studied myself again. I couldn’t help but remember how Mo’s hands had felt on me. I shook my head. “Brooke, you’re hopeless.”
I was an idiot to think I could seduce Mo. He was now my boss, and knowing him, he’d have all sorts of rules about that. He was also my dad’s friend. I didn’t have a problem with that, but maybe my father would. I’d been embarrassingly shameless that winter night, although I found it hard to feel bad about it. The memory of Mo’s mouth on me stayed with me and brought me more pleasure when I needed to pleasure myself.
I grabbed a quick cup of coffee and toast, seeing a note from my dad about having a good first day. He’d left long ago to deal with the cattle.
I got into my little used car and drove into town, parking near City Hall. I walked in, feeling like I was about to finally earn the fruits of my labor. I’d gone to school, worked hard, and now I was starting my career.
I stepped in through double doors marking the mayor’s office, entering a large room that served as a lobby and admin area. I wondered if that was where I’d be working. I scanned the room, seeing another door with Mayor Valentine emblazoned in gold and black letters on a door. To the right was a small hallway with two more offices.
“Can I help you?” a woman’s voice asked, coming from behind me.
I turned to find a pretty brunette who was a few years older than me. “Hi, yes, I’m here to see the mayor.”
Her eyes studied me. “I don’t believe he had an appointment.”
“I’m his new assistant.” I thrust out my hand. “Brooke Campbell.”
She took my hand, but her eyes still scrutinized me. “Deputy Mayor Sinclair Jones.”
I smiled. “Oh, I’m so happy to meet you.” She was so young. Could that be me in a few years?
“I didn’t realize we’d hired a new assistant. Let’s go sort this out with the mayor.”
Still smiling, but feeling a little uneasy, I followed her to his office.
She knocked and at his “Come in,” opened the door. She walked in and said, “There’s a Miss Campbell here. She says she’s your new assistant.”
I followed her in, and immediately, my gaze went to Mo. He sat behind his desk in a suit that fit him in a way that had all my hormones going crazy. He looked up at me, his hazel eyes as gorgeous as I’d remembered them. Dang it, that schoolgirl crush was alive and well, still.
He smiled as he stood, but he looked as uncertain as I felt. “Yes. Come in.”
His voice was still a sexy, smoky baritone. My heart rate sped up. God, I was hopeless.
“Trina didn’t hire anyone,” Sinclair said.
Her words effectively shook me from the trance seeing Mo again had put me in.
“I hired her. She’s a friend of the family. She graduated and is back home.” He picked up a paper and handed it to Sinclair. “You’ll find she’s more than qualified. Have a look at this if you feel that I, as the mayor, have made a mistake.”
I looked at Mo and then Sinclair, noting some tension.
Sinclair rolled her eyes. “You’re a stickler for rules, Mo. Hiring outside of normal protocols isn’t part of the rules.”
He shrugged. “We need the help, so I took the initiative.” Then he looked at me. “How are you, Brooke?”
Maybe I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was, because it was only then that I realized my father had gotten me this job. My dad called in a favor, and Mo, being a good friend, obliged. I should have known when my dad asked for a copy of my resume that he was doing something like this. At the time, he’d told me he knew someone with a job opening. Now, I knew he’d gone to Mo and begged him to give me a job. How mortifying.
I looked down. “I…ah…I thought—”
“Everything is fine, Brooke.” He looked at Sinclair. “We need the help, and now we have it.”
Sinclair looked over the paper that I now saw was my resume and cast a glance at me. “You’re Frank Campbell’s daughter.”
I nodded, then remembering I was a grown woman and not a kid in the principal’s office, I found my voice. “Yes.”
“I’m Wyatt Jones’ wife.”
Mo flinched at that, making me wonder if he had feelings about that. A mixture of sadness, jealousy, and feeling like a dumb schoolgirl all mixed in my gut.
“I didn’t know he’d returned to town,” I said, knowing the Jones family more by reputation than directly. My father was friendly with everyone, but especially other cattle ranchers like Mo and the Jones family.
She nodded and then turned to Mo. “I don’t have an issue with her credentials or that we need help, but there are hiring procedures.”
He stood with his hands on his hips. “I appreciate you and Miss Lados’s contribution to this office, but I’m still the mayor, am I not?”
Sinclair rolled her eyes again. “Yes, your excellency.”
He glared at her. It did seem a little disrespectful of her, but there also seemed to be more than a working relationship going on between them.
“If there is a problem, I can go th
rough normal channels,” I said. I didn’t want special favors.
“The mayor has made his decision. If this gets out, though—”
“I’m not running again, and my term will be up soon, as you well know, Sinclair. Then you can run this office as you see fit. In the meantime, let’s get Ms. Campbell to Ms. Lados so she can get settled.”
He called me Ms. Campbell. I suppose that was better. It was more professional and less like he was my father’s friend.
Sinclair shrugged and handed him back my resume. She turned to me. “Welcome aboard.”
3
Maurice
The minute Brooke walked into my office, guilt, and lust mixed in my gut. For a moment, I remained sitting, as seeing her in her prim suit and remembering how she tasted the night I went down on her could likely cause a hard-on I didn’t need at that moment. Sinclair’s disapproving glare helped keep my dick down.
Sinclair had some nerve. I’d been the one to always keep her in line, sticking by the rules, and now she was lecturing me on policy and procedure? To make matters worse, there was no doubt that Brooke realized her father had finagled this job for her. Her resume was stellar, and I had to hope that she lived up to it, or I would never hear the end of it from Sinclair. Or Trina, for that matter, who I had no doubt would also cause me grief.
But now that Sinclair’s and my pissing contest was over, it was time to get Brooke settled. The sooner, the better, because seeing her was wreaking havoc on me. She was even more beautiful now. She was still young, but she’d grown out of that teenage youthfulness. She looked like a woman, not just in her fitted suit that showed off sexy curves, but also a worldliness and confidence she hadn’t had when I last saw her.
I extended my hand toward the door indicating both women should go ahead of me out of the office.
Trina was at her desk, looking less focused than usual, but I was sure she could be more efficient and productive in her sleep than the average person hyped up on coffee.
Fake Marriage (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 43
