Dae's Christmas Past (4 page)

I got out of the golf cart and started up the stairs to the wide verandah where dozens of wood rocking chairs usually waited for Kevin’s guests. This evening they were filled with my friends and neighbors who rocked and waved to me as they gossiped. Most of them had a drink in one hand and a cupcake or some other confection in the other.

It’s time
, I told myself.
The spotlight is on you
. I put my big mayor’s smile on my face and joined the party.

Because the night was so fine, the double doors at the back of the inn were thrown open to the breezes and a glimpse of the surf. People began congratulating me as I walked in.

Trudy, my best friend since elementary school, hugged me as she grabbed Tim Mabry’s hand. The three of us had grown up together. He’d thought he was in love with me for the longest time, but then he and Trudy had found one another. I was so happy for them. There was already talk of marriage in the months ahead.

“There you are!” Cailey Fargo, Chief of the Duck Volunteer Fire Department, saw me. “Congratulations! I knew you’d do it, Dae!” Cailey had also been my fifth grade teacher and one of my campaign managers for the election.

“Congratulations, Dae.” Carter Hatley owned Game World, a popular skeet ball and video game arcade on Duck Road. I’d gone to school with his daughter. We’d spent long afternoons there after school, learning to master every game.

There were also people who were relatively new to Duck. Luke Helms was a retired attorney and volunteer firefighter who had recently become the new DA for Dare County. We’d dated once but it hadn’t amounted to anything. We just weren’t right for each another.

Cody and Reece Baucum had only been in Duck a few years. They’d opened their restaurant on the boardwalk, Wild Stallions. Both brothers congratulated me. Cody’s wife, Sally, had their new baby in her arms.

This was my town. My home. My people.

But there was only one face I searched for in the crowd. Kevin Brickman had changed my life. I finally saw him putting out trays of snacks and topping off glasses. He’d been with the FBI for twelve years before deciding to retire and start a small business. He told me that he had researched dozens of small, coastal towns. Duck had been on the top of his list. I was thankful for that.

“Madam Mayor.” He kissed me and took my hand. “I’m glad you could make it.”

Kevin was a little over six feet, strong and lean. He’d been wearing his dark brown hair slightly longer in recent months, and it had taken on highlights from the sun. His eyes were more gray than blue, reminding me of the ocean only a few hundred yards away. His handsome face had relaxed since he’d moved to Duck. I could see the changes in him—he was less impatient and tense, a little more friendly and approachable.

He’d seen and done terrible things working for the government. I hoped one day not to see those shadows from his former life lingering in his face.

“I wouldn’t have missed it. Everything looks great. Thanks for hosting this.”

He put his arms around me, tucking me close against him. “It was the only way I could be sure to see you tonight. There must be six other parties with people who all want to talk to you.”

“And that’s why you planned yours as the earliest, right?”

“That’s right. You know I’m strategic. I’m not a seat-of-the-pants kind of guy.” He touched my face with a gentle hand. “You look wonderful for someone who almost died before the election. Every time I think of you out there, fighting for your life, it makes me shudder. I should have been there with you.”

“You can’t follow me around all the time waiting for me to get into trouble,” I reminded him with a grin. “You’d have to be at my side twenty-four-seven.”

Gramps laughed from behind me. “That’s for sure. I’ve tried to keep this girl out of trouble her whole life. It’s coming to a time when I don’t know how much more I can do.”

“Maybe I can help with that.” Kevin got down on one knee.

I hadn’t even noticed how the crowd had cleared a space around us. This was Duck— everyone knew this was going to happen. Everyone but
me
. How’d they manage to keep it from me?

Trudy was already crying, trying to keep her makeup from running. Shayla Lily, who ran the psychic reader shop that Mary Catherine had started, was also crying. Betty Vasquez from the Boutique and Floral shop was sobbing into a pretty lace handkerchief.

“Dae O’Donnell,” Kevin said to me. “I’m not good at speeches. But I love you, and I’d like you to be my wife.”

I felt like someone had hit me with a sledgehammer. I truly hadn’t seen this coming.

How had I missed it? There should have been signs from Gramps or Shayla. I should have heard whispers and seen the sly looks. Nancy was terrible at keeping secrets but she’d managed to keep this one.

Kevin was silently waiting for my answer. The crowd had grown completely quiet so everyone could hear.

My first reaction was to try to talk him out of it. It sounds crazy, I suppose, but I thought he was probably just feeling guilty, like he said, about not being able to protect me. That wasn’t a good reason to marry someone.

On the other hand, I loved Kevin and I believed that he loved me. That was the
best
reason to get married. I’d just never seriously considered it.

I glanced at Trudy standing beside Tim. She frowned at me and tapped on her watch. I was taking too long. I realized then that I was going to have to say yes—then Kevin and I could talk it over. It would be mean to leave him hanging with no answer or to say I wasn’t sure in front of this crowd.

“I love you too, Kevin Brickman. And if you want to marry me, let’s do it.” There was probably a more elegant answer, but that was all my shocked mind could come up with.

It was enough.

The crowd around us let out a long, worried sigh and then started yelling congratulations. Champagne bottles popped. The party that was supposed to be for me winning the election became the party where I got engaged.

Kevin slid a beautiful ring on my finger with a knowing smile on his face.

It took me by surprise since he knew what I went through when I touched something new. He hadn’t prepared me at all. I closed my eyes as hundreds of impressions raced through me.

“You
made
this?” I asked after seeing the images of him creating the white gold ring with the moonstone in it. “How? When?”

He shrugged. “I took some classes and met a man who helped me. I knew better than to give you an antique or something made in questionable circumstances. This way I know what you’re sensing from it.”

“You remembered that I love moonstones.” I threw my arms around him. “Maybe we really
should
get married.”

He pulled back a little to study my face. “Was there any doubt?”

The attention had wandered away from us and toward the food and champagne. A small, local band was playing in the corner. People had started dancing.

I was safe now expressing my views without making him look stupid. “Well, I’m not really sure—and I know this is a bad time to say it—I don’t want you to marry me because of what happened with Chief Peabody. Even if we are married, you can’t protect me all the time.”

Kevin kissed me gently on the lips. “I’m not just asking because of what happened with Peabody or anyone else. I thought about it for a while and then it took me months to make this ring. I want to be with you. Don’t ever doubt it. I love you.”

“Okay.” I started crying even though I’d promised myself I wouldn’t if I ever heard the question. “Thank you for the beautiful ring. I love it. And you.”

“Punch?” he asked. “Or champagne?”

“Punch,” I said. “Are those little dumplings over there on that tray? If so, I’d like a few dozen of those too.”

He kissed the ring on my hand. “I’ll be right back.”

Phil DeAngelo and his sister, Jamie, hugged me and wished us well while I waited for Kevin. Jamie had married Chris Slayton, the town manager, last year. It had been a lovely wedding.

August Grandin, who owned the Duck General Store, grudgingly said he was happy for me, and hoped I’d work to keep sales tax low. Cole Black and his wife, Molly, from the Curbside Bar and Grill, said they hoped the new plans Chris Slayton had for Duck would increase tourism.

A few people from Duck weren’t necessarily happy about me becoming mayor again. Martha Segall had voted for Mad Dog Wilson. She made no bones about it when she wished me well with my engagement. “And I hope you’ll do a better job as mayor this time around. You’re still a little too young and wet behind the ears to hold such an important position. But I’ll be there to let you know how you’re doing.”

By that I knew she meant she’d be complaining the whole time about everything, as she always had. No surprises there.

I was surprised to actually see Mad Dog at the party, laughing and drinking punch with his wife, Laura. He didn’t speak to me, but he nodded in my direction.

By running for mayor, he’d given up his seat on the Duck Town Council. His seat was one of two that would have to be filled by an appointment from the town council. He’d be free to run for it again in the next election.

“Dae!” LaDonna Nelson had been the owner of the second seat that was empty. Her mother, Beverly Michaels, was there with her and LaDonna’s brother, our police chief, Ronnie Michaels.

“I’m so happy you’re going to be mayor again.” LaDonna hugged me. “Just remember to make wise choices for those two empty seats.”

“One of them could still have you in it after the next election,” I told her. “I can’t imagine a town council without you. You’ve been there since we incorporated. Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”

“No. I don’t think I can handle the stress anymore,” she told me. “It’s time for some changes. Maybe you could convince Kevin to take one of the seats. I’d love to see him on the council.”

“Maybe.” I glanced up to see Kevin making his way through the crowd toward me. “We’ll see.”

Tom Watts and Dr. Sheffield were at the party to congratulate me on my election win. I thought about what Jake had said about Tom agreeing with Sheffield that the excavation should continue.

I wished I knew something to say that would end the whole debate between Jake and Tom. They were too important to the welfare of the wild horses to let the horse cult, or Dr. Sheffield, come between.

“Congrats, Mayor Dae.” Duran Hawkins’s smile was sweet as were his velvet brown eyes. He was Dr. Sheffield’s young, personal assistant. He placed his limp, cool hand on mine. “You should come out to the site again. We’ve dug out the whole big horse now. It’s amazing!”

I thanked him for the invitation and then thought of a reason to walk away. I didn’t like Duran, though I had no reason for it. He was just a young college student, excited about his first archeological dig. I felt guilty for not liking him, but it didn’t make me any more comfortable in his presence. Each time I saw him, I vowed to like him and be more pleasant the next time. I didn’t want him to tell everyone that I was nasty to him.

And once again, I’d failed.

We’d been at the Blue Whale for about two hours when Gramps reminded me that we needed to move on to the next party. It was being held at the volunteer fire department a few miles away.

I was in a better mood, stuffed full of Kevin’s delicious dumplings, my head slightly spinning from too much champagne. It was a good way to approach the rest of the evening.

“I’m sure Kevin will want to drive his golf cart,” I told Gramps. “We’ll meet you and Mary Catherine there.”

“Okay, honey.” He smiled and kissed my forehead. “You were surprised by his proposal, weren’t you?”

“Probably more surprised than I’ve ever been. How did you keep it from me?”

“It wasn’t easy. People kept asking about it. I just knew someone was going to give it away.”

“They didn’t. It’s kind of weird, you know?”

He laughed. “Did you think you were going to live with me forever? You know sometimes having a granddaughter in the house cramps my style. With you over here at the Blue Whale, I can get some action going.” He glanced significantly at MC and waggled his eyebrows.

“I don’t even want to know what you mean by that!” But I laughed. I hadn’t thought about not living in our old house. All the ramifications of marrying Kevin hadn’t sunk in yet. Not that I would mind living at the Blue Whale with Kevin—I just hadn’t thought about it yet. I felt sure it would all catch up with me later.

Gramps and Mary Catherine went out to the golf cart. Kevin was helping his part-time staff clean up before he left. He’d be there until he felt comfortable that the people who worked for him could finish. I offered to help, but he said I couldn’t clean up after my own party.

I wasn’t in any hurry to leave. The parties would go on most of the night. After being turned down to help put things away, I went out on the verandah to look at the stars and take a deep breath. Everything was happening very quickly.

I pulled on the light sweater I’d brought with me and sat in one of the rockers. One of Kevin’s many cats walked by on the railing after a sharp look in my direction. A small, brown bat flew out from under the eaves, and I knew what the cat was really looking at.