Always The Hero

Lori closed her eyes shut and shook her head. Oh boy. Here we go.

“I don’t think that’s a topic we need to get into—” Gil practically dive-bombed the podium.

“Beg your pardon, BethAnn.” Jake Campbell, the town’s previous sheriff, stood up from the middle of the seated crowd and leaned heavily on the cane that had helped him walk for the last fifteen years. “Seeing as you haven’t lived here in a while you might want to check your facts on how my term ended and the current statistics.”

The room went dead silent. Lori’s ears pounded as she looked around the crowd. Jake Campbell was beloved in Butterfly Harbor. His dismissal from his job was still a source of controversy for some despite their acceptance of Luke Saxon as his replacement.

“If you’re attempting to imply that the crime issues we’ve been experiencing are directly related to a change in oversight,” Jake said, “I’d like to point out the new sheriff is my son-in-law and he has had my support from day one. I was, in fact, the one who recommended him for the job. I can assure you the safety of this town has been his foremost concern since he pinned on his badge. Have there been issues? Yes. Will there continue to be issues? Yes. But we also see this project as a way to stave off these issues and, if we’re lucky, eliminate them altogether. They’re a capable, smart team of deputies. They can make this work. All they need is this town’s support.”

Matt shifted on his feet, as if suddenly uncomfortable.

Lori reached up, touched her fingers to his arm and felt him jump. He glanced at her before returning his attention to the dais.

“We understand the undertaking, Mrs. Bottomley,” Matt said. “And I can assure you we will not be shirking our responsibilities. This project is simply an extension of our current positions.”

BethAnn gave him a smile that might have frozen a fresh-caught fish solid. “That might address any issues we have with the home repairs and refacings. I see where you have some construction experience from your time in the armed forces, but nowhere on your proposal do you list a landscaping expert. As much as we’d love to contribute town funds to the project, I’m certain I speak for the rest of the board and the mayor in saying we don’t like the idea of a short-term solution. We want this done right from the start. We don’t want to be replacing and redoing areas ad nauseum. Which to me means bringing in an actual expert.”

Calliope nudged Lori with her elbow.

“What?” Lori leaned over, torn between fascination and revulsion. How could BethAnn not see how important a project like this was to the entire community?

“You know what.” Calliope nudged her again. “You are an expert in landscaping.”

“I am not,” Lori protested.

“You’re the closest thing we’ve got other than me, and I’m already committed.” Calliope turned calm, considering eyes on her. “Unless you’d rather spend the next few weeks acting as BethAnn’s gofer. Take an escape, and an opportunity, when it’s offered.”

Oh. Lori bit her lip. She glanced up at Matt as the audience rumblings grew louder. She looked at the stage, to where BethAnn turned a satisfied smirk on the mayor, who looked as if he were ready for the evening to be over. Lori caught Delilah’s eye and the old woman nodded as if giving her approval.

“I can do it.” The words came out of Lori’s mouth on their own.

“There you go.” Calliope patted her arm.

“What?” Matt looked down at her.

“I can do it.” It was barely a whisper, as if she needed to bolster herself to commit, but the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. The thought of getting her hands in the dirt of all those yards, of deciding on color and plants and decor and... Her pulse raced. First Abby’s request to help with the wedding, and now this?

“I can do it!” Stronger now, louder. Loud enough to catch the attention of those sitting around her. Loud enough to bring a wide, eye-brightening smile to Matt’s handsome face.

She set her notebook on the floor and stood up.

Matt stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled, the shrill sound blasting through the rising conversation and felling it to silence.

“Something else to add, Deputy Knight?” Gil asked with something akin to hope in his eyes.

“Lori Bradley has agreed to oversee the landscaping portion of our project.” Lori’s heart expanded as Matt’s chest puffed with pride. There were times he did seem to be in her corner. “I think we can all agree she has the expertise and talent to make this project work.”

“But she can’t.” It was then Lori saw panic in the normally controlled BethAnn’s face. “She’s already committed to the welcoming dinner committee—”

“No, I’m not.” Lori didn’t want to take pleasure in the statement, but she did.

“I don’t understand,” Gil said. “Given you’re an employee of the Flutterby, I assumed you were helping Abby with the barbecue and food market.”

“I am. I have been,” Lori said.

“Along with the welcome dinner?” Gil frowned at BethAnn.

“I never volunteered for that, actually.” Lori wiped her damp palms on her hips. The last time she’d spoken in front of this many people had been in her high school speech class. It wasn’t any less terrifying now. “I only offered to take the minutes at the first meeting since it was at the inn. No one ever took me off the email loop.”

“Well, then clearly you need to choose,” BethAnn challenged.

“I already have,” Lori said. “There are more than enough committee members to make the welcome dinner happen, especially since most of the arrangements have already been made. I’d be thrilled to work with the sheriff and his deputies on this project. If they’ll have me.”

“We’ll have you,” Matt said in a way that had Lori’s cheeks burning and the audience chuckling.

“That’s settled then!” Delilah, acting in her role as council secretary, plucked the gavel off the table and struck it once, hard. BethAnn jumped. “Motion passes. Let the committees, all of the committees, commence.”

CHAPTER FOUR (#ulink_38534912-a907-5081-a0ff-6b99ef1bc063)

MATT WASN’T KNOWN for making Hail Mary passes, but when he threw one, he tended to score. Success, however, might be measured differently this time around. Given the shell-shocked expression on Lori’s face once Delilah banged the gavel, he was betting she’d need some time to digest what had taken place.

A wave of residents rushed forward to swallow them into congratulatory circles of backslaps and handshakes. He had a little trouble processing what had just happened himself, but that Lori would be working on this project with them, with him, inflated that tiny bubble of hope that had been bouncing around inside of him. To have this time to repair their relationship, get his personal life on solid footing so the judge considered him a more acceptable candidate as Kyle’s father? It was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Add to that, Lori might finally see for herself how well liked and appreciated she was by those living in Butterfly Harbor.

While he didn’t have much trouble navigating the crowd, he caught an occasional glimpse of panic in Lori’s eyes. Probably a reaction to making such a public declaration. Maybe a tinge of regret, but he was grateful for whatever bolstered her volunteering. He should have thought of it himself given he’d been watching her sketch in that notebook of hers, seeing images of the inn take shape behind the explosion of flowers and plants, details she plucked out of thin air. He knew she was the secret weapon he’d been looking for. Of course, she was the perfect solution.

Now, as cochair, she wouldn’t have any choice but to work with them. Uh-oh. Matt made forgetful conversation with his neighbors as he realized he had only come tonight as a substitute voice; this wasn’t his idea or his project despite his willingness to be a part of it. Now he found himself in the uncomfortable position of having taken the lead on something his boss and fellow deputies had devised.

He certainly didn’t want them thinking he was taking credit for their idea or work. That said, if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be witnessing what he could only define as a sudden blooming of Lori Bradley.

She hadn’t pulled into her shell, hadn’t dipped her head or lost eye contact with anyone coming over to congratulate and thank her. Instead, while she seemed a bit flummoxed, he thought for sure he caught something akin to excitement shining in her eyes.

Typical Lori, with a smile that brightened an already-pretty face. She had no idea how people reacted to her, that she had a way of making whoever she was with feel as if they were the most important person in the room.

She looked over at him and her eyes sharpened, as if she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him and the entire situation.

Whether she realized it or not, Lori Bradley made him happy. Now it was his turn to return the favor.

“You going to need protection on the walk home?” Fletcher slapped a hand on Matt’s already-bruised shoulder.

“They’re leaving,” Matt looked back as the crowd filed out.

“Wasn’t talking about them.” Fletcher’s normally amused eyes held a hint of seriousness. “I meant protection from my sister. I’ve been on the other end of that look, pal. She hasn’t made up her mind what she thinks about this situation yet. She’s not the only one.”

“Yeah, sorry about usurping the project like that.” Matt winced. “Luke said you wouldn’t be here.”

“Wasn’t supposed to be,” Fletcher said. “And things turned out the way they were meant to. No worries on my part.”

“Or mine.” Paige Bradley ducked in under her husband’s arm and tugged her long brown ponytail free. She’d come a long way from the shy, secretive person she’d been when she’d first arrived earlier in the year, but she’d made a new start—and a home for her and her daughter in Butterfly Harbor. “This is exactly what Lori needs. She spends too much time cooped up at work or at home. This project is perfect for her. And if she’s worried about Abby not having enough help with the food market, I’m happy to lend a hand. Holly’s already working with her, so it makes sense. And—” Paige craned her head to look up at the stage where the board members were filing out “—you managed to tick off BethAnn Bottomley. I bet that’ll be worth a free mocha shake from Holly next time you come by the diner.”