The Bad Boy of Butterfly Harbor(29)
Gil stared at him, jaw set, but other than that, his expression was unfathomable.
“Great. I’ll have these papers to you in a couple of days,” Luke promised. “Anything else?”
“We’ll be getting applications from speculation companies for the new butterfly sanctuary over the next couple of weeks,” Gil said. “I’ll be giving an update on the project tonight at the town hall meeting.”
“Have fun.”
“I’d like you there.”
“Why? It’s not in my job description.” Truth be told, he’d been expecting the request, if for no other reason than Luke would make an apt distraction should Gil put his foot in his mouth. The last thing he wanted was to be paraded about in front of the entire town at one time. He preferred to take the skepticism—and criticism—in small batches.
“I’d like to present a united front, so to speak. I’d like people to know we’re a team and that we’re working well together.”
“You’re afraid you’re going to be harassed for kicking Jake Gordon to the curb.”
“I didn’t kick him to the curb,” Gil huffed.
“Yeah, you did.” No sense beating a dead horse. “I’ll go. It will give me a chance to get a sense of how people might feel about reopening the community center as a youth facility.”
“How long has that idea been brewing?” Gil couldn’t have looked any more sour if he’d sucked on a lemon.
Luke grinned. “Since I first drove into town. I’d love to get a budget to you, crunch some numbers. See what positive changes we can make for the young people around here. Something I’m sure your constituents would be happy to see.”
Gil stared at him for a count of five before he blinked. “Send me your proposals. I’ll see what can be done.”
“Great.” He picked up the folder and tapped it on the desk. “Fletch!”
Fletch came sliding backward into the office in his wheelie chair. “Sir?”
Gil shot him such a look of disapproval Luke felt his own mood lift. He was liking his deputies more and more.
Luke got up to hand Fletch the files Gil had given him. “We need to run background checks on all these people, please. Paper and digital copies. On my desk by tomorrow.”
“On it.” Fletch winked at the mayor and scooted out the same way he came.
“You gain people’s loyalty quick,” Gil said.
“It’s about respect, Gil.” Luke slapped a hand hard on the mayor’s shoulder. “You get what you give out. Speaking of out, you know the way, right?”
* * *
“HE’S PLOTTING SOMETHING,” Holly whispered to Abby as she watched Simon and Charlie, their heads stuck together so close she couldn’t see any light between them. They’d been huddled over Simon’s notebook scribbling notes and whispering for the better part of an hour. “I can feel it.”
Abby slurped up the last of her soda and leaned her cheek in her hand, blinked sleepy eyes. “It’s not as if he can take over the world, Holly. Stop overthinking things.”
“If he was going to take over the world, you’d be fine with it, wouldn’t you?” Holly asked, wishing once again she’d been smarter than to put Simon in the middle of her argument with Luke.
“Absolutely I would.” Abby batted her lashes. “That kid is smarter than most of the people in this town. Which reminds me, I’m having some computer issues over at the inn. Can I borrow him—”
“You can’t be serious! For all I know he’d infiltrate the NSA and come out with nuclear launch codes.”
“It’s an inn, Holly, not NASA. He knows his stuff, well, more stuff than I do, and besides, the closest service tech person is a hundred bucks just to come out and I can pay Simon in cookies. I promise I won’t let him out of my sight.”
There weren’t many people she could trust to keep an eagle eye on her son. But if Abby said she’d watch him, she would.
“Fine. How about tomorrow morning? I can bring him by on my way to the diner.”
“Awesome. Thanks, Holl.”
“Kitchen’s cleaned up, ready for the dinner rush.” Paige joined them, wiping her hands on a dish towel. “Any idea what those two are up to?”
“See?” Holly smirked at Abby. “I told you. I’m erring on the side of your daughter’s levelheadedness,” Holly said. “Other than that, I don’t think we want to know.” The idea of uncovering Simon’s latest plot might just give her a migraine. Maybe plausible deniability was the way to go.
“Hello.” Abby turned quizzical, amused eyes to Holly before flicking her gaze to Paige. “You must be Paige. I’ve heard a lot about you.”