Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97836 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 391(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
I waved her off and took a seat next to Silas across from Foster’s desk. “I had some thoughts about the traffic diversion,” I began.
Foster shook his head and pointed at Silas. “No need. This guy got us access to ETC. Do you know what that is?”
The confusion on my face must have been answer enough because he continued. “It’s an emergency traffic light control software. Once it’s installed, we’ll be able to control the stoplights electronically based on the needs of emergency vehicles. It’s been on my radar for a while, but it’s not in our municipal budget.”
“I don’t understand,” I admitted, looking between Foster and Silas. “How can we get it if it’s not in our budget?”
Silas’s eyes shifted away. “I do consulting for the company that sold it. They have grants for small towns like Majestic, and I’m confident I can get it approved.”
I glanced back at Foster. “How would that solve our problem during the exhibition?”
“From what Silas says, we can set the lights on Poke to stay on red—with the exception of emergency vehicle access—while reprogramming the lights on Thorpe and Leigh to stay on green…”
As he continued explaining the plan, I realized it solved our problem nicely without the need to bring in outside law enforcement officers to help manage traffic.
“Can it be implemented that fast?”
Silas leaned forward. “Yes, and we can even schedule the training follow-up visit for the week of the exhibition so there’ll be an ETC technician on-site during the event.”
I blew out a breath. Even though I was annoyed at his easy solution, I had to admit it would save Majestic a lot of money in contract labor. “Okay. Yeah. Let’s do it. Thank you, Silas,” I added grudgingly.
He tilted his head at me. “You okay?”
I stretched my neck before giving him a nod. Why did it bother me so much that the man had helped us out? “Yeah, fine. Thanks for doing this.”
Foster stared at me from across the desk. He knew me too well to believe the lie that I was okay, but he was a good enough friend not to call me on it in front of Silas.
Silas looked back and forth between me and Foster. I suddenly remembered my husband’s flare of jealousy when he saw Foster kissing my cheek the day he arrived in town, and despite my annoyance, I wanted to soothe him.
I reached over and took Silas’s hand in mine. His eyes widened in surprise. “Thanks for the breakfast sandwich,” I said softly. “But if you keep tossing in a cinnamon roll with it, I’ll have to upgrade from Helios to a bigger horse.”
His lips curved into a knowing smile that reminded me of the smile he gave me every morning when we woke up in my bed. Even after a week, it still gave me stupid flutters in my stomach.
“I’m trying to fatten you up before Eden gets back to town and realizes her mistake.”
Hopefully, Foster’s deep laugh covered my momentary confusion. Even though Silas’s comment had sounded like a joke, I’d seen a flash of what looked like uncertainty behind his eyes.
“Not much chance of that,” Foster said. “Eden’s married to her career at the moment, thank god. Don’t know how we’d land the AdventureSmash deal without her.”
I could tell Silas had no idea what Foster meant by that, but he didn’t ask. Maybe he thought it would reveal how little the two of us knew about each other. The thought made me realize I hadn’t told him that Foster knew the truth about our marriage.
To be fair, Silas and I hadn’t spent much time talking this week. We were either separated by work and other commitments or tearing each other’s clothes off to squeeze as much sexual satisfaction as we could from each other’s bodies. I’d never before been in a purely physical relationship, and I was doing a piss-poor job of remembering we were supposed to be getting to know each other, too.
To keep up our cover, obviously.
My cheeks heated, and I squirmed.
Foster let out a cross between a groan and a chuckle before standing up. “Okay, I don’t know what’s happening here, and I don’t really care. The two of you need to get the hell out so I can get back to work. Thanks for your help, Silas.”
Silas squeezed my hand and yanked me out of the chair. “Anytime.”
I followed him out of the sheriff’s office, throwing a greeting over my shoulder to Cole Keppner, the town dispatcher and Foster’s devoted assistant.
When we made it to the sidewalk, the sun nearly blinded me. I settled my hat on my head to shade my eyes. “That was fast,” I remarked drily. “I expected that meeting to take half the morning.”
“Are you complaining, Mayor Fletcher?”
Silas kept a firm grip on my hand. I noticed two men exit the Mercantile across the street and glance over and take in the picture of their mayor and his husband being casually affectionate in the middle of the sidewalk.