Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“I am glad I had the winter to discuss the design with you and make changes. The outside kitchen area with a covered overhang and sitting area will work much better for entertaining. We can have a summer party when it’s completed.”
He walked over to me and gave me a quick kiss. “Sounds like fun. I have a full morning of business meetings and an afternoon of photo shoots.”
“I’m going to the garden center to—”
The front door flew open. “Do you know what your mother did now?”
My dad glared at both of us, though his frustration wasn’t directed at us.
“Coffee, Dad?” I asked and glanced at the coffeemaker.
“Yeah, sure,” he grumbled, then called out, “Morning, Ian.”
“Good morning, sir,” Ian said and turned to me and whispered, “I need to get to work.”
“Coward,” I whispered.
“Wiseman,” he whispered back.
Even Mo followed him to the door. “Is it all right if he comes with me?” Ian asked.
“He would only open the door and take the path to the lodge if I didn’t let him go with you. I swear the days he goes with you are the days he can smell his favorite breakfast foods cooking at the lodge.”
“Bacon,” Ian said with glee, and I could have sworn Mo smiled as well.
“Sorry to disturb you, Pepper,” my dad said when I joined him at the counter after pouring myself another cup of oolong tea.
“You never disturb me, Dad, though a knock announcing your arrival would be nice, even a blast on your siren would do,” I said with a chuckle.
“Funny,” my dad said, and I was glad I could make him smile.
“So, what’s Mom done now?” I asked.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “She wants to beautify the police station.”
“How do you beautify a police station?” I asked and had the answer before my dad could say anything. “Plants, flowers, a refreshment area.”
“You know your mother well. The police station shouldn’t be a welcoming place. It is a place you don’t ever want to have to go to. Next thing you know she’ll be putting blankets and pillows in the jail cells.”
I kept myself from laughing since he was right.
“Talk to her for me, will you?” he all but begged. “I don’t want to fight with her about this. Her mayoral campaign is putting enough stress on me. She tells me that she’s going to debate Mayor Barrett and to prepare, she wants me to attend a lecture at the community college on reading people.”
“Like a book,” I added.
“Yeah, that’s it. Like I don’t’ already have experience with that after all my years on the force.”
“Ian and I are going to the lecture. She can come with us,” I offered. “Although you might want to consider that Mom might learn something you don’t know and use it on you.”
“Damn,” he muttered beneath his breath, then warned me not to tell my mom.
Mom made sure our mouths remained pure of cuss words even when she wasn’t around. My brothers and I, and even Dad, worried if we slipped and someone heard us that they would rat us out to Mom.
“Up to you, Dad. Mom can come with Ian and me if you want, and I will talk with her about beautifying the police station, but you well know that you are going to have to make compromises when it comes to that.”
“I suppose a larger and more diverse refreshment area might do well for morale.”
“And a plant here and there wouldn’t hurt,” I suggested. “They do brighten a place and add some calm.” I pointed to the basket of ivy hanging in front of my kitchen window along with a pothos that I had taken cuttings from a larger pothos in the library. “And the police station could use some calm.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m going to do if she becomes mayor. She will be my boss.”
“I rested my hand on his back. “I hate to tell you this, Dad, but she already is your boss.”
“That isn’t humorous, Pepper,” he admonished.
“If you want to survive this, Dad, look at it as humorous. There’s one other thing you should consider.”
“What’s that?”
“Mom has always been fair with you, and she has always had your back. You might want to do the same for her when it comes to the mayor’s race. She is really excited about winning and doing what’s best for the town.”
“I think that’s the most difficult part. I know she would make a terrific and fair mayor.” He cringed. “Still, I would be answerable to her.”
“Again, Dad, you already are just as she is answerable to you, so not much is going to change,” I said and didn’t let him see me cross my fingers.
I remained outside after seeing my dad off to take stock of what annual flowers I wanted to plant in the front flowerbeds this year when I heard the roar of a motorcycle. I gave a quick glance around for Mo and remembered he wasn’t here.