Most Likely (Most Likely #1) - Sarah Watson Page 0,40
She started to read. As soon as she realized what it was, she looked up at Scott. “These are the constituent complaints,” she said, somewhat stunned.
He nodded. “I could tell you thought I was lying and I get it. But it’s the truth. The majority of the neighbors hate the park. The handwritten notes were taken by my predecessor. From phone calls. The e-mails pretty much speak for themselves.”
She barely heard him. She was reading one of the e-mails. The neighbor who lived directly across the street from the park hated it. Passionately. The hardest part for Jordan was that his complaints sounded legitimate. Late-night drug deals. Needles near the play equipment. He didn’t feel safe letting his daughter play there anymore. Jordan closed the file. “Thank you for this.”
This was Martha’s neighborhood. It was so hard for her to see that it had gotten that bad.
“I know it’s not what you wanted to see,” he said.
Jordan tried to pretend like she didn’t know what he was talking about. “I’m a journalist. I’m just here to report the truth. And this is the truth, so…”
He raised a dubious eyebrow. She leaned back. There was no point in lying anymore. “Fine,” she said. “I hoped my article would save the park. Sue me.”
Scott smiled. “Well, since we’re speaking off the record, I guess I’ll admit something too. You had me worried for a minute.” She looked up. “In our first interview. When you brought up the thing about the timing of the park ordinance.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “I’ve done a couple of interviews about the park now, and no other journalist has made that connection. You know how to dig. You’re also very good at being intimidating.” He added that last part with a smile, and Jordan sat up a little straighter.
“Really?”
“God, yes.”
She let the compliment wash over her. It almost made up for the disappointment she felt now that her article was a total bust. Almost. “I really wanted this piece to work,” she said. “I know journalists aren’t supposed to let their own opinions influence them, but I can’t help it. I don’t see how closing the park is a good thing. Don’t you think the kids in that neighborhood deserve to have somewhere to play?”
Scott shrugged, though not in a dismissive way. Like he was thinking. “I do think the office building is the right call here. That area needs the economic boost. But between us, it does make me nervous when we start closing parks.”
“Why can’t you put it somewhere else? Couldn’t you do that?”
Scott laughed.
“What?” Jordan asked.
“One, it’s not that easy. It’s a major project with money and red tape. And two, me? I’m flattered you think I have that kind of power. I know I seem like a big deal, but I’m not. I’m basically a glorified assistant. I’m nobody.”
“You’re not nobody.” He met her eye, and she felt her cheeks turn warm. She looked away. “I just mean, you have the ear of the councilman.” Jordan couldn’t imagine what she’d do if she had that kind of access. “You could talk to him.” She finally got the courage to look back up. Scott had a faraway look on his face. Like he was imagining something. “What is it?” Jordan asked.
“I was just thinking about what you said. Why couldn’t it go somewhere else?”
His words gave her hope. A tiny little sliver of it. She let him keep thinking. She let him process it.
“I don’t know,” he finally said. “Maybe.”
Maybe was enough. She would take it. “Well,” she said, “I guess I should probably go.”
Scott nodded. “Yeah, me too.” But neither of them stood. “Unless… did you maybe want to stay for a drink?”
Jordan looked up. His question surprised her, but not in a bad way. She realized that she did want to keep talking. Staying for one drink wasn’t a problem. Was it? She could order a Coke. It was good to keep a professional rapport.
“Sure,” she said.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THAT SATURDAY, CJ took her SATs for the third time. As soon as they were over, she texted Wyatt and asked him if they could meet up. She was still in a fog from her test, but this was just as important. She got to Starbucks a few minutes early and looked around for a place to sit. She was annoyed to see that both of the handicap-accessible tables were being used by people who clearly didn’t need them. She thought about saying something, but in the end,