Her Billionaire Heartthrob - Kaylee Baldwin Page 0,3

event for next spring—just starting to outline what projects they could do—but Mayor Tweed was definitely swamped with the Eureka Springs fall events, arguably the busiest tourist season of the year—and he didn’t like to miss a single event. Between the barefoot ball, the zombie crawl, and the ghost hunters that came into town near Halloween, Eureka Springs’ commerce saw a huge boom in the fall. These events brought in more people to appreciate the town Viola loved, which made her extra happy.

She walked into Mayor Tweed’s office, the secretary sending her straight back. Mayor Tweed looked up from his laptop as Viola knocked lightly on the open door.

“Come in,” he boomed, indicating the open chair in front of his desk. “I’ll get straight to the point, since I know we’re both busy.” Viola had to smile. She’d known Mayor Tweed since he taught her science class at the junior high ages ago, and even then, despite claiming to want to “get straight to the point,” he never managed to do so.

“But first,” he began, leaning forward to rest his arms on his desk. “I’d love your thoughts on the zombie crawl this year. I spotted you in full zombie suit.”

They spoke for a while about how well the last few town events had gone, despite some unexpected circumstances at some. From there, they drifted into talking about his new wife and a trip they had planned.

“You know, I remember you from my class,” he said. He brought up being her science teacher every time she saw him. “You were a tiny little thing. Only one friend back then, right? Callie Irving—Nichols now. You’ve really blossomed. I’m proud of you.”

As much as she’d always hated the word “blossomed,” her heart warmed at his praise.

The secretary popped her head into the room. “Your next appointment is waiting.”

“Oh,” Mayor Tweed said, startled. “Well, we’ll get straight to the point, then.”

Viola hid her smile behind her hand.

Mayor Tweed stood and walked around the desk to sit beside her. “I’ve got great news to give you.”

“What news?” Viola sat at the edge of her seat. “Did the city council agree to additional funding for the beautification project?”

He grimaced. “I’m still working on that one. There are a few tightwads on there.” He shook his head, but then smiled again. “The city council, with my sincere approval, has voted to give you the Eureka Springs Citizenship Award this year. We’ll present it at the Winter Festival Gala, if you can make it.”

The Gala was a by-invitation only event, and she’d always wanted to go. Plus the Citizenship Award? She never imagined an honor like that happening to her. Excitement raced through her, and she tried to contain it but couldn’t quite manage it. “Yes! I’ll be there.”

“Good.” Mr. Tweed nodded in satisfaction. “The gala is a formal, and the entire city council and select special guests will be in attendance. You are allowed one personal guest.”

“That sounds amazing,” she gushed. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you for all you do. You are an asset to Eureka Springs, and we’re lucky to have you.”

Viola left the office in a daze. Could her morning get any better? She went back to her office, a tiny room in a building she shared with an insurance salesman, a therapist, and a law firm.

She pulled out her cell phone to call her grandma. The phone rang once before going to voice mail. A moment later she got a prerecorded text. At yoga. Namaste.

Her grandma had more of a social life than Viola did, always out with her friends at one activity or the next.

Well, she’d tell her grandma later. Excitement buzzing through her, she pulled up Callie’s number.

The phone rang and rang, and it took Viola a few minutes to remember that Callie had gone with Xander to California for some big Pets and More board meeting.

Viola sat back in her chair and let out a long breath. She swiped through her phone, trying to find someone else she could call and tell the news.

But there was no one.

Which wasn’t a surprise, but a disappointment, nonetheless.

Mayor Tweed thought she’d blossomed from only having one friend in junior high? In a lot of ways, he was wrong. Because Viola, the woman with a million acquaintances, the woman everyone in town knew … was also the woman who only had one real friend. Both of them losing their dads—Callie’s to prison, Viola’s to running off—had a way of bonding the two emotionally damaged girls.

Well,