“Are you?”
Her eyes peeked at him from beneath her bangs. “Yeah.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Mrs. Maxwell, you can sit down,” Cesar’s voice could be heard over the hollering and applause. Chace and Faye looked up but he noticed Faye had more than a little pink in her cheeks when she did. “If we can have order, I’ll invite anyone who is not in opposition of the library being closed to take the microphone,” Cesar finished.
Everyone settled. Nina moved back toward Max who was sitting with their two kids in the front bench. She gently pulled the baby from him and settled in her seat and also in the crook of Max’s arm. No one moved to the microphone and Chace’s eyes went to Mary to see hers narrowed on someone in the congregation and she was jerking her head to the microphone.
Chace looked through the crowd but the room was so packed, standing room only, he couldn’t see who she was motioning to.
“No one?” Cesar called into his microphone.
When no one moved or even raised their hand, Jim-Billy shouted out, “Vote it, Moreno.”
Cesar looked to his left then right then at Mary. “You’ve had your meeting, Mary, the Council will now vote. All in favor of Carnal Library’s closure, say aye.”
Mary’s hand shot up and she shouted, “Aye!”
None of the other council members moved. Mary glared at the one at her side then she glared at the one at the opposite end.
They avoided her gaze and kept their mouths shut.
Likely, they’d murmured remarks of alliance just to shut her up. Or maybe they didn’t expect the force of the opposition. Whatever reason, she expected their votes to swing her way and they were not.
“Nays?” Cesar asked and the other three council members cried, “Nay!”
“Right the ef on!” Bubba shouted from the back.
Cesar brought down his gavel then announced, “The Carnal Library will not close.”
Another cheer roared through the crowd.
“Comments and feedback about the catalogue held at the library should not be directed to the Town Council but to the Library Board, which, thank God, I’m not a member of,” Cesar finished over the noise. “Thank you for your attendance this evening. Enjoy the rest of it.”
He barely got out the last word when Chace heard Silas shout, “Faye, sweetheart, you got Malachi?”
Chace felt his neck begin to prickle as Faye looked around and called back, “No, Dad. Thought he was with you.”
“That was awesome!” Lexie showed at the end of their bench, dragging Ty with her and Chace distractedly noticed that only Lexie Walker could be heavily pregnant and still wear a stylish, skintight dress, high-heeled boots and look stunningly beautiful.
“It was,” Faye replied but she sounded distracted too.
“Serious as f**k, Nina’s the shit,” Ty muttered. “Bitch never backs down from a fight.”
“Don’t let Nina hear you calling her a bitch,” Lexie advised.
“No f**kin’ way,” Ty replied, grinning down at his wife. “She’s got verbal claws so sharp, she’d shred me.”
“Uh… have you two seen Malachi?” Faye asked them, she and Chace were both standing, looking around. Faye was craning her neck and speaking. “He came in with Mom and Dad. Blond boy? You know, the one Mom and Dad are looking after.”
“Saw him,” Lexie answered. “Don’t see him now. And by the way, he’s super cute.”
“Yo Keaton!” He heard his name called and turned to see Wings, one of the local bikers, fighting the crowds leaving or standing around and talking to get to Chace.
“Excuse me,” Chace muttered, grabbing Faye’s hand and moving her out into the aisle when Ty and Lexie moved out of the way. The second they were there, Wings made it to him.
“Little kid slipped this to me and took off,” he said to Chace and that prickle on his neck started biting. “Thought I’d wait until the end, you know, what with this bein’ a big deal for Faye and all.”