dollars from this little venture. Although I’m not sure that’s the kind of business I want to link to our tourism website.”
I looked up to find Leo gazing at me intently.
“What?” I asked, covering my mouth. Did I have food in my teeth? I really hoped I did not have food in my teeth. I should have ordered the soup instead of the salad. “I’m talking too much, aren’t I.”
“No, of course not. I’m just enjoying your enthusiasm. Seems like you’re getting into the groove of your new job.”
“I guess I am.”
He nodded. “I’m glad. So, speaking of jobs . . .” He wadded up his paper napkin and tossed it onto his now-empty plate. “I actually have an interview scheduled. I fly out this evening.” His voice seemed unnaturally light, and he looked down when he said it, rather than looking me in the eye.
My stomach flipped. “A job interview? That’s great.” Cue fake enthusiasm, feel heart plummeting. “Where is it?”
“Um, Washington, DC.”
Too far away. Definitely too far away. “Awesome. For a security job?” My voice was pitchy, and I cleared my throat.
“Sort of. I’ll know more after the interview, but it’s with one of my old commanding officers.”
Some of the air in the room seemed to seep out, creating a pressure that hadn’t been there before. He really wasn’t staying on this island. I’d known that. I had, but obviously I’d hoped we’d have a little more time. At least enough to see if this spark between us was worth fanning. Try as I might to hide them, my feelings must have shown on my face, because he reached over and traced the top of my hand with his fingertip, and when I looked up at his face, there was intention in his eyes.
“I like you, Brooke.”
“Me too. I mean, I like you, too.”
“Whatever happens, I’m here for a few more weeks at least. Can I see you when I get back?”
Try as I might to keep things light, I had two choices. Keep things safe and superficial and don’t go out on any more dates, or dive in and gather up as much affection and joy as I could in the time that we had. A smart, practical woman would nip this in the bud, and I was a smart, practical woman. However, I was also a woman in desperate need of some love, even the temporary kind.
“Probably,” I answered.
“Close your eyes,” Gertie said, standing outside my office door. Her cheeks were extra pink this afternoon, and her eyes were shining. “I have a surprise for you.”
“What have you got hiding in there?” I asked. “Please tell me it’s something good and not Vera with some new grant proposal about bat health.”
“It’s something good. At least, I think you’ll think it’s good. I took the liberty of working over the weekend, and I’ve made some improvements to the state of your office.” She clasped her hands in front of her pancakelike chest and bounced a little on her heels. I still couldn’t quite get used to hearing it referred to as my office. I’d been the mayor now for two full weeks, and it had yet to sink in.
“Okay,” I said. “Let’s see it.”
She swung the door open and virtually skipped inside before turning around to face me, smile wide.
“Gertie,” I breathed out slowly as I stepped over the threshold of the door. “This office looks amazing. What a transformation! How did you manage it?”
My assistant and I had cleared up the first layer of clutter, but this was nothing short of miraculous. The walls had been painted a lovely, soothing shade of pale blue. The tacky old artwork had been removed and replaced with updated, framed photographs of popular Trillium Bay landmarks. There was a shot of Petoskey Bridge with the sun setting behind it, and another of the gardens of the Imperial Hotel with all the flowers in bloom. On another wall were photos of lilacs, several of the most beautiful Victorian cottages, and the lookout tower of Fort Beaumont. My desktop was now clear of loose papers and instead sported a shiny new computer and keyboard; a stackable bamboo in- and out-box; a coordinating pen holder, tape dispenser, and stapler; and even an updated phone. No more curly corded 1980s relics.
I walked around to the other side of the desk while looking around the rest of the room, trying to take it all in at once. All the filing cabinet drawers were closed. No