Rosemary Duncan, a friend of Juliet’s who had been mayor of Cape Sanctuary for a decade or more, was sitting across from Bea. She seemed to sit up straighter during their conversation.
“That’s right! I had forgotten you have a social media marketing start-up. You might be just the person we need!”
Olivia tried not to flinch. She was used to this kind of thing at social occasions. When people found out what she did on the side, they often asked her to help them get the word out about their own start-up or their brother’s new indie record album or the lemonade stand their kid was running.
“Do you remember Pete Gallegos?” Rosemary asked.
Now, that was a name that dredged up memories. “Of course. He was a good friend of my father’s and worked with him in the fire department. We always used to go camping with him and Sheila and their kids.”
She hadn’t thought about the Gallegos family in years, though she knew her mother remained close with both of them.
Pete had been there the night her father died. He had responded quickly and had been on the scene shortly after Cooper. He had been the one to pull Cooper away from his frantic efforts to do CPR.
He had been so very kind to her and Nat and Juliet at the funeral and after, she remembered.
“Maybe you don’t know,” the mayor went on, “but he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a couple years ago.”
“Oh. That’s too bad! I hadn’t heard.”
“It is a shame. That’s why he had to step down as fire chief.”
He had always been vigorous and healthy, she remembered, always in competition with her father to see who was stronger in fitness tests for the department.
“We’ve been sorry to lose him but were so glad we could bring in Cooper, here, to fill his shoes and helm the department. He’s done an excellent job.”
“Try to fill his shoes, anyway,” Cooper said with a rueful expression. “Pete is a tough act to follow.”
“You’re doing a great job,” Rosemary assured him. “Everybody is happy. You know I just have one complaint. We’ve talked about it before.”
That he was too gorgeous? That she wouldn’t be surprised if women were calling in fake 911 calls, just to have him come to the door in his EMT uniform?
“Cooper Vance has a flaw?” Bea Romero asked with a teasing look. “I can’t believe it.”
“Would you like the list in alphabetical order?” his sister asked, making everyone laugh.
Rosemary chuckled, too. “It’s not a huge flaw, all things considered, but a problem right now nonetheless. He refuses to use social media to spread the word in the community about what his department is doing.”
Cooper sipped at his beer. “I’m here to help people, not post Instagram pictures of what we’re having for dinner every night at the firehouse.”
Rosemary made a face. “I don’t want you to do that, although there are plenty of people who would be all over that kind of thing.”
A woman Olivia didn’t know raised her hand at the end of the table, earning another round of laughs.
“As much as you might dislike it, we do have to get the word out about special activities, like the fund-raiser you’re doing for Pete and Sheila.”
She turned to Olivia. “Unfortunately, Pete has started having to use a wheelchair recently and we were hoping we could raise enough for modifications to their house and also a van with a ramp to help Sheila get him to doctor’s appointments.”
“Sounds like a worthwhile project.” Exactly the sort of thing the people of Cape Sanctuary tended to rally around.
“Where do I come in?” she asked, though she thought she knew the answer. She’d been down this road before.
“Any chance you might be able to help us out like you did the Open Hearts Foundation? Stella couldn’t stop raving about all the interactions they had as a direct result of your efforts.”
“What kind of fund-raiser?” she asked warily.
“A pancake breakfast at the fire station, two weeks from today. It was Cooper’s idea, actually.”
“Pete is a great guy who dedicated his whole life to helping his community,” Cooper said, his voice gruff. “We’re just trying to give back a little.”
“It would be great if we could give back a lot and make a real difference in their lives,” the mayor said.
Olivia wanted to refuse. Between overseeing the garden center, taking care of her mom, corralling Caitlin and trying to work on projects for her employer and her Harper Media clients,