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One Year Later, Christmas Eve
“I don’t know if you’ve heard,” Daniel remarked, leaning forward to steal a sugar cookie, “But they found a replacement for Mayor Brennan. There was something odd about the ballots, I think. A name was added by somebody other than the owner of that name, but everybody went ahead and voted for them anyway. The temperance league in particular.”
Selena tutted, slapping her brother’s hand away from the plate.
“Daniel, those cookies are for tomorrow. Emma will murder you if she finds out you’ve eaten them all. And what do you mean? Who’s the new mayor? And by the way, how do you know who the new mayor of Cedar Ridge is before I do? You don’t even live in town!”
Daniel cackled. “Not yet. Maybe I’ll buy land and settle.”
“You, the great US Marshal, settle? I’ll believe it when I see it,” Selena huffed.
Over the past year, there had been a scramble to find a mayor to replace Tom. Dean had been pressured to take the role but refused. He was sheriff, he said, and that was a different job altogether. And no, he could not do both.
Outside, the snow was falling thickly, but Selena was comfortable in the knowledge that they had nowhere to be for a few days. Once Dean got back from the train station with Sarah, who’d come to stay over the week between Christmas and New Year, they could all settle in comfortably. Sarah would share Emma’s room, and Daniel would have the attic room that Selena had once lodged in. Pastor Hayes and Grace were just a short walk away. Selena was pretty sure that Jim and Grace were courting – or planning to begin courting – as Grace was adamant that Jim be included in all of the celebrations this year.
That suited Selena just fine. It was perfect.
Selena leaned an elbow on the kitchen table, wincing.
“Sore back?” Daniel inquired. “I’m not surprised, not with all of that weight you’ve been carrying around.”
“Tell me about it,” Selena sighed, patting her rounded stomach. The baby was due in the spring, and she was secretly fizzing with excitement. With Doctor Evans on call and Grace ready to help deliver it, Selena was sure that the birth would go through without a hitch.
“Emma’s convinced it’s going to be a girl, you know,” Daniel added, chuckling. “She wants a little sister but keeps telling me that she’ll be happy with either.”
“She’s going to be a great big sister,” Selena admitted, smiling to herself.
At that moment, the door opened, a gust of snowy air swirling through the hall.
“We’re back! We’re back!” Emma shouted, racing into the kitchen and leaving snowy footprints in her wake.
“Emma Louise Thornton, take off your snow boots!” Dean yelled, sounding as though he was trying not to laugh. “I’m going to have to mop all of that up.”
“Hey, all,” Sarah called, poking her head into the kitchen. “Hey, Selena, hey, Daniel. I’ll take my things up to my room and I’ll be down in a moment.”
Sarah set off, easily carrying her heavy suitcase.
“Should I help her, Ma?” Emma enquired.
As always, Selena felt a burst of pride when Emma called her Ma. She knew that there was no confusion there. They all went up to maintain Mary Thornton’s grave once every two months. Before, Dean had done it once every month, but Pastor Hayes had gently suggested that perhaps every other month was just as good. After all, Mary knew that they loved and cared for her, and that meant more than any amount of weeding.
Even so, Mary Thornton would never be forgotten, not by her husband or by her daughter.
But Selena was Ma now, and that felt wonderful. It had simply been far too long since Emma had a Ma.
“That would be a kind thing to do, Emma,” Selena said, smiling in approval.
Emma hurried off, snatching up a bag from the hallway and thundering after her aunt up the stairs.
Dean came in next. He smelled of fresh snow and cold winter air, and snow still clung to his coat. As always, his eyes sought of Selena first, like they did every time he entered a room. A slow smile spread over his face.
“Are those Christmas Day cookies, honey?” he asked. “They smell great.”
“They are, but if Daniel doesn’t stop eating them, I’m going to truss him up and serve him as the turkey tomorrow.”
“Harsh,” Daniel remarked, reaching for another cookie and getting his hand slapped away again.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard,” Dean said, lifting his eyebrows meaningfully, “but Margaret Brennan has been elected as mayor.”
“That was my news!” Daniel gasped, outraged.
Selena choked. “What? But she’s a woman.”
Dean snorted, shaking his head. “I’m surprised to hear that from you, Selena.”
“I don’t mean that a woman can’t be mayor, I’m just surprised that people voted for her. Even here in Cedar Ridge, things can be…” she paused. “Unfair.”
Muttering to himself about stealing thunder, Daniel stole one last cookie and wandered away to the parlor, leaving Selena and Dean alone in the kitchen.
“I agree, I didn’t think we were forward-thinking at all,” Dean agreed. “She didn’t campaign or even set out to be mayor, you know. But you know how hard Margaret’s worked to make Cedar Ridge a better place. Just like Tom did, only with… with better ways of making it happen.”
Selena glanced away, biting her lip. They hadn’t talked much about Tom over the past year. He was known to be a hero, and his dark side was carefully hidden. At school, Rachel was bursting with pride over her Pa, and constantly about how she wanted to help people too when she was grown, like both of her parents.
Maybe something wonderful had come out of that awful thing, after all.
“She didn’t add her own name. Somebody else did, but once it became known that she was on the ballots, well,” Dean shrugged. “People voted for her. And now she’s elected.”
“How is she managing?”
“She’s shocked, but I tell you what. She’s going to be one of the best mayors we’ve ever had. Maybe the best. Some people are complaining about having a woman mayor. Some are skeptical, some angry, some curious, but mostly, people are just going to wait and see what happens. And if I know Margaret Brennan at all, I know that she’s going to do pretty well. Besides, she’ll have Daniel’s help. He sure does seem keen to help her out.”
She lifted an eyebrow at that. Daniel was clearly infatuated with Margaret Brennan.
If she decides to remarry again, he could certainly do worse. I suppose that time will tell.
Selena let out a long, slow breath. “Well, good for her. And if a woman can be mayor, maybe people in this town will start realizing that women can do anything. That will be good for Emma, when she grows up.”
“We’ve got a long way to go,” Dean agreed, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head, and Selena closed her eyes, leaning against him. “But it’s a start, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “You have to start somewhere.”
After a moment, she tilted up her head, and he kissed her, soft and slow.
“You taste like snow,” she said, when they moved apart.
Dean snorted. “And what does snow taste like? Water?”
“No, it’s got its own taste. Try some, see what you think.”
“I was a kid once. I ate all the snow I wanted to then.”
“Suit yourself.”
They stood there for a few moments in comfortable silence, with the kettle whistling on the stove, the snow pattering against the window, and the distant chatter and footsteps of a house full of people. Selena’s baby moved inside her, and she absently took Dean’s hand, pressing it against her belly.
“She’s growing,” she murmured.
“She? You and Emma both think it’ll be a girl, then?”
She grinned up at her husband. “And what do you think?”
He kissed her again. “I think our baby is going to be a blessing. A little Christmas blessing, just like you.”
Selena chuckled. “Maybe I should run for mayor next.”
“You know what? I reckon you’d win.”
OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Courageous Hearts of the West", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
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