she asked as a last-ditch effort. Aside from everything else, she believed the town’s big decisions should be made by more than one person. “Jimmie ran unopposed for his position in both elections. Nobody wants to be on the city council.”
Doug looked at her, shocked. “That isn’t true. Our families have always been on the council. It’s a...a civic duty, but we want voter support. It was when the population increased and we needed another member under the town charter that we added a slot. You have to handle Hollister for us, Skylar. Things are getting tense with what he’s been doing.”
“Yeah, city hall gets daily calls,” Chet muttered. “Everyone thinks he’s violated labor laws or some other regulation with his new policies. They don’t like it when we say another government office handles those questions or suggest they talk to the union.”
A shiver ran up Skylar’s spine. It wouldn’t be so bad if she wasn’t concerned about Karin. She might... Oh, who was she kidding? Anything to do with Aaron would be a pain. He’d gone from being a cocksure high-school jackass to an arrogant CEO jackass.
“Anyway, it’s been voted on and passed,” Chet said. “Maybe we should have spoken to you before making the motion, but it’s kind of... Well, it was something we all, that is...”
“You mean I would have been outnumbered, even if you’d talked to me ahead of time, so why talk to me?” Skylar said flatly. “The way you didn’t ask when you appointed me to Jimmie’s job?”
Chet at least had the decency to look embarrassed.
“You owe me a large Vittorino’s Italian pizza with the works,” she told him. “Bread sticks, garlic sauce, the whole thing. And that’s just to start.”
“Sure, sure. Absolutely. I’ll even deliver it myself, whenever you want.”
She eyed the rest of them. “And I’ll be thinking of how each of you can make it up to me, as well.”
With a chorus of agreement, they practically ran from the room. Skylar would have thought it was funny if she hadn’t been so annoyed. She stepped into the main room and saw Aaron. Aside from the security guard who was probably in the lobby waiting to lock the front door, he must be the only one left in the building.
“I’ll let you know when I can meet with you, Mr. Hollister,” she said. It wouldn’t hurt to be more formal with him.
“How about right now?”
“How about remembering it’s after nine o’clock and we both have teenagers at home?”
Aaron looked startled. “Oh, yes, of course.”
“I’ll have to arrange a time when I can get an extra employee to cover for me at the stand. Or we can meet after I close. Just not tomorrow.”
“What’s wrong with tomorrow?”
“It’s Friday and I have plans.” Those plans involved getting together with Grace Gibson and finalizing the arrangements for Karin’s birthday party, but Skylar didn’t want Aaron to start thinking about Karin’s birthday. She especially didn’t want him to start counting back and remember when Karin had been conceived.
“Fine,” Aaron said. His teeth were gritted. “Let me know when and where.”
“I will. But don’t expect to show me a slick PowerPoint program and get an instant approval. I’m sure we’ll have several meetings.”
If Aaron was dismayed, he hid it well. “My presentation is more than a slick PowerPoint—it has important information.”
“Oh, I’ll watch it, but even in Cooperton we’ve heard of computers—bells and whistles won’t impress me.” She smiled sweetly. “You’re going to get lots of questions.”
“Uh...yes. I’ll be at your disposal.”
Skylar found that doubtful, but she didn’t have time to think about it. Ever since Jimmie’s accident it had been emotionally challenging to leave her daughter alone for long periods. And it was worse now with Karin being so moody over the baseball play-offs.
“Fine. I’ll contact your office in a few days with a date for our first meeting. Have a good weekend.” She had almost escaped through the door when Aaron cleared his throat.
“Cooperton used to try to accommodate my grandfather,” he said. “But it seems as if everyone is opposed to the idea of Cooper Industries expanding, even though they haven’t heard my ideas. It’s the sort of thing that’s good for a town, so why is it a problem?”
She hesitated, debating what to tell him, then chose cautious honesty. “Your grandfather was concerned about both his company and Cooperton. But no one knows what your priorities are...or what you’d do to protect them.”
“That’s absurd.”
“Is it?”
* * *
AARON WAS ANNOYED as Skylar left; her reply hadn’t made any sense. Maybe he didn’t have George’s commitment to Cooper Industries, but he didn’t hate the company. And he didn’t hate Cooperton. Sure, he didn’t have the greatest childhood memories of the small town, but that didn’t mean he was out to destroy it.
Belatedly he realized he should have walked Skylar to her car and hurried outside in time to see her drive away in the old truck he’d often seen at the Nibble Nook.
Frowning, he headed for home himself. Melanie was sixteen, not six, and leaving her alone wasn’t irresponsible...yet somehow it felt irresponsible, having to be reminded that staying late for a business meeting wasn’t necessarily the best idea.
By Skylar, no less.
Skylar.
Aaron shook his head. As a teenager she’d gotten under his skin with her curvaceous body and wild nature, and now she was still bothering him in other ways.
CHAPTER FOUR
KARIN LAY ON her bed looking at her geometry textbook. Algebra was all right, but this junk about points and lines and angles was so easy it was boring. Still, if she was going to be a great scientist and save lives someday, she’d better pay attention. She wasn’t sure where geometry fit into being a scientist, but it must somehow. After geometry she had to take trigonometry and calculus, which sounded just as dull. She liked chemistry and other science courses the best.
Closing the book, she grabbed her smartphone and dialed Melanie’s number. Honestly, how did anyone survive in the dark ages without cell phones? It must have been awfully primitive.
“Hi,” Mellie answered. “Is your mom still gone?”
“Yeah, she said the meeting would go late.”
“It might be over. Aaron just got home, and he doesn’t look happy.”
“Does he ever look happy?” Karin couldn’t remember a single time when Mellie’s brother wasn’t acting pissed or disapproving.
“Sometimes he isn’t so bad.”
Karin
