Hale?” he snapped. “Hmph. I know he up and married your cousin Tandy, but that doesn’t magically erase his past. Makes sense he and the Wallace boy would be friends.”
“Click’s past?” India asked, her patience vanishing. Why she let her father get to her was a mystery she’d yet to solve. She wasn’t normally adversarial. But she and her father couldn’t seem to avoid ending every conversation with an argument. In this case it was justified. Her father was too quick to label and criticize. Now he wanted to judge the sons on the sins of their fathers. Click. And Brody. “Click Hale never did anything to anyone—except marry Tandy. And I’m pretty sure that was one hundred percent voluntary on both their parts. His parents’ drama shouldn’t be his burden to bear.”
All eyes were on her.
“You turn everything I say into an argument.”
She stared at him. She did?
“When did you get so fond of Click Hale?” her father asked.
“The day he became family,” she countered. “You’re the one who says blood is thicker than water.”
“Let’s try to have a peaceable breakfast,” her mother pleaded. “Cal, would you pass the toast, please?”
Cal nodded, passing the towering plate of toast to the other end of the table.
“Besides, Woodrow, I wouldn’t worry too much about Brody Wallace, dear. Mayor Draper’s done a fine job.” Her mother took a piece of toast. “I’m sure he’s not going anywhere.”
“No, in point of fact, Draper has not.” Her father stared at the newspaper. “The last few years he’s gotten downright lazy, and Fort Kyle’s suffered for it.”
India glanced at her father then, hearing the slight strain to his normally booming voice. He’d never hinted that their financial security was in jeopardy.
“Maybe a change is good?” Scarlett asked.
Her father scowled. “Maybe. If the change wasn’t named Wallace.”
India sighed, loudly, and rolled her eyes. “Why don’t you run, then?”
Her mother made an odd choking noise that had Scarlett patting her on the back.
Her father shook his head. “I’ve no interest in politics. I’m a little too rough around the edges, as you have all pointed out on more than one occasion.”
They all smiled then.
“Should we give him a chance, Papa? Mom says it’s important to give everyone a chance.” Cal shoved a huge bite of pancake into his mouth then.
Her father grunted. “Look how well that turned out when she married—”
“I think that’s a lovely idea,” Scarlett interrupted.
India chose to ignore her father’s reminder that she’d married a man he’d never approved of and moved on. “Does he have a solid platform?”
“He’s got little kids,” Scarlett said. “He’ll be thinking about their future.”
Her father grunted again. “Where’s his wife? A man who can’t commit can’t be trusted.”
“Well, dear?” her mother asked. “What is Mr. Wallace’s campaign platform?”
Her father glared at all of them before opening his paper. “Bringing tourism dollars back to the area, cleaning up and updating the schools and renovating the seniors’ community center with increased programming.” He snorted.
India exchanged a look with her sister and mother.
“Sounds smart,” her mother said. “Something for the young, something for the old and something the whole town needs.”
“He always was smart,” Scarlett said. “And nice.”
“He is,” Cal agreed.
“When did you meet Brody Wallace?” her father asked.
“In the Soda Shop,” Cal answered, his cheeks and ears turning bright red. “He said hi to Mom and me.”
Her father glanced her way. “Don’t go getting friendly with the Wallaces just to spite me.”
India put her napkin on her plate and stood. “Dad, believe it or not, I don’t take joy in getting your blood pressure elevated. I didn’t think exchanging hellos with the man would be a problem. We went to school together, we’re not strangers.” She left it at that. For now. “Cal, you ready for school?”
Cal shoved the last of his pancakes into his mouth and nodded, pushing his chair back.
“Are you working at the school today?” her mother asked.
“No. My test is coming up so I thought I’d head to the library to study. Unless you need me at the shop?” she asked.
“Not this morning.” She paused. “Could you come in after you pick up Cal? Just for a few hours? I need to get my hair touched up.”
With a nod at her mother, a quick hug for her sister and a stilted wave for her father, she and Cal headed out.
“Tanner?” Cal called, smiling as the large dog came barreling around the front porch and jumped into the backseat of the truck.
“Ready to go to town?” she asked, rubbing the dog behind both ears before climbing into the truck.
“Papa was sure in a mood this morning,” Cal said, slamming the truck door behind him.
“The name Wallace has always had that effect on him.” She started the truck, pulled onto the main road and headed into town.
They chatted the rest of the drive. Cal had to make a diorama for school, and he was determined to work a dinosaur into it—one way or another she knew he’d have the most impressive project in class. She pressed a kiss to his cheek as they pulled up in front of the school.
“Be good.” Not that Cal needed reminding. He was, always, good as gold.
He nodded. “You, too, Mom,” he called back to her. “Study hard.”
She watched him hurry inside, pulling forward only when the doors closed behind him. Tanner whimpered, so India patted him on the side. “He’ll be home soon.”
She navigated the quiet streets of Fort Kyle, bought a large coffee at the tiny diner that was open early and headed to the library. The streets were quiet, the sky shot through with a dozen shades of pink and blue, and the air was crisp and cool. She loved mornings like this—in Fort Kyle. The library wasn’t open yet, but Helen Jones, the librarian, would let her in so she had a nice, quiet place to study.
The amount of cars and trucks parked in front of the library was a surprise, but she didn’t let it slow her down. She pushed inside, Tanner at her side, and paused at the table set up right inside
