Chapter 3
She thought she’d prepared herself, had felt she was ready for being face-to-face and up close and personal with the devilishly handsome Niko Drake. But the truth of the matter was that seeing him in person after so many years had almost taken her breath away, had brought back all of those girlie feelings of the secret college crush she’d had from the moment she’d first laid eyes on him in the auditorium on the day of their debate. A crush that she’d hidden, not only because of her introverted nature and inexperience but also because Niko had barely given her the time of day. Outside of their arguments, he hadn’t shared a word with her and after an obligatory handshake had left the stage without a backward glance.
She’d gone back to her room, fired up her computer and learned everything about him that was online: about his successful family and deep roots in Northern California and about his love of sports and being a member of the college tennis team. In the ten years since their last meeting, she’d conducted an online search from time to time and checked out the images available. There were lots of them, mostly society related, with him attending this star-studded fundraiser or that charity ball, almost always with a stunning model type by his side.
It was in these moments that she’d push the old crush back to the recesses of her memory, where it belonged. She wasn’t a match for him then, and even now, with workouts, fashion consultants and career success, she still didn’t feel that she was his type. Although the other points were legitimate, having to regularly see and interact with Niko was the single main reason why when Margo first approached her about living in Paradise Cove, let alone running for mayor, she’d balked. It had been enough to keep him off her mind while hundreds of miles apart. But now? Having to not only see him but interact, hobnob and, at times, debate? Really, she’d done some crazy things in her life: zip-lined, parasailed, bungee jumped; she’d even participated in a flash-dance mob in New York’s Times Square. But purposely create a life that had her in constant proximity to her college crush? One who’d gotten even finer in the past ten years? One who by just grabbing her hand had almost brought her to orgasm? What the heck was she thinking?
There was only one other person on the planet who’d known how Monique felt about Niko during those years, Monique’s college roommate, Emma White. They’d gotten along famously during those years. After graduation, Mo continued on to law school while Emma married her college sweetheart. Distance and lifestyle kept them from regular meetings, but they maintained a close friendship through phone calls and emails. Emma was quiet, smart and filled with a good dose of small-town Midwestern common sense that made her wise beyond her years. Monique felt she could use that type of wisdom right now.
She looked at her watch. Thirty minutes before my meeting with the farmers association. She pulled into a parking lot and dialed up Emma. Hearing her good friend shout at children in the background made her instantly feel better.
“Sorry about that, Monique. The holy terrors are placing their emphasis on the last word today.”
“Ha! In the throes of some imagined story line, no doubt.”
“You know them too well.”
“Who are they playing today?”
“Thor and Odin, this week’s superheroes. I’m trying to convince them to move their battlefield from my living room to the backyard before something gets broken!”
“Sounds like a plan, and they sound like a handful. How are you, Em?”
“Currently, I’m under the belief that I’ve lost all semblance of sanity and control.”
“Why?” Monique asked, with concern.
“Because as crazy as these boys have made us, we’ve decided to do it again.”
“Do what again?”
“Uh, that wasn’t a trick question, Ms. Attorney. Surely you can follow that clue.”
“You’re pregnant!”
“Bingo! Now there’s the brain that helped my friend pass the bar first try.”
“Okay, I’ll admit I’m sometimes slow when it involves family business. Plus, you and Steve swore that you were... How did you guys put it?”
“Two and through.”
“Exactly.”
“And we meant it. But looks like a little sperm wiggled its way past my totally tied tube, joined forces with an errant egg and now Hunter and Cody are about to have a sibling.”
“Boy or girl?”
“Don’t know yet, but we’re hoping for the latter.”
“I’m happy for you, Em.”
“Thanks, Monique. But enough about me. What’s going on with you?”
“I guess you could say I’ve lost my mind, too. I took a leave from my job at the firm and am running for mayor.”
“Oh, my gosh! You’re running for mayor of Los Angeles?”
“Ha! My goals are lofty but not quite that high. It’s a small town of almost four thousand people in Northern California, called Paradise Cove.”
Silence. Crickets. For a full five seconds.
“Em?” Monique looked at her phone. “You still there?”
“I’m here. And this is the first time I’ve been speechless since Steve proposed to me at the top of a Six Flags roller coaster.” Monique could hear Emma bustling around and imagined that she chewed her lower lip, something her friend was prone to do when thinking. “Okay, first question. Where in the heck did you get such a cockamamy idea to quit your job and run for mayor, and secondly, where is Paradise Cove?”
“Long story short, it was my godfather’s dying wish. He ran for mayor twice and lost. During one of our last conversations before he passed, he asked if one day I’d give it a shot. To appease him I said yes, but didn’t take the request that seriously. Margo, my godmother, did. When the man who’s been mayor for the past twelve or more years decided not to run for reelection, she called and reminded me of my promise. Paradise Cove is a small yet impressive community in Northern California, a little more than an hour southeast of San Francisco.”
“What’s the name again?”
“Paradise Cove.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Because over the years it’s one I’ve probably mentioned a time or two as the place where Niko Drake was born and still resides.”
“Right.” The word came out slowly and dripped speculation. “Very interesting. Do tell me more.”
“Well, I established residency about a year ago and moved into my condo here a few months later.”
“A year ago? And you’re just now telling me?”
“I thought I’d sent a text saying I’d moved.”
“Yes, and that’s all it said. I assumed
