Share the Moon. Sharon Struth
scooted into the driver’s seat and slammed the door. The car started and her window rolled down. For a half second, he hoped she’d reconsidered leaving.
She glared at him, yet sadness smoldered in the very depths of her dark-brown eyes. “This lake means something to me you’d never understand. Before you go changing things, think about those of us who live here.”
She threw the car into drive and peeled out of the lot. Her taillights disappeared down the road, leaving Duncan’s ego as flattened as if she’d run him over on her way out.
What the hell had just happened?
Regret over the white lie he’d told when they first met doused any remaining confidence. He pulled off his leather glove, reached into his pocket, and removed a hard butterscotch candy. His fingers fumbled as he removed the crinkly cellophane, then he popped it into his mouth. The smooth, sugary treat pacified his nerves like a Glenlivet on the rocks. The day he’d spotted the buttery candies in a drug store, just like the ones he used to enjoy when he visited his grandmother’s simple home, he’d located a satisfying replacement for his Marlboros.
The sound of footsteps made him turn around.
“Sophie’s bark is worse than her bite.” Buzz’s smug smirk hinted he’d heard some of their conversation.
“What?”
“She seemed mad.”
The selectman’s coat hung open over his suit. Duncan’s winter wool overcoat was buttoned to his neck with a scarf and he still had a chill. “We had a little miscommunication.”
“Because you trumped her on the deal with the Tates?”
“She was the other buyer?” He rolled the candy over his tongue and digested the new information. He bit down and it shattered.
“Yeah. Her brother and father wanted in on the purchase too. A big stretch financially for them, though.” Buzz raised a dismissive hand. “They wanted to restore the vineyard, produce wine there like the Tates did years ago. The finances got complicated. Otis and Elmer were pretty happy when you came along.”
He’d heard another buyer had been close to signing. Duncan never dreamed it was Sophie. He swallowed the candy remains. “When you told me about the land, I wish you had mentioned I’d outbid her.”
“Why?” The cracked age lines in Buzz’s skin furrowed with a frown. “Would you have changed your mind?”
Would he? “I’m a businessman. I like all the facts.”
“Okay, okay. Not a biggie. Besides, you oughta be able to handle Sophie. With your charm, I’m sure she’ll find her way to your side. Remember, if we can get the local paper to push the favorable points of this project, it’ll make things easier for zoning to vote for the changes.”
Over the years, Duncan had acquired a carefully balanced appreciation for politicians like Buzz. He didn’t care for them. Still, they were a necessary part of dealing with the types of projects his firm handled.
“Buzz, I want the press on my side, but only if we do things properly. Tactfully.” Duncan paused and replayed his little fib to Sophie. “And with the truth…as much as possible.”
“Uh-huh. Don’t go fretting over that tree-hugger study, either.” He shoved his hands into his overcoat pockets, as if he wished to instead stuff away his earlier aggravation toward the special interest group spokesperson. “Bernadette Felton’s always on the opposite side of the fence from me. I swear to God, if I opposed your proposal, she’d support it!”
The mention of the S.O.L.E. activist and her bribery accusation brought a return of the sick pit in the hollow of his gut. “Any idea where those bribery rumors started?”
The selectman’s face tightened. “No idea. One person speculates in this town and suddenly the theory spreads like wildfire. Like I said, don’t lose sleep over her.”
“She’s not what I’m worried about. It’s…never mind. I want the local Gazette to have good things to say about my firm. An environmental study might be the thing.”
“I guess.” Buzz pressed his lips tight.
“What’s Sophie’s story?”
“Hometown gal. Got divorced a while back.” Buzz cocked his head. “That should work in your favor.”
Duncan ignored the implication. “She’d probably love to see my project fail.”
Buzz’s throaty grunt showed agreement.
“Anything else I should know about Sophie? I mean, if I’m to get her to come around to our side.”
Buzz hesitated a second too long. “Nope. Do yourself a favor. Don’t try to figure her out. Or any other woman, for that matter.”
Duncan forced a smile but only to hide an unexpected wave of sadness sweeping over him. If he’d been able to figure out his wife, maybe their marriage would’ve been happier. “The voice of experience, huh?”
“Married almost forty-five years.” Buzz turned to walk toward his car and Duncan followed. Buzz chuckled. “I met my wife back in tenth grade, when the fellas bet me that if I asked a pretty senior named Marion Price to the prom, she’d say no.”
The tender tone in Buzz’s voice surprised Duncan, who’d only seen the political side of him until now. “So she said yes and the rest was history?”
“Nope. Lost the bet and had to shave my head. As the bristles grew in, they started to call me Buzz.” He shrugged. “Name stuck. After college, I tried again and this time got Marion.”
Duncan chuckled. Buzz had just proven he didn’t give up easily, a quality Duncan respected in others.
After several seconds of silence, Buzz looked at Duncan. “There’s another reporter at the paper. Cliff had assigned her this job. Not sure why Sophie showed up. Want me to talk to the editor?”
“No.” He liked seeing Sophie again after so many years. She hadn’t remembered him, but he’d changed a great deal from the pre-pubescent boy who hung out at the tackle shop. “I can handle her.”
Chapter 4
Sophie tapped the keyboard of her office computer with tired fingers as she replied to an e-mail. The church bells at nearby St. Mary’s tolled, most likely the start of a funeral she’d seen on her way into the office, but the sound made her mind wander to the story her mother often shared of the magical moment she met Sophie’s dad.
Mom had arrived on duty for her shift in the ER. She’d pushed aside a curtain to deal with her first patient, a tall blond man wearing a fishing vest with his ankle propped on a pillow. Sophie imagined her mother with creamy peach skin and thick dark hair twirled into a bun and tucked under a nursing cap, like her college graduation photo. A picture that showed the resemblance she bore to her mom. Mom’s eyes always glowed when she’d shared the next part. “The next second, I swear the church bells in town chimed. I’d met the one.”
Sophie had always believed the bells were made up. After the encounter with Duncan Jamieson, she wasn’t so sure. The instant desire her mother described had only happened to Sophie once in her forty-four years: yesterday morning, when she stared at the blue sky and the handsome developer peered back. An insane admission since her non-libido-related thoughts screamed reminders about his lie. And she couldn’t forget the bribery rumors. Alone, the rumors meant nothing. Coupled with his reaction to Bernadette’s accusation, they were a lead.
Sophie yawned and stopped typing to cover her mouth right as her desk phone rang.
“Blue Moon Gazette. Sophie Shaw speaking.”
“Hey, it’s Marcus. I tried to catch up with you at the hearing last night. Want some dirt?”
“You were