“Looks busy tonight,” Becky said, scanning the bar. “Maybe you’ll find someone to rebound with.” She leaned over and butted my shoulder.
The image of Tucker came into my head. I suspected he’d do a good job of helping me forget Rick. If only he wasn’t so young and a coworker.
“Hey, isn’t that Tucker Marshall,” Karen said with a nod toward the city hall group.
“It is,” Becky said. “I guess the mayor’s wife included them in their group.”
Tucker stood, and with his gaze toward us, he walked to us.
“Hey, he’s coming over here,” Karen said. “God, is he delicious or what?”
Ryder set our drinks down, and I gulped nearly half my glass. It didn’t cool the hot flare in my belly that grew with each step he took toward me. Why did it do that? Even in my classroom earlier, when he asked me out, I felt like my blood was on fire. How long would I be able to survive this before giving in or going up in flames?
“Good evening ladies,” Tucker said, standing next to me but leaning against the bar so he could see Karen and Becky.
“What are you doing here?” Becky asked.
“I was invited to the deputy mayor’s election kick-off campaign.” He motioned to Ryder.
“What’s up?”
“Another beer and another round for my fellow teachers…” He frowned. “Is it fellow if you’re women?”
“Fellow is gender neutral,” I said.
He grinned at me. “You’re smart.”
“So Sinclair is really running for mayor?” Karen asked.
“It appears so,” Tucker said, taking a sip of the beer Ryder set in front of him.
“She’s going to do a great job,” I said, finishing my drink, and eager to start the second one. It was really hot in here. “She’s been such a wonderful support when we reintroduced 4-H and now in the library projects. I support her run wholeheartedly.”
“Your group should join them then,” Tucker said.
I was about to say no, when Ryder chimed in. “It would make my job easier.”
“The bigger the party and better.” Becky was already down from her stool.
“The more the merrier,” Karen agreed.
Unable to get out of it, I nodded and followed them to the mayor’s table.
“Holly, welcome!” Sinclair said, as we approached. “You too, Becky and Karen. We’re having a little party.”
“So, we heard. I’m glad you're officially in the race,” I said.
“And you can bet, education will be tops on my list of to-dos,” she said.
“After running Stark out of town, right?” Wyatt joked.
“I can multitask. Come sit, ladies.”
The group made room for us. Only when I sat down did I realize I was right next to Tucker. He smelled divine. I swore I could feel the heat of his body next to mine. I downed my next drink before I acknowledged that perhaps booze wasn’t going to quash my hormones from flaring up around him.
I put my focus on the conversation which was fun and lively. I felt like I knew Sinclair fairly well since working with her on various school projects and being her daughter’s teacher, but I’d never really socialized with her. She’d always been smart and professional as deputy mayor, but like this, she was smart and social, and clearly in love with her husband, both of whom I knew doted on their daughter Alyssa.
Ryder brought us another round of drinks, kissing Trina on the head, as he put juice with seltzer in front of her. I liked Trina, but she could be brusk to the point of harsh. I felt a bit of envy that she had such a sweet man like Ryder completely devoted to her. Meanwhile, my safe, reliable, Rick had jilted me.