The following week, I returned to Salvation to see Simon. It was the night of the mayoral debate so I decided to attend. Who knew, maybe I’d still do a story on it.
I watched as Sinclair spoke with authority and passion. Jay Wallace knew what to say, but he didn’t have quite the conviction that Sinclair had. I scanned the room and saw Simon sitting in the crowd. I took a seat in the back next to Tucker and Holly, who greeted me. Tucker actually gave me a little thumbs up, which I had no idea why.
When the questions started, it was clear that this debate was a referendum on Simon. Several weeks ago, I would have been right with the rest of them, calling him out. But now I could see his side. He knew his tactics were rough, but he was right in that others in the town had engaged in deceitful or questionable behavior in an effort to get what they wanted too.
“I wish we could tell everyone about the library,” Tucker said next to me.
“We promised,” Holly replied.
“The library?” I asked. I couldn’t be sure, but I had a feeling Tucker wanted me to probe.
He nodded and leaned a little closer, talking low. “We had an anonymous donor. He’s paying for the whole thing.”
Tucker said “he” so it couldn’t have been Mrs. Reynolds.
“And he doesn’t want anything in return,” Holly added.
“I think he found love,” Tucker said. “Or he had a visit from Scrooge’s ghosts. Either way, it was quite generous. It’s unfortunate that no one gets to know.”
I looked at both of them. They looked at me expectantly. Simon. It had to be Simon.
“Oh, come on, Jay,” Sinclair said from the podium on the stage. “That’s not true. Stark doesn’t care at all about farmers. He doesn’t care about anything but getting us under his thumb.”
I shot up. “That’s not true.”
“Ms. Edmonds, you’ve been investigating Stark. How can you stand there and deny what he’s done?” Sinclair asked me.
“What has he done? He came to town with the support of the governor and the current mayor in an attempt to bring in jobs. Was he a big heavy handed about it, maybe.”
“Maybe?” Sinclair scoffed.
“That prison would have employed a thousand people, many of whom are leaving town,” I said. But Sinclair and others at the meeting weren’t buying it. The challenges kept coming, and for each I had an answer as I walked up the center aisle toward the stage. After all, Sinclair had fake married Wyatt, and hadn’t initially told him he was Alyssa's father. Ryder could have turned down Simon’s money, but instead he took it and put his financial future for him, Trina and their child in order. Mo was now happily married because he fake married to thwart Simon’s purchase of her father’s farm. Even Holly seemed okay with Simon’s admittedly asshole move in bringing her ex back, as she was now planning to get married to Tucker. And she and Tucker weren’t squeaky
clean as they’d fake married to get money from Mrs. Reynolds.
“He’s right. Stark doesn’t do anything without something in return,” Sinclair said.
“You’re standing up there making promises in return for a vote,” I shot back.
Simon stood and walked over to me. He had a baffled expression, almost like he didn’t believe any of this was real.
“You don’t have to do this. I don’t know why you’re here or why you’re trying to sway people’s opinion—”
I looked up at him. At the man who needed love and needed to love. “Because, Simon Stark. I love you.”
His breath hitched and the auditorium went silent.
He reached out, his hand gently caressing my face. “I’m not worthy.”
“You are. Of me, and of your son.” I motioned to the back of the room, and my mother stepped forward holding Mason’s hand.
There was a murmur through the room but my eyes were on Simon. The moment he saw Mason, his eyes filled with tears and for a moment, I wondered if maybe I should have done this without an audience. Simon was fiercely private and proud. He might not like having all of Salvation see him be emotional. Then again, they needed to know that he had a heart. He was capable of goodness and love.
When my mother arrived, I took Mason’s other hand. “Baby, remember I told you about your dad?”
“Yes.” Mason looked up at Simon. “Hi, daddy.”
Simon dropped to his knees and he reached out tentatively to touch Mason. “You’re perfect.”