Sweet Satisfaction

Cami giggled. “Are those actual problems you deal with ?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” He pressed his lips together. “People are fucking crazy around here .”

“Ok, then maybe it’s not that silly .”

He stopped her in the parking lot and planted his hands on her shoulders. “What’s going on ?”

She sighed. “Ever since I came back I feel like people are watching me. And it’s different than singing on a big stage, or going to an awards show. These are people who’ve known me since I was born. It’s like they don’t trust me anymore, but they can’t help but have to accept me. And tonight it’s on display. It’s on your boat.” Her eyebrows knitted together .

“I wasn’t expecting that. I thought maybe you were worried about getting seasick during the flotilla .”

She dropped her head. “I’m sorry. It’s a big night for you. This is what I have to deal with, right? I’m the one who left. I have to regain everyone’s trust .”

“Hey.” He tipped her chin toward him. “If I can trust you again, so can they .”

“You think so ?”

He nodded. “I know so.” He paused. “People like to pretend that I came home from my last deployment and there was some kind of welcome home hero parade, or that I was just automatically named as mayor, but it wasn’t like that .”

“That can’t be. You’re the town golden boy .”

He shook his head. “Far from it. They didn’t know how to act around me. They didn’t know what to say. They couldn’t relate to what I had been through. Who could? And instead of embracing me, I think it made everyone uncomfortable so they left me alone. Not to be malicious or rude, but no one leaves Harpers Point. And even though I was fighting for my country, I couldn’t help but get the feeling they thought I somehow abandoned them .”

“Then how did you end up running for mayor?” she asked .

Evan redirected Cami out of the way of a truck that was trying to pull in the parking lot .

“It was my grandmother .”

“Miss Lilly? But how ?”

“It wasn’t like she convinced me to do it. She wouldn’t have thought of it,” he tried to explain. “When I came back, I couldn’t help but wonder if things would have been different for her if she had access to medical specialists or a study or therapists who specialized in memory loss. She was only the beginning. This town needed first responders. As much as we like to pretend it’s the safest place in North Carolina, it needed law enforcement.” He sighed. “I knew the status quo couldn’t go on any longer. I don’t think I saw it when I lived here. No one does, but after being gone so long it was clear. Hamp and I talked about it one night at Ben’s bar and we hatched a plan He ended up helping me run my campaign .”

There was a long silence .

“I think you’re the best mayor this town has ever seen,” she whispered .

He huffed. “I don’t know about that .”

“I do .”

He wanted to lean down and drink in her lips, but a crowd had started to gather on the docks. They were being watched. Instead, Evan grabbed her hand .

“Come on. We need to board and get this flotilla started. Feeling any better?” He didn’t know if he said anything that would ease her anxiety. It wasn’t easy coming home. He could relate. He hoped he had at least explained that much to her .

She nodded. “I think so .”

“Good. We’re going to have fun tonight. I mentioned the oyster roast, didn’t I ?”

They walked along the boardwalk toward the Peddlestone Realty boat .

“What oyster roast ?”

“Hamp, Ben, and some of the guys are having one at the point after the parade. I thought we could join them .”

She grinned. “I haven’t been to an oyster roast in forever. It would be fun .”

They stopped in front of Claudine. Lexi Hale from the Cove Courier was next to her, a camera draped around her neck .