Leonard’s hard eyes turned to Ean. “Did you know she was planning to run for mayor?”
“I knew she was thinking about it.” The tension had left Ean’s voice.
“Well, she’s made up her mind. She’s going to do it.” Leonard turned his anger to Megan. “And I was told that we have you to thank for that.”
Megan’s gaze shifted between the two men. “You’re both very welcome.”
Leonard scrubbed his face with his palms. His voice was tired. “I was being sarcastic.”
“I know.” Megan regarded the older man with bewilderment. “What I don’t understand is how you, of all people, could be opposed to Doreen becoming mayor.”
“What do you mean, me, ‘of all people’?” Leonard sounded defensive.
“You know how many boards Doreen has served on in Trinity Falls and how passionate she is about the issues concerning the town.”
“Which just proves my argument.” Leonard spread his arms. “She doesn’t have to become mayor to make a difference in Trinity Falls. She can just keep doing what she’s doing.”
“Leo has a point.” Ean inclined his head toward his high school coach. “Why can’t Mom just keep volunteering? It’s a lot less responsibility.”
Megan blinked. Were they serious? “I can’t believe you don’t understand the difference between serving in a legislative office and volunteering for an issue-based organization. Doreen’s work isn’t a social-studies exercise. She’s serious about helping her neighbors and making Trinity Falls stronger.”
Leonard rubbed a hand over his forehead. “But she’s doing that now. Why does she have to run for office? It will take up a lot more of her time and attention.”
“There’s a big difference between being an advocate for an issue and being the executive who can actually enact the change.” Megan threw up her arms and returned to the living room.
Leonard followed her. “Why did you talk her into this? Why is it so important to you?”
“Why isn’t it important to you?” Megan collected the two empty mugs from the coffee table. She left the coasters behind.
“What does that mean?” Leonard’s tone was impatient.
She turned and found Ean and Leonard standing behind her. “This is important to Doreen. She didn’t make this decision lightly. You both care about her—so why isn’t this important to either of you?”
Leonard rubbed his forehead again. “She’s important to me. Not the town center. I don’t want her to take on this additional responsibility and pressure. It isn’t necessary.”
Ean nodded. “She doesn’t have to be mayor to serve the community. It’s just more work and aggravation for her.”
“This is Doreen’s decision.” Megan continued into the kitchen and loaded the mugs into the dishwasher.
“But it was your idea.” Leonard followed her. “You talked her into it. You can get her to change her mind.”
“She’ll listen to you,” Ean added. “You could suggest she reconsider her decision.”
No way. Ean and Leonard apparently thought they could gang up on her. Maybe they could have pressured the old Megan, but recent events had shown her she could stand up for herself.
“I’ll do no such thing.” She walked past the two men on her way back into her living room.
“Why not?” Leonard’s question was plaintive as he continued to follow her around her home.
With regret, Megan stopped her Alicia Keys compact disc and turned off her stereo. “I didn’t coerce Doreen into making this decision. She made it on her own.” She turned to face Doreen’s son and boyfriend. “Listening to your complaints, it sounds to me that you’re more concerned with how Doreen’s new career will affect you rather than what this opportunity will mean to her.”
Leonard and Ean exchanged looks before Ean responded. “That’s not true.”
Megan looked at Leonard. “You said the mayor’s position would claim a lot more of Doreen’s time and attention.”
“It would.” The older man spread his arms.
“Time and attention that would be taken away from you, right?” Megan asked the rhetorical question before leading both men to her front door.