Page 19 of Heart of Mystic Valley
He leaned forward. “The council wants to levy a tax to fund the schoolhouse addition. This tax would be levied on businesses until enough money is collected to pay for the work. My brother and town council member, Grayson, has another idea. He thinks we should gather donations and seek able-bodied volunteers to build the addition without imposing a tax.”
Maisy Cox’s eyes brightened. “That’s a wonderful idea. It doesn’t burden the business owners and brings the community together.”
Joshua smiled. “Exactly. But it needs support from the townsfolk.”
“We’ll support it,” Gloria Graham said with conviction. “The Alliance can gather donations and even volunteer some labor if needed.”
A round of agreement circled the group.
Joshua continued. “It would help if you attended the next open council meeting. Bring as many women as you can. Show you’re invested in this issue, too.”
Again, the women agreed and offered to talk with other Alliance members to encourage them to attend the council meeting.
Faith’s gaze met his, and for a moment, they shared an unspoken understanding. “We’ll be there,” she promised.
The meeting continued with discussions on logistics, fundraising, and volunteer schedules. As the plans solidified, Faith felt the weight of skepticism lift, replaced by a growing sense of purpose.
After the meeting adjourned, Faith and Joshua stepped back outside.
“Thank you for being here,” Faith said, her voice soft with gratitude.
“Anytime, Faith,” Joshua replied.
They walked back to the path where Naomi waited atop her horse.
As they reached the spot where Jupiter stood, Faith turned to Joshua. “I’m glad we talked. And I’m glad we’re friends.”
He smiled, a genuine warmth in his eyes. “Me, too, Faith. And remember, no matter what, we’ll always be friends.”
Faith nodded, feeling a swell of emotion. “I’ll see you soon. Be safe.”
“You, too,” he replied, mounting his gelding with practiced ease.
Faith waved to Naomi, watching as they rode away. She stood there a moment before turning and heading back toward her house. Instead of thinking about the meeting, her mind stayed on Joshua. He’d been in her thoughts more and more, even keeping her awake some nights.
A bright, incredibly attractive man, she’d wondered for a while why he’d never shown much interest in courting any of the single women in town. At one time, she was certain he planned to court a young woman who’d come to town with her parents. It didn’t happen.
Faith wondered how she would respond if he showed her more interest beyond their lifelong friendship. The thought sent spikes of fear into her heart. But… what if…?
Forcing herself to stop thinking about Joshua, as if she were a schoolgirl, she thought back to tonight’s meeting. Joshua’s words rang with clarity, and she knew the Mystic Women’s Alliance needed to show a united front at the next council meeting.
Sun filtered through the lace curtains, creating delicate patterns across Faith’s room. She stretched, feeling the pleasant pull of relaxed muscles, and sat up.
She dressed quickly, the fabric of her wool dress warming her chilled skin. In the small kitchen, she prepared a breakfast of coffee, eggs, and toasted biscuits. The comforting aroma of the coffee mingled with the crisp scent of morning air.
As she sat down to eat, her mind considered her plans for the day. Her fork clinked against her plate, the simple meal fueling both her body and mind for the day ahead.
Finishing, Faith washed the dishes and set them aside to dry. Slipping into her coat and wool hat, she stepped outside. The morning air was cool, though the sun carried the promise of warmth. The town of Mystic was already stirring, the sounds of daily life beginning to build into a familiar rhythm.
“On three,” Joshua said in a commanding voice. Parker and Little Joe braced themselves, hands gripping the rough wood of a new barn door. “One, two, three!”
With a grunt of effort, they lifted the door from the ground, muscles straining under the weight. The cold air bit at their exposed skin, but they ignored it, focused on the task at hand. Slowly, carefully, they maneuvered the door into place, setting it against the frame with a satisfying thud.
“Thought we were gonna lose it there for a second,” Parker said, breathing hard.
Joshua wiped sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. At six feet tall, he was the same height as Parker, but where his younger brother was lean and wiry, Joshua had the solid build of a man who’d spent his life working a ranch. The almost ten years between them made a difference in many ways.
“Don’t celebrate yet,” Joshua said. “We still need to get the hinges on.”
