“Hmm.” Another tug, gentle but prolonged, until Ollie rolled off of him and scooted up the mattress to share Ty’s pillow. “Seriously. You put a lot of work into that. How much time did you spend with Eliza?”Someonehad to have gone over those contracts with a fine-toothed comb. Ty had no doubt Ollie could’ve done it, but it made so much more sense for him to bring Eliza in, considering she’d probably presided over them the first time around anyway.
Ollie’s cheeks were a bit pink, but it could’ve been exertion. “Pretty much every waking moment you weren’t with either one of us.”
“Except for the time you were organizing with Peggy and Jason?”
“And Henry. That man would cross the Delaware for you. And Jake, which was awkward.”
Ty smiled and tucked his hand under his head. “I’m sure you managed fine.” He paused as something occurred to him. “Wait, do you think Alan Chiu broke into my dad’s office to look for evidence or something before I found it?”
“Notpersonally, but the idea crossed my mind. I only thought he might’ve hired someone to do it after I started digging through the paperwork, though.” He said it with relish, even though they’d probably never know for sure if that was what happened. The smug satisfaction looked as good on him in bed as it had at the town hall.
“So what was it that got you? Unraveling the mystery? Or was it putting the bad guy in his place?” Was Ollie destined for a life of private detective work? Ty super hoped he didn’t want to be a cop, but he could probably live with it.
“Oh no.” Ollie shook his head minutely, his eyelashes brushing against the pillowcase. “It’s much more embarrassing than that.”
Good. “So?”
Ollie took Ty’s hand and laced their fingers together. “It’s, uh…. Well, I’ve watched you do it, you know. Go through life trying to make the world a better place. That’s what I wanted to do when I was younger too. I thought joining the military would help me do that, but that… wasn’t the right path for me.”
Ty kissed Ollie’s knuckles and waited for him to continue.
“But this week I got to see, you know, Icanmake a difference. I can make this town better. And suddenly there’s a vacant seat on town council. Word has it the mayor’s going to call a special election on Monday.”
Ty could just see it. Mayor Atkins better watch her back. This whole town loved Ollie Kent almost as much as Ty did, and no way was he going to stop at council member. “And you’re going to let your name stand?”
Ollie cleared his throat. His flush darkened. “I already filled out the paperwork. Um. And I… might have looked into taking some political science courses.”
Ty could practically feel his excitement. “That’s awesome. You’re going to be a great president one day.”
“Ty.”
“I’m serious. You’re good-looking, charming, you’re a veteran, you’re a dad—total package. Where do I sign up? Ollie Kent 2036?”
“That’s kind of a tight timeline.”
Ty shook his head. “I believe in you.” And he was so fuckingproud.
Too bad he wouldn’t be around to see most ofit.
Or would he?
Ty’s flight to Chicago was supposed to leave tomorrow morning at ten. He didn’t want to leave Ollie, but he didn’t want to give up what he’d built in Chicago either—friends who appreciated him, coworkers who had his back.
At the party this afternoon, Brent had asked if he might reconsider applying to the Orford Township EMS.
And—he could, couldn’t he? Ty’s father might have stolen this place from him for more than ten years, but Ollie had stolen it back.
A plan formed in his mind, and he smiled. “Hey. Do you think the new town council might finally approve a new firehouse?”
Epilogue
“THEO! WE’REgoing to be late!” Ollie hollered up the stairs. Ever since their kid turned ten, he took forever to pick out what to wear. Ollie figured he must get that from Allison, because he and Ty never took that long. “You don’t want to keep Ty waiting on his big day, do you?”
“It’s not like they can start without you, Dad. You’re the mayor.”
Unfortunately, the attitude was probably Ollie’s fault. “Which is why it’s important to be on time.”
Finally the door at the top of the stairs opened and Theo stepped out, looking nervous. He was wearing his nice new back-to-school jeans and the sneakers he’d begged for—the ones Ollie had pretended not to see the price of when Ty immediately said yes. He didn’t care if Theo was going to outgrow those shoes in two months, and if Ollie pointed out that inevitability, Ty would just say they’d donate them to Goodwill and someone would be glad to have them.
