“As most of you know, my grandmother, Elana Johnson, was a member of this community for almost sixty years. My grandparents opened their store in 1965, bringing music to generations of people not only through the albums they sold but through the lessons they taught. Their love of music was what brought them together, and it was what filled Grams’ whole world until she finally left it…left us…” I breathed in, trying not to let my voice wobble again, this time with tears.
“My grandparents loved music so much they wanted to share it with the community they also loved, and after the success of Woodstock, they saw a way to bring that joy to Grand Orchard. Every other year since its inception in 1971, the Apple Jam Music Fest has brought this community not only the leading artists of the time, but a wide range of cultural and ethnic groups whom you may never have heard of otherwise.”
I paused, and Mayor Sanchez jumped into the space I’d left open.
“We understand the history of the festival, Mrs. Morgan. But, as you know, the world is not the same as it was in 1971. The costs of such events on their communities have skyrocketed. Laws and regulations have changed, requiring a whole list of items your grandparents never had to consider when they first started.”
I nodded. “I understand. And we’ve been increasing the fees in order to cover those costs.”
The mayor flipped through a stack of papers and asked, “So, you can cover the five hundred thousand dollar security estimate? Can you also cover the fifty thousand dollar city cleaning fee and the ten thousand dollar insurance rider that we’d have to put in place to cover any lawsuits the city might encounter?”
I sat stunned. There was no way I could come up with five hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars. Not after paying for the bands and the normal outlay of the festival. We had fifty thousand dollars budgeted for security, and her quote was ten times that. We had our own insurance, but it had cost a mere three thousand dollars.
“That’s ridiculous!” Helen from Sweet Lips huffed behind me.
I felt a body approaching mine at the podium well before it materialized in my peripheral vision. Brady. He hadn’t changed. He was in the same Chucks, T-shirt, torn jeans, and beanie that he’d been in earlier today. He appeared casual, but there was an energy rippling from him that almost made him glow.
A white knight.
I’d already had a white knight in my life. One I’d lost.
I swallowed hard.
“Mayor Sanchez,” Brady spoke, his voice traveling through the room without the use of the microphone. Lyrical. Smooth. “I’m sure Councilman Chan has already informed you that I spoke with him earlier today and explained I would cover any additional costs the festival might incur this year.”
I gasped at his comment the same way the rest of the room did, a buzz going around as the audience murmured while the council members started turning to discuss this offer with each other.
He’d told me earlier that he’d talked to William Chan, but he somehow forgot to mention the dollars they’d discussed. I put my hand over the mic, turning to him. “Brady, you’re talking about a half a million dollars. There’s no way the festival can afford that. There’s no way I could ever pay you back.”
He looked me over, lowered his voice to a whisper, and said, “This isn’t about you, though, is it? This is about Elana, the town, and a tradition that shouldn’t be spit on because one asshole has a burr up his butt.”
I shook my head.
“It’s too much. She wouldn’t want you to do this.” And I believed that in my soul. My grandmother wouldn’t want Brady forking out that kind of cash.
“It isn’t going to cost anywhere near that. They just want it on retainer. They’re just doing this to scare you off. The actual costs will probably be closer to whatever you’ve been paying in the past. Next time around, you can plan for the increase. This time, I want to help.”
He was so certain, so assured that this was all going to work out and that there would actually be a next time. I’d wondered, at times, over the course of the last week, if I was doing this for all the wrong reasons, and now his assertion gave my wavering confidence a much-needed boost. I wouldn’t run scared. I couldn’t. This was too important. Brady was right. This was about our entire town as much as it was about Grams.
I looked up at William Chan to see his face flushed red with frustration pouring through his veins as he talked heatedly with the mayor. He had his fists clenched tight on the top of the table, and she was waving at him as she talked with her hands, clearly unhappy.
“I motion the permits be granted as long as we have the money in a holding account by the end of the week,” Councilwoman Castro motioned.
“We haven’t discussed this,” William Chan snarled.
“What is there exactly to discuss, William? The businesses and our tax revenues need the boost, and if Mr. O’Neil is willing to foot the bill for any costs that the city might incur, there’s really no reason to deny it. Is there? Not unless you have some additional reason for denying it?” Castro said, and I knew right then she was aware of Chan’s attempts to redo the downtown. To refurbish it by pushing out businesses that had been on that street for half a century, some even since the town’s inception.
I wanted to cheer, my heart lightening as I realized we were going to do this. Succeed. Get the permits.
“I second the motion,” Councilman Hardy spoke up.
“I call for a vote,” Councilman Witt agreed.
And just like that, my grandmother’s festival was approved. I couldn’t contain the feelings of gratitude and relief that filled me. I may not end up with any of the income from the festival after I was done giving it all to Brady, but it was going to happen.Relief filled me. I could at least finish this one thing for her. I didn’t know what it meant for future festivals, for the store, or for me, but I would at least be able to complete this one thing Grams and I had started together.We’d just shoved a pie in William Chan’s face.
I turned to Brady, and he was smiling that same sexy smile he’d been grinning earlier in the day when I’d agreed to let him help me at the store with the music lessons. Before I knew it, I was hugging him, putting my arms around his shoulders and squeezing him like I rarely did anyone but my daughter. Tight. Hard. With real affection.
It took him a second to respond, but then he was hugging me back. His hands landed on my hips just below the hem of my jacket and seeped warmth into me, scalding me as if he really did hold all the sun’s rays like I’d imagined earlier at the store.
