She snorted, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her shorts. Then her eyes widened at his silence. “Wait. Are you serious?”
“Unfortunately.” Cade lifted one hand in a wave as Pastor Dubois cruised Village Lane in his SUV, windows down.
She chuckled. “I assumed we’d be going on a Magnolia Days task when I invited myself along.”
“It’s connected. I mean, if they might film a movie here, we’ve got to deal with the potholes sooner rather than later—not to mention I suspect there are multiple bounties on my head until I do.” Miley being the top of that list. Although, she was trusting him with her secret, so maybe she’d let up.
Mama D wouldn’t though.
He pointed to the map. “This is an aerial view of all the streets in Magnolia Bay, so I plan to mark where the holes are, then rate them in order of which needs the most attention. Then I can start putting pressure on the public works department to get it scheduled.” He grimaced. “Assuming Magnolia Days is successful enough that I can.”
“Ah.” Rosalyn leaned in to see the map straight-on, her ponytail swishing over her shoulder. Good grief, she smelled good. “And we’ve only got, what? Two weeks or so until the first day of the festival?”
“Right.” So much to do still. But he needed to be able to tell the townspeople—Miley, Mama D, Miley’s dad, grumpy Mrs. Peters—that he was working on their concerns. That he heard them.
Cade couldn’t risk them doubting his competence and not voting for him.
Rosalyn looked up from the map. “This rating system. Is it, like, one through ten? Ten being the biggest hole in need of prioritizing?”
“I’m disappointed in you, Ace.” He fought to urge to ease a half-step away from her and instead smiled like she wasn’t wreaking havoc on his neuro paths. “I said it was sophisticated.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” She laughed as they continued strolling down Village Lane. “Let’s see. Roman numerals?”
He held up one finger to tell her to wait, then turned away as he drew a quick circle on the paper where the pothole in front of Magnolia Blossom resided. He scribbled something next to it, then turned back and presented the map with a flourish.
“Starter home.” Rosalyn read out loud, frowned, then smirked. “In other words, too small to house a family of four?”
“Exactly.” He fluttered the paper. “Chug a Mug was already rated, so I figured I’d keep it going. Brilliant, right?”
“And to think I beat you for valedictorian.”
“The world’s an unfair place.” Cade handed her the marker. “But at least now you’ve earned your Sharpie privileges.”
“I’ll be sure to give this mission the respect it deserves.” She tucked the marker behind her own ear, and for a moment, he wondered if they could do this—be friends. Work together. Have fun.
Notmake out in the rain.
But only if they completely cleared the air.
“Listen, Rosalyn.” He kept his gaze on the beds of tulips bordering the sidewalks, the passing cars on the sun-speckled road, the missing shingles on the roof of Cajun Cuts salon. “Thanks for helping with Trent.”
Though he hated that she had to. Hated that for once he couldn’t convince someone to do something. Cade was losing his edge, and at the worst time possible. Was it because of the distraction Rosalyn presented? Or the stress of the upcoming mayoral campaign and the sudden accompanying anxiety attacks? Or was it from carrying the entire town on his shoulders?
Okay, maybe he had good reasons for losing it.
Rosalyn kept pace beside him. “I figured it was the least I could do after I handled…” She swallowed. “…New Orleans so poorly.”
“No,Ihandled that poorly.” He stopped and faced her now, the map crinkling in his grip. “You didn’t—anddon’t—owe me anything. We’re not, you know. Dating, or whatever.”
Did she wince, or was it wishful thinking?
“Maybe not.” Rosalyn hesitated. “But I still feel like I led you on.”
“Did you?” Oops. Hadn’t meant to be blunt.
She pulled in her lower lip. “More like I got caught up in the moment.”
That made two of them. A moment he’d relive for the next several weeks if he wasn’t careful.
