I almost laugh. “Kidnapping? No. He didn’t go to prison for kidnapping. Who would he even kidnap? He doesn’t have kids, and they don’t let you out of prison for that.”
“Yes, they do. Levi says Maverick got ten years in jail and another five years of probation for it. He’s bad news, Jules. You should stay away from him. I’m serious.”
“Levi? Is this the biker, mechanic guy you haven’t been seeing?”
She huffs out as though she’s annoyed I’ve changed the subject. “Levi has connections. Apparently, he’s—”
“Thanks for your concern,” I say, “but I just pulled into the tattoo shop. I need to get on stage.” I see Henry warming up the crowd. “You’re coming, right?”
“Aren’t you at all curious how I know he’s a kidnapper?”
“Later,” I say. “I have to run now.”
“I’ll be there in five,” she says. “I’m throwing my coat on.”
I bite my lip and swallow hard when she hangs up the phone. Kidnapping would be the most ridiculous accusation of all time. I need to get that girl in to talk to someone. She’s spinning out of control.
As I park, my heart starts to race. The crowd is much bigger than I expected. I think maybe everyone in town is here, though I’m guessing Henry’s call to the food trucks in the Springs helped the matter. I even see a band setting up. What a fanfare. He’s probably using this to drive attention to the shop as well. Then again, maybe that works both ways.
“You’re a little late for someone who is on in five minutes,” Henry says, taking my bag from me as I walk up toward the stage. “Where’s the new boyfriend? You’d think he would be right behind you. Today is a pretty important day.”
“He’s coming,” I say. “He had something to take care of quick.”
Henry grumbles something under his breath that I choose to ignore. I’m sure it’s something negative about Maverick, as everyone seems to have an axe to grind with him this morning. What the hell is wrong with everyone today? I swear if I win this election, I’m making it a rule to be nice to me.
The microphone squeals as Henry returns to the crowd. I’d guess there are least five hundred people here, some of them with signs that say my name, others with signs for Richardson.
As Henry is finishing his spiel about the tattoo shop, Main Street, and the humble beginnings of Rugged Mountain, I scan the crowd for Maverick. He’s still not here. I do see Angie, though, bundled up in her jacket despite the seventy-degree weather. She’s always afraid she’ll be too cold. In her defense the weather does change quickly up here.
Henry looks toward me and smiles, kissing my cheek as he hands the microphone to me, and a pit of regret swirls in my stomach. I’ve made speeches all over town the past few months but this one is the last hope. I’m not sure I could take losing this election on top of everything else. I wish Maverick were here.
The crowd quiets as I take center stage and I know I need to talk, but my mouth has suddenly gone dry. I close my eyes, suck in the deep mountain air I’ve grown up on, and find my center.
“As most of you know,” I say, my voice steadying, “I’ve grown up in Rugged Mountain. As a kid, most all of this land was owned by my family. I can remember when Main Street was just a dirt road with a sew shop and a little watermill, both of which were ran by my grandparents. With my parents and my brothers, we have built this community to be something grand. It’s a place for families, for small-town values, and for love. Now, I don’t believe that just because my family owns this land that I should be mayor. I think that position should be filled by the most qualified person. I believe that a mayor should stand as a representation of the people in a community and fight for the growth and development of everyone. Both Mrs. Richardson and I run on platforms to better the area. Her ideas come from a place of limiting growth. While mine, come with expansion in mind. While most of you know I plan to keep Rugged Mountain small, there is one thing that I think our town could use more of… and that’s books. With your vote, I will be relocating the library from that small shop on Main to the six-bedroom farmhouse my grandparents used to live in at the end of the street. It’s accessible to downtown and it will give people a chance to socialize, read, and enjoy the atmosphere of the old farmhouse. We can have books shipped in from—”
Angie starts waving her arms up and down, pointing toward Maverick who’s standing on the other side of the stage with a baby in his hands.
I look toward him, my mind reeling with confusion, but I try to continue. “The books will be shipped from all over the world, and we’ll collect them here for us to read and learn from as needed. There will also be internet ac—”
“I told you he kidnaps kids!” Angie shouts.
My eyes close as I stare again toward Maverick whose face is beaming ear to ear as though he can’t hear Angie’s remarks. He steps up onto the stage slowly, carrying a single baby.
Oh god, maybe he is a kidnapper. He stole a baby for me! Was I that pathetic sounding?Not only that, but he’s crazy enough to bring the baby here to my election day speech.
As he steps up onto the stage, he makes eye contact with me, and my heart sinks. How did I not see he was crazy before? I let myself fall for him so quickly. I’m so dumb. So, so, so dumb!
“I wasn’t planning on interrupting you,” he says, “but you said you wanted to introduce your girls today and…” He looks down at the baby. “Meet your mama, sweet girl.” Maverick hands the infant to me, a smile on his face so genuine that you’d never guess he just nabbed her from another family.
My throat tightens as I look toward him, my heart stopped as the sweet baby nuzzles into my arms. “You took this baby? Where did you take her from? You can’t just take a bab—”
The social worker I worked with steps up behind Maverick, holding another baby bundled in pink. “Maverick wanted to surprise you, but I have to follow him here for legal reasons until the children are in your care. I’m sorry we’ve interrupted your event. That wasn’t the plan.”
My head spins in circles, everyone in the crowd now quiet, watching the event unfold. “The couple changed their mind. They were—”
“But you texted me and said you were just checking on me, so I deleted your contact.”
“I know,” she says, rocking the baby in her arms. “I confused you. I did text to check on you, then the next day, the couple changed their minds again, and I called Henry because you weren’t answering your phone. The next person I heard from was Maverick who explained everything. I met him at the diner downtown. He wanted to surprise you after the speech, but instead we’ve interrupted you. I’m so sorry.” Her face wrinkles up as though she’s genuinely apologetic. “Oh, and I’m not sure what that woman is hollering about, but Maverick did not kidnap any children. I had to do a background check on him since he mentioned he’d be living with you.” She turns away from the crowd and lowers her voice. “He did do a few years in jail back in Alaska, though, but we expunge any non-violent record after ten years. So as far as we’re concerned, he’s right as rain, and you two are set to go.” She hands Maverick the second baby girl. “I have to get back to work. I have another couple I hope to make just as happy today.”