“Let me take it to the city council first,” Mayor Marsha told her. “I’m hoping to get some kind of consensus before you put any more effort into this. Believe me, that may take a while.”
“Not a problem. Just let me know when you’re ready to move forward or if you need more suggestions.” Although she wasn’t looking forward to another session with Kenny and Sam. Lord knows what they would come up with if given the chance.
“I will. You were very thorough. Thank you.”
Taryn started to reach for her tote, then drew back. “I have something else, if you have a minute.”
“Of course.”
Taryn sat at the large conference table, then wished she’d stayed standing. “I have a problem....” She paused. “Not a problem, exactly. I want to do something and I’m not sure how to go about it.”
The mayor’s expression softened. “You’ll need to give me a few more details if you want my help.”
Sure. Because that made sense. Taryn twisted her hands together. Larissa would know exactly what to say, she thought glumly. Larissa would have already fixed the problem and found homes for kittens and a hedgehog by now.
“Do you know Bailey Voss and her daughter, Chloe?”
“Yes. It was very sad when Bailey’s husband died. Things didn’t turn out the way they’d planned.”
“Bailey is looking to get back into the workforce. I made a comment about an interview suit. From the look on her face, I’m guessing she doesn’t have one and maybe can’t afford one. I want to give her one, but I don’t know how.”
The mayor looked at her for several seconds, then nodded. “Yes, I can see that is a dilemma.” She stood. “Good luck with that.”
Taryn blinked. “Excuse me? You don’t have a suggestion? Isn’t that what you do? Give directions and solve problems?”
Mayor Marsha smiled. “I’m not a traffic officer, my dear. And while I have been known to step in from time to time, in this case, I believe you will do better than I ever could. There must be some way you can get sweet Bailey a suit. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
When it was obvious the mayor was going to walk out of the room, Taryn rose. “That’s it?”
“For now. I’m planning a trip. Did you hear? I’m off to New Zealand in a few weeks. Very exciting.” The mayor started for the conference room doorway. “Good luck with your project.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
“I DON’T GET IT,” Taryn said as she poured soil into a large planter. There were already rocks at the bottom to help with drainage. “Mayor Marsha helps people. Everyone knows that. But she just blew me off. Do you think she’s mad at me or something?”
Angel put down the two small trees he’d carried in from his SUV and walked over to her. He put his hands on her hips and turned her until she faced him. “She’s not mad. She likes you a lot. She’s being her normal meddling self.”
Taryn felt her lower lip wanting to thrust out in something alarmingly close to a pout. “But she’s not meddling. That’s my point.”
“Sure she is. You’re right. She’s usually in the middle of things and this time she’s stepping back. Which has you in a tizzy. Catching people off guard is her style. She’s manipulating the situation as much as if she told you what to do.”
Taryn hadn’t thought of it that way. She leaned into Angel. “Maybe you’re right,” she said, letting the warmth and strength of his body comfort her. “I’ve been running in mental circles since I left her office.”
“She loves that.” He moved his hands to her face and cupped her cheeks. “You’ll figure out the best way to get Bailey a suit.”
“I hope so. It just would have been easier if the mayor had offered a solid suggestion.” She smiled at him. “Okay, I’m officially done with the topic.”
“You don’t have to be.”
“We have trees to plant.”
They’d spent the morning at Plants for the Planet where Taryn had chosen three different Japanese maple trees. They were all small enough to be happy in containers, which made them perfect for her small patio. Now they had to be moved into their new container homes.
After sliding the containers into place, Angel had put rocks in the bottom to help with drainage. Now she held the trees steady while he cut away the plastic. Once he’d tossed them aside, he freed the roots before lifting the trees into place.
“You’re good at this,” she told him. “I wouldn’t have pegged you for a plant guy.”
“I know things.”
A casual enough answer, but she saw the tension in his shoulders and knew he was keeping his face deliberately away from her. She picked up the bag of soil and poured it in. As he smoothed it into place, she spoke.
“It’s okay,” she said quietly. “To talk about your life with Marie and Marcus.”
Angel straightened and wiped his hands on his jeans. “It was a long time ago.”
“But it’s still a part of who you are. I understand. If Marie hadn’t died, you wouldn’t be here right now. We wouldn’t have met. Your feelings about her have nothing to do with me.”