Best of My Love (Fool's Gold, #20)

The mayor rose and greeted them. She wore a dark red suit with a white blouse and pearls. Her hair was twisted up in one of those old lady buns from the 1960s and while she wore pumps, they were of the sensible variety.

“Thank you both for coming,” Mayor Marsha said. “I know you’re busy entrepreneurs, so I’ll keep this meeting as short as possible.”

She motioned to the seating area opposite her desk. There was a pair of sofas and three chairs arranged around a large coffee table.

Shelby instinctively sat next to Aidan. As if he would offer protection. A silly thought, considering the mayor was unlikely to do anything scary. But still...

Mayor Marsha studied them for a few seconds. “I think what you two are doing is wonderful,” she began. “Your six-month plan to be friends.”

Shelby stared at her. “How did you know about that?”

The mayor smiled. “I hear things. Change is always difficult, but if you don’t try, you’ll never get where you want to go. I think you’re both going to be very successful.”

“Um, thank you,” Shelby murmured, still stunned someone had talked about her and Aidan to the mayor. Why? What they were doing was important to them, but hardly interesting to anyone else. Weren’t people busy with their own lives?

“I can’t help but think other people would benefit from your example,” the mayor continued. “While falling in love is wonderful, there is more to life than that. Other relationships that are important. Friendship, for example. Not enough men and women are friends.”

Shelby glanced at Aidan, who looked as confused as she felt. Where was this conversation going?

As if reading her mind, the mayor said, “I want to try an experiment and I’d like you two to help me with it. We should have a get-together for the single people in town. A place where men and women can meet without any pressure to be romantically involved. An opportunity for them to get to know each other and be friends. Just friends.”

Shelby opened her mouth, then closed it.

“You want us to plan a party?” Aidan asked, sounding as confused as she felt.

“Nothing so formal,” the mayor assured him. “I was thinking of one or two events. The more casual, the better. That way everyone can relax and get to know each other.” She smiled. “Bailey has a list of names and email addresses. Just get in contact with the people on the list and tell them where the first event is. Word will spread.”

“I thought everyone in town was pretty friendly,” Shelby said. “They have been to me.”

“They are. It’s part of the Fool’s Gold charm. But our single people need a little help and you’re the ones to offer it.”

Saying no wasn’t an option. Shelby knew that. Not only was she new to the town and eager to make a good impression on the mayor, Shelby owed her. When Kipling had been confined to a hospital bed in New Zealand, his body so shattered everyone feared he would never walk again, Shelby had been equally held hostage by her mother’s imminent death and her father’s brutal fists. Mayor Marsha had been the one go to Kipling and offer him the job in Fool’s Gold. She’d been the one to send Angel and Ford to save Shelby.

“Of course I’ll do it,” Shelby told her. “I’ll send out the emails this week.”

“I’ll help,” Aidan added.

Shelby glanced at him in surprise. He winked at her.

“Excellent.” Mayor Marsha came to her feet. “Then I’ll leave you to it.”

The meeting obviously over, Shelby and Aidan left. When they were back on the sidewalk, she turned to him. “Why did you agree? You could have left it to me.”

“You see the movie Titanic?”

“Of course. What does that have to do with anything?”

Aidan grinned. “We’re in this together, Shelby. You jump, I jump. She said casual. We can come up with a couple of things to do with the singles in town and then it’s over. How hard could it be?”

“You say that now, but just wait. This idea has regret written all over it.”

He chuckled. “Probably, but we’re going to see it through anyway.”

Because that was who Aidan was, she thought as they headed back to their respective offices. The kind of man who did the right thing. He was nice, she admitted as she waved goodbye at the corner and walked toward the bakery. Steady. Someone she could depend on. Good qualities in a friend.

He was also easy on the eyes and every now and then she found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him. Not that she would. They were friends. Nothing more. Any tingles or urges were simply left over from years of dating. They didn’t mean anything. They couldn’t. Being friends with Aidan was important. Her future happiness was at stake. No kiss was worth that.





CHAPTER SIX

“WHAT HAPPENS AT a baby shower?” Aidan asked, not sure why he bothered. There was a part of him that didn’t want to hear the answer.

“It’s a party. A celebration with gifts and food and games.”

“But no actual babies?”

Shelby laughed. “No babies. Well, sometimes there are. There are family showers and couples showers. This isn’t either of those.”

“So Destiny will be there, and her friends.”

“Yes.”