“It’ll never happen,” Mary said. “How those two keep getting reelected is beyond me, but they’ll never go against her.”
“They’re reelected because nobody has bothered running against them,” Kyle said. “And, no, I don’t think you should be the first.” He grinned at Abby. “It’s an ongoing debate. In the interest of family harmony, I’ve been discouraging her from getting mixed up in local politics, at least until my grandmother gets out. The thought of those two butting heads in public gives me heartburn.”
“It could definitely make family meals awkward,” Abby said, smiling.
Mary waved off the comment. “They’re not exactly a picnic as it is. I might not run against one of these old fuddy-duddies, but I don’t keep my mouth shut.”
Abby laughed at Kyle’s resigned expression.
“That would be hoping for too much,” he said dryly.
“You knew I had a mouth on me when you married me,” Mary retorted.
“I know, but I overlooked it because you make the best ice cream in the state,” he said. “Now, I’ve got to run. Nice seeing you again, Abby.”
“Great to see you, too, Kyle. And thanks for the help.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Let’s see if it works.”
Abby was hopeful that it would, but even if it didn’t, she was grateful for having found two more people in Seaview Key who might become real friends.
* * *
Seth sighed when a call came in from Ella Mae. Though he’d seen her recently, it had just been a drop-in to say hello. She hadn’t called for a paramedic since she’d started selling tickets for the fund-raiser. He’d been congratulating himself on devising a plan to keep her busy and to keep her mind off of every little ache and pain.
To his surprise, when he reached her house, she was on the porch waiting for him. There was a healthy glow in her cheeks.
“What’s up?” he asked as he joined her. “You feeling okay?”
“No better or worse than usual,” she said. “I just figured since you already think my only complaint is boredom, I might as well take advantage of that and call for company.”
He regarded her with shock. “Ella Mae, if you want visitors, including me, all you have to do is issue an invitation. You don’t need to call 9-1-1.”
“It seemed like the only surefire way to get you here,” she said, shrugging off his dismay.
“Do I need to remind you that I dropped by just the other day to say hello?”
“That was then,” she said blithely.
He shook his head. “What am I going to do with you?”
“Given my age and overall health, it’s not something you’ll need to concern yourself with forever,” she replied tartly. “Now, tell me what’s going on with you and Abby. You managed to dodge every question I asked the other day.”
“Maybe because my private life isn’t your concern.”
The look she gave him was withering. “I expected to see more signs of progress by now.”
“Progress?”
“Don’t you dare try to pretend you’re not interested in her,” she said. “Or to tell me she doesn’t feel the same way. I saw the handwriting on the wall at that press conference.”
“And what makes you so sure there hasn’t been any progress since then?”
“I hear things,” she said. “And what I’m hearing about the two of you is dead silence. It’s discouraging.”
“Maybe you should stop using the Seaview Key grapevine as your news source,” he suggested.
“Unless you’re going to sit there and tell me that Jenny doesn’t know what she’s talking about, I think we can agree that my source is reliable.”
This kept getting worse and worse, not that it was much of a surprise. “You and Jenny have been discussing my relationship with Abby?” he asked, hoping his tone would suggest that he found that objectionable.
“Well, we certainly don’t spend all our time talking about ticket sales for that fish fry,” she replied. “And just so you know, if I don’t like what I’m hearing from you, my next call will be to Abby.”
“When did you turn into such a meddler?”
“When you dragged me out of my peaceful existence,” she said, then grinned. “Told you that you should have left well enough alone.”
“So this is payback?”
“I don’t look at it like that,” she insisted. “I’m just giving you a push in the direction you ought to be smart enough to go on your own.”
Seth sighed. “Thanks for the interest, but maybe you should stay out of this, Ella Mae. It’s complicated.”
“You like her, am I right?”
“Of course.”
“And she’s attracted to you, no question about that.”
“I suppose,” he acknowledged reluctantly.
“Then I don’t see the complication.”
“Trust me, there are a boatload of them.”
She shook her head, her expression filled with pity. “Spoken like a man desperate for excuses.”
Seth stared at her. The woman was more perceptive than he’d given her credit for being. Since he couldn’t really defend himself, he said, “Leave it alone, Ella Mae. I’m begging you.”
She smiled. “I’ll give your request some thought,” she promised. “But I’m an old lady. I might forget.”
“You don’t forget anything unless it’s convenient,” he accused.
“If you understand that, then you’re duly warned,” she said, laughing.
Seth walked away with the distinct impression that his fate was no longer in his own hands. And maybe that would be a blessing. He sure wasn’t doing too well handling it on his own.
* * *
That night Seth lay awake, thinking over what Ella Mae had said about making excuses. As he considered that possibility for perhaps the hundredth time, it dawned on him that for the first time in a couple of years the woman on his mind nonstop wasn’t Cara Sanchez. He hadn’t had the nightmare about the day she’d died in a while now, either.
Abby had taken over his thoughts lately, made him start to yearn for a future he’d all but given up on having.
And yet they were so blasted wrong for each other, or so he kept telling himself. The other day Luke had essentially accused him of focusing too much on money, and he had
