Considering Pleasant Hollow’s local dining-out options were one step above fast food, the town siding with the USDA regarding healthy school meals struck me as comical. I snort-laughed.

The woman turned and glared sharp objects at me with her eyes.

I slid down my chair and, using my notepad as a face shield, scribbled notes. In terms of scintillating material, we’d likely reached the peak with the school lunch wars.

“Next item on the agenda is event permits. Any requests?” Lorraine asked.

Events? My ears perked up.

“Us!”

I whirled around as a cute elderly couple shuffled to their feet. Maybe they’d overheard me talking with the business owners and had their own ideas for community bonding.

“We need a permit for…”

I crossed my fingers.

“…the new fireplace Garrett is building for us.”

The air whooshed out of me like a punctured tire. Shame on me for daring to hope.

Skipping all subtlety, Lorraine rolled her eyes. “Those types of permit applications are online.”

The couple took their seats again.

I tossed a sympathetic frown their way for sitting through this boring-as-all-get-out meeting for nothing. I feel your pain.

The man gave me side-eye. “What are you staring at?”

I quickly looked away as I realized they were the cranky couple I’d passed on Main Street earlier in the week. Clearly “old” didn’t equate with cute and cuddly grandparent types for these two.

My phone pinged with a text from Finn.

What are you doing?

My heart lifted, but I hesitated before responding. Telling him I was at a town meeting would require me to divulge my story had been rejected. I wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.

Walking around. Why?

His response came immediately.

It’s happy hour at Finn’s Tavern.

I faced forward again. The allure of Finn’s invitation had me wishing I could beam myself to the B&B instantaneously. But what if I left the meeting right before someone complained about the deer population or the nonexistent town troubadour? Unlikely, but I had one more card to play before I could bask in Finn’s nakedness again. I stood and waved a hand.

Lorraine jutted her chin toward me. “Did you have a question, Ms. Gellar?”

I suppressed my surprise and delight that she remembered my last name. “Does anyone want to comment on the construction of The Hollows? Big changes are near, from an influx of residents to competition for business to the town skyline! If you have an opinion, I’d love to hear it.” I presented the crowd with my practiced I’m-on-your-side expression.

“Thoughts, anyone?” Lorraine scanned the room.

It was so quiet we could probably hear a tree fall in a forest in Pennsylvania.

“Anyone? Going once, twice…” She banged her gavel. “Meeting is adjourned.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five