Rival Hearts (Little Falls #1)

1. Maggie

**Reduced to a sample on Wattpad January 18th, 2021 - full story available on Radish Fiction**

Maggie opened the door to the karaoke bar one town over from Little Falls, the June breeze blowing in behind her.

"Ahhh," Lila, her best friend, cried from the bar as soon as she caught sight of Maggie at the entrance. When she reached her, she said, "I love you for closing up early." Her long, glossy black hair cascaded over her shoulders, looking as though it belonged in a hair product commercial.

"Like I'd miss this!" Maggie grinned and enveloped Lila in a hug. "It's your thirtieth birthday. Welcome to the dirty thirties. Is there anyone in Little Falls who doesn't know it's your birthday? Besides, I gave all the pharmacy customers lots of notice." Once she learned they weren't singing karaoke, but rather watching an open mic night, the decision to attend was easy. Not that she would have said no, even if Lila signed her up for a solo performance. Earplugs might have been a necessity for everyone else, though.

Lila couldn't carry a tune, not even if someone pressed a gun to her head and forced her to sing for her life, but she loved to marvel at the talent of others. Over the years, she'd been addicted to The Voice, American Idol, and any other God-awful incarnation television could throw in her direction. Maggie had suffered through almost all of them because there were few people in the world she loved as much as she loved Lila Wang.

"It's not usually the paying customers who keep you away." Lila looped her arm with Maggie's and sauntered toward the long table at the back of the bar, past the sports memorabilia dotting the walls. Their table was closest to the stage, of course. "It's the ones who come into your pharmacy looking for the mayor."

"You enjoy my mayor status." She gave Lila a sideways glance. "It helps while we're in the urban renewal meetings and we function like one brain." She tapped Lila's temple.

"There's still no one registered to run against you?" With her fingers crossed, she squeezed her eyes closed. She mouthed, please say no.

"No one yet. The deadline is tomorrow." Up ahead at the heavy wooden table, Maggie's older brother and sister, Tyler and Emily were laughing, probably at some inside joke no one else understood. Other friends were gathered around, celebratory drinks in hand.

"Four more years, baby!" Lila released Maggie and threw up her hands. "Did you tell anyone else yet?"

She glanced around, hoping no one else heard Lila's enthusiastic cheer. While the likelihood of someone springing up at the last minute to run against her was slim, she didn't like to make proclamations until she was sure they'd come true. "Tomorrow night," she said. "When it's definite."

Lila shook her head. "Anyone with eyes knows what a great job you've been doing for our town. In four years, you've managed to revitalize the downtown core."

A small smile rose to Maggie's face. It was true, sort of. There was still lots of work to be done to create the Little Falls in Maggie's vision. The fact they were traveling to the next town over for this event made her feel like a traitor. She should have insisted on doing something locally to support the downtown core she'd so painstakingly cultivated. But night life was something their town of four thousand didn't have yet.

She'd never been able to say no to Lila. Ever since they met on the playground at five, they'd been best friends. Lila's family emigrated from China and, even though they didn't speak the same language at first, their hearts strained towards each other, seeking something only the other could provide. They often called themselves sisters by choice. Maggie's siblings and parents also treated Lila like family. Even though Lila was an only child, she told Maggie she'd never felt that way and sometimes even forgot it was true.