Evans Creek Book 1: Mister Mayor

FORTY-FIVE

PHOTO CREDITS: background-instructables.com, candles-dreamstime, champagne-colourbox.com, slipping the ring on her finger-insider.com, holdinghands-verily.com

NOTES: First you gotta work out the plan for the perfect proposal...and then you gotta hope that nothing goes wrong and it turns out like you hope...that she says yes.... Or at least that it's not so awful she says no...

***

That took care of the dress. He had to admit, when his mother suggested the same clothes, he wasn't too disappointed. He wasn't fibbing when he said she looked amazing in that dress. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one that had a hard time keeping his eyes off her. Oh well. Jealousy pangs were a small price to pay for what he had planned...

"I have a meeting with Daevey tomorrow, so you may as well go out with mom anyway. Do something fun or whatever it is you do on a girls' day out."

"If I'm not shopping, we could make a spa day out of it." She held her mug in both hands and the way her face lit up made him glad he'd suggested it.

"I'll leave my credit card for you. Whatever you like."

"I couldn't—"

"Fine. I'll give it to my mother. She has no problem—" her laughter cut him off.

"Alright!" she chuckled. "You win!"

---

"Thanks for agreeing to see me today."

"No problem. Just because you won the election, doesn't mean I will disappear. There is always the next election. After all, by then I won't be the new guy."

"Well, compared to me, you'll always be the new guy." Graham chuckled, "But I don't know if I'll run next election."

"No fourth term?"

"My first few years I was finished the previous mayor's final term after he died. So technically it would only be my third term."

"And three is the limit?"

"You asking?"

"Not really. I did my homework." Daevey grinned at being called out, "There is no term limit, only a limit of four years per term. However, no mayor has ever served more than three terms, and most no more than two."

"You are correct. Which is why I'm still not sure about next election." Graham paused, "Listen, I have to ask, what happened with that woman in the video?"

"It was simply a case of revenge. She wanted to ruin me and boost her own flailing career in the process."

"By showcasing her acting talents on a spectacular scale?"

"Something like that. By killing the story, I ruined her revenge, diffused the scandal, and without the publicity, she was just another viral video star. They burn brightly, then fall out of popularity as fast as they fell into it. She's ruined and we'll never hear from her again, I assure you."

"Thank you for that. I'm not sure I ever said that."

"Don't mention it. If she succeeded, it would have hurt me too, so I really didn't do you any special favors." Daevey dismissed his role.

"Fair enough." Graham acknowledged, "But, all that aside, I appreciate the assistance with my...er...situation."

"It's no secret that I'm a bit of a romantic. I did choose to make my career playing the love-interest after all"

"It was a day-time soap opera."

"After I left the show. I wanted to get into film, but then I worked for Watermark Films and decided that I liked it. I like being part of the feel-good movies. There's a huge market for action and intrigue, but Watermark Films had an impeccable reputation for being family friendly. They're the feel-good movie people."