Dae's Christmas Past Read Online Free Page B

“The people of Duck are lucky to have such a beautiful and clever mayor.”
    “Thanks. I take it you like purple.” I noticed that she’d changed clothes but was still wearing purple, in a different shade, with a wide-brimmed hat that matched.
    “I adore it.” She started down the stairs. Baylor shadowed her every move. “I think it’s good for a woman to know what works for her, don’t you?”
    Gramps was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. “Maybe for the woman, but not for the men around her.” He took her hand as she came closer to him. “You look like a queen, MC. I’d be honored to escort you to the parties.”
    “What about Dae?” she asked.
    “She has Kevin. We’ll pick him up after the first party at the Blue Whale Inn. You’re gonna love that place.”
    “Then I would be honored for you to be my escort, Horace.” She laid her hand on his arm as she reached the bottom of the stairs. She looked down at Baylor who butted his big head against her leg. “Not tonight. Wait here like a good boy. I’ll be back.”
    Baylor jumped on Gramps’s recliner and made himself at home. Treasure watched him from a crouched position on the floor. I could tell he wasn’t sure yet what to make of the large tabby.
    We were ready and out the door very quickly. Gramps started the golf cart, and we ambled down Duck Road. The golf cart was very slow compared to a car but it was great for getting around town. In the summer when traffic was at a standstill, walking and riding in a golf cart were the only ways to get through. During the rest of the year, it still saved on gas and was easy to maneuver.
    “I’ve never seen a golf cart with sides.” Mary Catherine touched the clear plastic panels Gramps had installed for rain.
    I was riding on the seat behind them, watching the road slip by behind us. Listening to their conversation without being involved was nice. I could save my energy for the parties to come when all my friends and the people of Duck who had voted from me would have plenty of questions.
    The sky was a delicate shade of pink across the Currituck Sound. We turned left and headed toward the other side of the island which faced the Atlantic Ocean. People were walking toward the Blue Whale for the party, waving and smiling as we went by. Others were in golf carts too. One or two cars passed us, but there weren’t many.
    The Blue Whale Inn was right in front of us as we dead-ended at the beach. Kevin had restored the old three-story hotel after retiring from the FBI. I’d helped paint the crazy shade of blue that closely matched the original color and made the inn easy to find. There was a circle drive with a stone fountain, in the grassy middle, that featured a pretty mermaid and a hitching post. Usually there were plenty of places to park—but not this evening.
    “Looks like the whole town is here.” Gramps pulled the golf cart into a spot by the old hitching post. There was a hand-painted sign that said the spot was reserved for Mayor Dae O’Donnell and family. It was a nice touch that warmed my heart.
    I got out of the golf cart and started up the stairs to the wide verandah where dozens of wood rocking chairs usually waited for Kevin’s guests. This evening they were filled with my friends and neighbors who rocked and waved to me as they gossiped. Most of them had a drink in one hand and a cupcake or some other confection in the other.
    It’s time , I told myself. The spotlight is on you . I put my big mayor’s smile on my face and joined the party.
    Because the night was so fine, the double doors at the back of the inn were thrown open to the breezes and a glimpse of the surf. People began congratulating me as I walked in.
    Trudy, my best friend since elementary school, hugged me as she grabbed Tim Mabry’s hand. The three of us had grown up together. He’d thought he was in love with me for the longest time, but then he and Trudy had found one another. I was so happy for them. There was