Page 15 of Fake-Off with Fate (Love in Maple Falls #1)

ASHLYN

I was surprised when my dad told me his office was open on Saturdays, but at least it’s only a half-day. I go in early so I can be safely ensconced in the mayor’s domain before Phillip shows up. That way we don’t have to make small talk, or any talk, if I’m lucky.

Even though I leave the house a full thirty minutes before Town Hall opens, my plan is for naught.

As I pull into the parking lot and head toward my dad’s designated spot, Phillip is standing there waving me down.

I unroll the window in time to hear him say, “That’s the mayor’s parking place. You can’t park there.”

Oh brother, what a busybody. “My dad is coming in late,” I tell him. “I’ll move before he gets here.”

He steps directly into the slip so he’s blocking my path. “Your father is never late,” he tells me with authority, like he spends every free minute spying on my dad. Which come to think of it, he probably does. Phillip doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy with an active personal life.

“That may be,” I tell him. “But now I’m here to help.” I glare at him with every ounce of irritation currently coursing through me. Which is a lot .

He counters. “ I help him. That’s my job.”

“I’m sure it is,” I tell him as I start to inch my rental car in his direction. He looks nervous that I’m going to hit him, but even so, he holds his own. “You want to play chicken with me, Phillip?” I ask. I’m about two feet away from tapping him.

“You wouldn’t hit me,” his voice quakes with uncertainty.

“You want to place a wager on that?” Less than a foot away now …

He suddenly realizes I’m not faking it, and he jumps to his left before I kiss him with my bumper. “I’m going to tell your father!” he shouts.

As he turns to walk into the building, I call after him, “You’re going to have to wait until he comes in.”

He stops dead in his tracks and pulls out his phone like he’s going to call right now.

I hurry to reach into my purse to silence my dad’s ring tone, but I must grab my phone instead.

As soon as Phillip hits send, my dad’s phone starts to blare out the weird otter song he programmed into it.

I hurry to close my window in hopes Phillip didn’t hear it but I’m pretty sure he did.

I turn off my dad’s phone before getting out of the car. Then with my head high, I step out of my rental and walk right by dad’s assistant. “Why do you have your dad’s phone?” he demands.

“I don’t have his phone. I have mine.”

“That was the mayor’s ringtone.”

“How do you know it’s not my ringtone, too?”

He steps closer to me. “Hand me your purse.”

“I will do no such thing, Phillip.” I hold my bag tightly on the off chance he tries to rip it away from me. I wouldn’t put it past the little toad.

“I’m going to talk to your father about this,” he declares menacingly.

“Enjoy your chat,” I tell him, knowing full well he won’t be speaking to my dad any time soon.

Once I’m in the building, I take the stairs up to the mayor’s office, so I don’t have to ride in the elevator with Phillip. After reaching my destination, I close the door and lock it. Then I call Marcy.

She answers after only one ring. “Marcy Fontaine Accounting, this is Marcy. How can I help?”

“Marcy, it’s Ashlyn. Have you managed to come up with anything else regarding Victor MacDonald’s land, other than the ninety-day reprieve?

” I have to admit I was surprised to see Marcy on my doorstep last night, but she was way too excited about having found a small clause in an obscure law that could at least buy us a few months’ time.

It was a good start, but we need more than that.

“I called a lawyer, Ms. Thompkins,” she tells me.

“I asked about the statute of limitations rules in Washington regarding property. He verified what we already suspected. If Alexander MacDonald can prove he’s Victor’s heir, then the property is his.

The lawyer confirmed that we have ninety days to make this happen before Alexander can go to court to make it official. ”

I lean back in the chair and rub my eyes in exasperation.

“I was hoping there might be a loophole,” I tell her while sitting down behind my dad’s desk.

Reaching into my purse, I pull out a couple of framed photos of my mom that I brought in with me.

If nothing else, she’ll think my dad wants pictures of her around.

That is, if things go well in Barbados and she ever comes into his office again.

“I had a thought,” she tells me. “And it’s not a good one.”

The last thing I want to hear is more bad news, but I suppose it’s better to be forewarned, so I ask, “What’s that?”

“If this Alexander MacDonald character did his research, and I’m sure he did, he’ll know the Ice Breakers are now based in Maple Falls. As such, he might not take a reasonable offer. In fact, he might not take any offer.”

She’s right. Alexander might want to profit from the crowds that will be coming in to town.

While most people will probably stay at hotels in Spokane, which is the closest city, he might use some of that land to build additional lodging and gas stations, and heaven knows what else.

“I think I’d better call his lawyer and get a feel for how willing Mr. MacDonald might be to sell the land back to Maple Falls,” I tell her.

“You’d better get a town council meeting on the books, too,” she suggests. “You’re going to have to let everyone know what’s going on.”

“My dad will be back in a week,” I tell her. “I’ll schedule it for then.”

“Ashlyn.” It’s the first time she’s called me by my first name, and it makes me nervous. “Make it for as soon as possible. We’re going to need all hands on deck, right away.” After a beat, she adds, “You might also want to call your father and fill him in.”

“There’s no way I can do that,” I tell her. “He’d take the first flight out of the Caribbean and that would be the end of my parents’ marriage.”

“We might be facing the end of Maple Falls,” she says plainly.

Kicking my feet up onto the desk, I tell her, “I pick my parents’ future over the town’s.” I know how mercenary that sounds, so I hurry to add, “But I think with the two of us working together, we can keep things afloat until my parents get back. I mean, it’s only a week away.”

“Let’s hope.” She doesn’t sound very certain and quite honestly, I don’t blame her. Who in a million years would have guessed something like this would happen within hours of my dad leaving town? Or ever, for that matter.

As soon as I get off the phone with Marcy, I call the last person in the world I want to talk to. Phillip answers after the second ring. “What?”

“My dad would like you to set up a town council meeting.”

“For when?”

“Tomorrow, if you can.”

“Tomorrow is Sunday. What is this regarding?” he snarls.

Lying through my teeth, I tell him, “I have no idea. ”

“I can’t just call an emergency meeting without giving people a reason.” I can just imagine the pinched look of superiority on his face as he says this.

“Tell them the future of Maple Falls is at stake.”

“What do you mean by that?” he spits.

“You’ll have to ask my dad.”

“I’ll do that.” Then he immediately hangs up.

I have no idea how I’m going to get through this week without committing bodily harm on that man.

I’ve never been a violent person, and I’ve certainly never threatened to run somebody over with my car, but Phillip brings out the worst in me.

I’m going to have to keep my distance or risk winding up in jail.

Looking at the clock, I realize I had better go home and bring my dad’s car back so that people don’t start to wonder what’s happened to him.

It could get kind of complicated playing musical cars, but Phillip has made it clear he’s looking for my dad’s vehicle, so I’m going to have to let him see it.

I walk right by the aforementioned bane of my existence, but I keep my eyes in front of me. I don’t say a word to him. Once I get into my car, I check my dad’s phone and discover the troll has texted him three times since we got to the office.

Phillip

Sir, are you unwell? You’re never late.

Mayor Thompkins, your daughter parked in your space even though I told her that wasn’t allowed.

What time can I expect to see you today, sir? I have some concerns.

The worst part of taking over for my dad is not going to be trying to save Maple Falls—it’s going to be dealing with Phillip. Typing furiously, I tell him:

Mayor Thompkins

Phillip, I’m taking the morning off to spend time with my wife. I would appreciate it if you would quit bothering me. If you have any questions, please ask Ashlyn. She has my full blessing to do whatever she sees fit.

Phillip

But Mayor Thompkins, she doesn’t know what we do here. How can I trust her?”

Mayor Thompkins

Remember that it’s your job to do as I ask.

Phillip

I realize that, sir, but …

Mayor Thompkins

Then please just do your job.

I may have gone a little bit far with the last response, but Phillip Bane is the most annoying person I have ever met. Being that I mostly work for entitled movies stars, that’s saying a lot.

Now that I’ve told Phillip my dad is spending the morning with my mom, I have some time to kill before coming back to the office with his car. I decide to go to the library and do a deep dive into Maple Falls’ history to see if I can come up with something that will help us.