Page 7 of Fake-Off with Fate (Love in Maple Falls #1)

ASHLYN

My dad did not have an easy time talking my mother into going away with him.

In fact, it was touch and go for a very long time.

But then he got down on one knee and took her hand in his.

With a level of romance and sincerity I didn’t think he was capable of, he declared, “Alicia, I love you. I know I haven’t been very attentive these last couple of years and I’m sorry.

Will you please go away with me and let me remind you that I’m still the man you fell in love with? ”

The expression on my mom’s face made it clear she was torn. I wasn’t sure if she was going to give in or kick him. Ultimately, she decided to give him another shot.

Even though she agreed to go on vacation, supper was still unbearable. My dad’s constant chatter about Maple Fest was driving both me and my mom insane.

After supper, she stood up and announced, “You can sleep in the guest room, Bill. I’m not sharing a bed with you again until you prove you’re a changed man.

” Boy, is she going to be surprised when they get to Barbados and discover there’s only one bed in their hut. I didn’t think it was wise to warn her.

My mom left the house this morning without telling us where she was going. It’s currently mid-afternoon and she’s just now getting home. I spot her unloading several bags of groceries from the trunk, so I hurry to help her. “I bought all of your favorites, Ashlyn,” she says.

“Leave it to you to always be looking out for your family.” That’s when I notice how nice she looks. “Your hair looks great. Did you just have it done?”

She strides into the kitchen and puts the bags on the counter before waving her fingers in front of her, jazz hands fashion. “I got my nails done, too.”

“Very pretty,” I tell her. The fact that she’s taking pains to look her best gives me hope that she’s going to give my dad a real chance.

“Where’s your father?” she wants to know.

“He’s, um … well …” I don’t want to bring up his job, but I don’t see that I have a choice. “He’s waiting for me at Town Hall to introduce me around.”

Her expression immediately morphs into one of pure annoyance. “You tell him that if he isn’t home by five o’clock that I am going to go without him. I mean it too, Ashlyn. Not five-oh-one. Five.”

I nod my head and assure her, “He’ll be here.” And he will, even if I have to hit him over the head and drag his unconscious body home myself. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that because my dad has put on enough weight that I’m not sure I’m up to the task.

Smiling at my mom, I tell her, “I better go.” Then I turn around and practically sprint out the front door.

When I get to my dad’s office, I’m once again met by the same man I saw yesterday. He’s even less pleasant than he was before. “Miss Thompkins,” he says like he’s diagnosing a fatal illness.

“What’s your name?” I want to know.

“Phillip. Phillip Bane. I’m the mayor’s assistant.” And bane of my existence.

My dad walks out of his inner sanctum and waves me in. “ Let’s go, Ashlyn.” Then he turns to Phillip. “My daughter will be helping me out this week, Phillip. Please make sure she has everything she needs.”

The appalled expression on Phillip’s face indicates he will do no such thing. Which is fine with me. In fact, I wouldn’t mind if he got sick and took the whole week off.

“Don’t worry about me, Dad. You’ll be here if I need anything.”

While I only said that to keep up our ruse, the words seem to panic him. “Be that as it may, I’m counting on Phillip to assist you. I have a very busy week ahead.”

His assistant looks moderately confused. “You don’t have a busier week than normal, sir. In fact, I’d say it looks like a light week.”

“I have things scheduled that you know nothing about, Phillip,” my father snaps. “Just please do as I say and help my daughter if she needs it.”

Ushering me into his office, my dad shuts the door behind us before announcing, “Phillip doesn’t like you.”

“No kidding,” I snort. “What crawled up his butt and died?”

“That’s a gross expression, Ashlyn.”

“In my defense, Dad, I don’t like him, either.”

“He’s the only other person here who knows how things run, so don’t annoy him.” Sitting down at his desk, he pulls out a pad. “I’ve made a list of all my passwords. Call your mother if something doesn’t work. I don’t want Phillip to think you’re trying to take over.”

“Why not? I mean, that is why I’m here, isn’t it?”

“He wants to run for mayor when my term ends. There’s no telling what he’ll do if he feels threatened.”

“He can have the job,” I assure him.

My dad smiles slyly. “I predict you’re going to love pretending to be mayor so much that you’ll be begging me to help you become the next leader of our fair town.” He couldn’t be more wrong, but this is not the time to set him straight .

My dad spends the next hour and a half laying out the details of his daily life, which as far as I can tell consists of nothing more than schmoozing people.

So much so that he goes into every business in town twice a month and asks the store’s owners how things are going.

He tells me, “Even though this is my week to stay in touch, you can skip that part. You’re going to have to focus all your attention on Maple Fest.”

“Maple Fest is a month away. What could need to be done that isn’t already in the works?”

“You’ll have to contact all the vendors and confirm they’re ready to roll.

Then you need to make sure the generators will be delivered two days before they’re needed.

” He keeps ticking off items until I start to think my dad does everything himself without relying on an entire committee that oversees the event.

Looking at my phone, I announce, “It’s four thirty-five. Time for you to go.”

“I don’t have to be home until five.”

“Wrong. You need to be there early to prove to Mom that you’re taking this trip seriously.”

My dad inhales deeply before begging, “Can’t I please take my phone with me? I promise to only use it in case of emergency, and I’ll never use it in front of your mother.”

“You may not,” I tell him plainly. “Nothing is going to happen to Maple Falls that I can’t easily take care of. You, on the other hand, are going to have your hands full trying to win Mom back.” I walk toward the door while making a scooting motion for him to leave. “Go. Your wife is waiting.”

“Aren’t you coming home with me?” he asks, like he’s afraid to be alone with my mom.

I had planned to join him, but I now realize the best thing is for my mom to see my dad show up on time, all by himself. Shaking my head, I tell him, “I’m going to start familiarizing myself with your job. Get going. If you’re late, you won’t need me to cover for you.” I glare at him meaningfully .

My dad stands up and looks at me with a hangdog expression. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck, Dad. Just remember how serious this trip is and no matter what, you are not to call me or anyone in Maple Falls. Focus all your attention on Mom. Got it?”

He inhales deeply before expelling the air like he’s trying to blow out birthday candles on a cake located in the next county. “Got it.”

As soon as he leaves, I sit down at his desk and look around the room. There’s nothing warm or charming about this office. The furniture looks like it’s standard issue from decades ago. The walls are a dirty hue of beige, and the floor is linoleum, of all things.

My first order of business will have to be sprucing the place up. Maybe I’ll bring in some plants and family photos. A rug at the very least.

Before I can finish mentally redecorating, the phone rings. When it’s not picked up after three rings, I reach over and do the job myself. “Mayor Thompkins’ office. How may I help you?”

The voice on the other end of the line announces, “My name is Jeremy Hunt. I’m a lawyer, and I’d like to speak with Mayor Thompkins.”

“May I inquire as to what this is about?”

“It’s about the land Victor MacDonald left his heir when he died.”

The name Victor MacDonald is legend in our town and every school-aged child hears it repeatedly during their elementary years. That’s when Maple Falls history is taught. Yet, I still feel the need to confirm. “By Victor MacDonald, you mean that man who left Maple Falls all the land?”

“Mr. MacDonald did not leave Maple Falls any land.”

“I beg to differ,” I tell him. Unless Mrs. Jenson, Mr. Harper, Ms. Block, and Mrs. Carson—my first-through fourth-grade teachers—didn’t know what they were talking about. And they were super confident they did .

“Victor MacDonald left his land to his heir,” the voice on the other end of the line assures me.

“Which he didn’t have.”

“It turns out, he did,” Jeremy says.

“No, he didn’t. Because if he did, that person would essentially own more than half of Maple Falls.”

“Correct.”

My brain is starting to hurt. “Mr. Hunt. Who are you calling on behalf of?”

“Alexander MacDonald,” he tells me, like I should have worked that out already. “Victor MacDonald’s legal heir.”

Holy heck. This sounds like more trouble than I’m capable of handling on my own.

Yet if I want my parents to stay married, I have no choice but to do so.

“If this is true, and of course we will have to look into it, what is it that Alexander MacDonald would like to do with the land?” I silently pray he wants to leave it to Maple Falls, but if that were the case, he wouldn’t need a lawyer.

“Mr. MacDonald plans to claim the land and develop it.”

Jeremy Hunt might as well have just pronounced the end of my hometown. “Mr. Hunt,” I remind him, “when an heir couldn’t be found after fifty years, the town took possession of the property. We’ve built on it. We’ve created preserves.”

“Which is why I need to speak to the mayor.”

This is where I totally and completely lose my mind. I lie, “My name is Ashlyn Thompkins. I’m the acting mayor.”

“In that case, Ms. Thompkins, you should know that we are going to take legal action if Alexander MacDonald’s inheritance isn’t turned over to him in a timely manner.”

I wonder if my mom would think this was an emergency big enough to put off her trip, but then I realize nothing short of World War III breaking out in Maple Falls would do that. And maybe not even then.

“Let me get your phone number, Mr. Hunt,” I say as calmly as I can.

“You can send all pertinent documents to my attention. As soon as I get them, I will consult the town council, and we will get back to you. Ot perhaps it would be better if I spoke directly to Mr. MacDonald.” Then I could beg him to reconsider claiming his inheritance.

Not that he would but it’s a solid place to start.

Jeremy Hunt sounds borderline condescending as he tells me, “Mr. MacDonald is a very busy man and doesn’t bother himself with small affairs like this. He’s currently overseas on business”

I’m flabbergasted anyone would consider the destruction of an entire town a small affair.

Turning on my dad’s computer, I do a quick search on Alexander MacDonald.

That’s when I discover he’s a billionaire businessman who probably has a heart made from stone.

I’m guessing you don’t get to be mega-rich unless you put the almighty dollar above everything else—people included.

Hopefully I won’t get the paperwork or hear from anyone else until my parents get home. I refuse to be responsible for something as serious as messing up the fate of my entire hometown.