Page 27 of Friends are Forever (Teton Mountain #6)
R eva adjusted the strap of her purse as she stepped up onto the Nichols’ sagging front porch, the wood creaking under her boots. A faded welcome mat that read Bless This Mess made her smile. Somehow, it felt like the Nichols household had summed up small-town life in three little words.
She rapped her knuckles against the screen door. Inside, the television blared.
After a minute, Gibbs appeared, wrestling a squirming one-year-old perched on his hip. He cracked open the door, flushed and winded. “Hey, Mayor. This is a surprise. Come on in, if you dare.”
“Perhaps I should have called first,” Reva commented. In her haste to deliver news of her decision, she’d skipped her normal manners.
“No, not at all. Come on in.” He waved her inside.
The small house was pure chaos. Toys littered the worn hardwood floor—plastic blocks, stuffed animals, a rubber chicken with one leg missing.
The air smelled faintly of vanilla from a candle battling against the scent of last night’s spaghetti.
Lizzy, Gibbs’ young wife, shot up from the couch, shoving aside a laundry basket overflowing with onesies and tiny socks.
“Sorry ’bout the mess,” Gibbs said, setting the toddler down. Immediately, the little boy crawled and made a beeline for a toy drum, whacking it with enthusiastic fists.
“Don’t worry,” Reva said, smiling warmly. “I’m not here to judge your housekeeping skills.”
Gibbs grabbed the remote and muted the television. The sudden quiet felt heavy. He motioned for Reva to sit, clearing a toy truck off the armchair. Lizzy hovered nearby, her face a mixture of curiosity and nerves.
Reva leaned forward, elbows on her knees. “Gibbs, I’m here because I have made a decision about the sheriff’s position.”
Gibbs face immediately filled with disappointment. “I understand.”
Reva shook her head. “It’s not what you’re thinking. After a lot of thought—and some prayer—I’d like to officially offer you the position of Sheriff of Thunder Mountain.”
Gibbs’ jaw slackened. Lizzy gasped softly and pressed a hand to her mouth. The baby thudded his drumstick on the floor, oblivious.
“You’re serious?” Gibbs said, voice rough.
“As serious as it gets,” Reva replied. “This isn’t just a badge and a title. It’s a trust. The whole town will be depending on you, Gibbs. To keep them safe, yes—but also to be reliable, and never to let them down. Fair. Steady. Strong, even when things get tough.”
Reva looked him directly in the eyes. “Do you understand, Gibbs?”
Gibbs’ eyes shone as he nodded slowly, almost like he didn’t trust himself to speak yet.
“I’ll expect you to attend additional training. You’ll work closely with the council. You’ll need to build bridges, not walls. And you have to live like every kid out there is watching you—because they are. No more…” She paused, searching for the right words. “Misdeeds,” she finally said.
He swallowed hard, glancing at Lizzy, who was now openly crying. She crossed to him and grabbed his hand.
“I won’t let you down, Mayor,” he promised.
“You may have heard,” Reva added gently. “Hiring you will be one of my last official acts as mayor.”
Lizzy’s head jerked up. “You’re quitting?” she whispered.
Reva gave a small nod, her throat tightening. “Not quitting. Leaving. Kellen and I are moving to Georgia soon. Family duties call.”
Gibbs rubbed a hand over his short hair, stunned. “You’re the heart of this town, Reva. Thunder Mountain simply won’t be the same without you at the helm.”
“I’m just one part of this community,” she said, her voice steady. “It’s your time now. Don’t let them down.”
He stood up straighter, still clutching Lizzy’s hand. “I won’t. I swear it.”
The toddler, sensing the serious mood, waddled over and tugged at Reva’s boot with a sticky hand. She laughed softly and reached down, ruffling the boy’s blond hair.
“Looks like you’ve already got a good deputy,” she said, straightening.
Gibbs chuckled, a little shaky. “Thank you for this chance, Reva. I’ll make you proud.”
“You already have,” she said, glancing at his wife and son.
As she walked back out onto the porch, the door swinging shut behind her, Reva paused for a moment to take it all in—the chaos, the love, the hope. Thunder Mountain would be just fine.
She smiled, blinking against the sting in her eyes, and headed for her car.