Page 138 of November

“What’s going on?” Maisie asked India.

“Not sure, but if I had to guess, I’d say Candace knows something. Maybe Loganisa little further along in her proposal thinking than Rory is expecting.” India was standing behind the stool Maisie was sitting on, and she wrapped her arms around her, lowering her lips to Maisie’s cheek. “I’m really proud of you, you know?”

“I know. Thank you. I just still can’t believe I did it. In a way, it feels like it was so easy, which is weird.”

“Easy? Babe, it took you years, a city council run, arguing with my pain-in-the-ass brother, calling a sitting city councilor to get yourself back on the agenda, filling out another application, and giving another presentation. You call all that easy?”

“I meant that they just accepted it,” Maisie replied with a little laugh, holding on to India’s arms. “I guess I expected them to take some time or something.” Maisie paused for asecond. “And speaking of your pain-in-the-ass brother…”

“What?” India asked and looked up, seeing Colter was walking into the bar.

“What is he doing here?”

“I invited him,” Maisie said. “Well, I texted him, anyway, suggesting he stop by to talk to his sister.”

“Maisie, this is your night.”

“And I’d like my girlfriend and her brother to maybe try to make amends. I think I’ve caused some unnecessary drama between you two.”

“No,hecaused it,” India replied as Colter approached them.

“And he’s here to fess up,” Colter said as he undid his jacket button. “Hi, Maisie.”

“Hey, Colter.”

“India, care to introduce me?”

“You just said her name, Colter. You know–”

“I meant introduce me to who she is to you,” he said.

“Oh,” India replied. “Maisie is my girlfriend. We’re together.”

“Why didn’t you say anything, to begin with?”

“Because in the beginning, we weren’t together yet. And even if we were–”

“I wouldn’t have wanted any special treatment,” Maisie added. “Independent woman.” She pointed to herself.

India laughed at her.

“Well, it passed, so your shop is good to go now. I hope we can maybe put all this behind us,” Colter said.

“Some of it,” Maisie replied.

“I’m with her on that,” India added.

“That’s fair,” he said. “I have ideas. I think a lot of them are good, and I believe in them, but that doesn’t meanallof them are. My offer still stands to join my staff, disagree with me, and get paid for it.”

“Thank you, but I think I have to pass. The shop is about to get really busy.”

Colter smiled and said, “I suppose it is. It’s going to belisted on all the landmark sites, along with whatever it is you plan on doing to bring in more business.” He sighed. “Well, with you and India being together, I suspect we’ll be seeing each other around at some point, huh?”

“Probably, yeah,” Maisie replied, grasping India’s arms more tightly with her hands.

“Not too often, though,” India added.

Colter laughed and replied, “I’m making a run for mayor next cycle, like I told you, Maisie. Let’s keep in touch, okay? If you’re thinking about running for city council again, I could endorse you should the time come.”