Page 32 of Save Me (The Wolf Hotel Mermaid Beach #2)

“ B orn and raised in the Sunshine State, lived here all my life, save for a small stint in Washington. I’ve been a resident of Mermaid Beach for forty-two years , to be exact.

Believe me, I’ve seen the place go through all kinds of evolution,” Gayle Anderson says, the twang in her voice indicative of a Floridian.

I spotted her speaking to Henry, and I just knew she had to be local government because there was no way this woman, in her high-collared blouse and pleated calf-length skirt, was a high-powered executive.

She looks like she spends her afternoons crocheting on the front porch while reporting her neighbors for putting the trash out too early.

I didn’t get to Gayle’s dossier, but Belinda confirmed she’s the county commissioner and plays a key role in how Mermaid Beach grows and changes, which means Henry must be greasing this grandmother’s palms to get what he wants.

And I intend to find out exactly how.

A server sweeps past with a tray of champagne then.

“I don’t think I should have another.” Gayle fans her face with her hand as if hot. Her cheeks are definitely rosier than they were when I cornered her.

“You should always have another glass when it’s Cristal and you’re not paying.” I smoothly swap our glasses for two fresh ones.

“You’re right.” She accepts it with a laugh. “You’re completely right. But just one more. So tell me about yourself, Ronan? How do you like the area?”

“I love it. I moved to Miami a few years ago, and now I’m here, and I have to tell you, I could make this my home.

I mean, look at it.” I gesture out toward the gulf ahead.

The sky is dark, but Seraphina’s is lit up with torches, and the sound of the waves rolling in is unmistakable.

Mix it all up with the sea air? Idyllic.

It’s not a lie—I honestly could settle down in Mermaid Beach, but that likely has more to do with a certain sea witch than the beaches or the atmosphere.

Sloane’s offer of a job and a place to live isn’t a bad one.

I’ve always liked working with my hands better anyway.

But we’d be moving a bit fast. I mean, I’d basically be living with her.

Gayle adjusts her glasses to get a better look at me. “And where did you grow up?”

“Indiana.”

“Oh, been there once, in the winter too.” She shudders, then laughs. “My grandchildren have been begging us to take them on a ski trip, but I don’t know if I can bring myself to do it!”

“You have grandchildren? I would not have guessed that.” I might not be adept at ass kissing, but the longer I spend in this role, the better I seem to be getting at it.

“Oh.” She chuckles, patting my arm in a matronly manner. She’s nothing like those thirsty ladies on Sloane’s tiki cruise today, the ones who looked seconds away from circling me. I’m sure Gayle would label them sinful heathens. “Aren’t you sweet. I have six.”

“Six!” I force with exaggeration—seriously, whose skin am I wearing? It’s chafing. “Tell me about them.”

“Oh, gosh, where to begin.” She gulps her champagne. “Well, there’s Noah, Jacob, and Elijah. Those are my daughter Mary’s sons. And then my son Samuel has two girls and a boy: Ruth, Joseph, and Sarah.”

“Good Christian names,” I note.

“Oh, yes.” She nods, her brow furrowed with pleasant surprise. “Henry said the very same thing.”

I’ll bet he did . He was looking for an angle in, and clearly, he found it. “And which congregation do you attend in the area?”

“Our Lady of the Pines.”

“That’s the one on …” I frown, as if struggling to search my memory, letting it dangle.

“Sugar Sand Drive, in Old Town. The big, beautiful white church with the palms on either side.”

“Right. I’ve seen it. Nice place.” If I’ve passed it, I don’t recall.

“Yes, Henry and his lovely wife are coming for service on Sunday.”

“Are they, now …” I purse my lips to suppress my smile.

Abbi, I understand. She was raised in the church.

Before co ming to Alaska, she was set on marrying the reverend’s son in their small Pennsylvania farming community.

But I doubt Henry has stepped foot in a church since he was forced to as a child, and from the snide comments I’ve caught about the institution and the people who frequent it, I’d half expect him to go up in flames when he crosses the threshold.

“Henry was telling me how his mother-in-law is a devout Christian.”

“She is that.” I met Bernadette Mitchell in Alaska for the wedding.

I’ve never seen anyone spontaneously cross themselves so often and for seemingly no reason—usually, when Margo was in the room.

How she came around to her daughter marrying a man she considered the devil is still a mystery, but I’ll bet it had something to do with money. It always does.

As it likely does here. “So, you’re an active member at Our Lady?”

“I’d say so.” She chuckles, as if my observation is cute.

“When I’m not busy running youth groups and charities for the area.

And then, of course, there’s the work I do for the school board and the advisory council, and …

” She lists all her extracurricular activities, along with awards and recognitions for all her good Christian work.

I listen intently, searching for the hook Henry cast. I know him too well, and he buys his way into everything.

“You sound like a busy lady.”

“I don’t rest much, that’s for sure. Howard—that’s my husband—complains sometimes that I don’t know how to sit still, and maybe I don’t, but I feel like my work is important. I think it’s one of the reasons I keep getting reelected. ”

“It is. Absolutely.” My tone, my rapt attention … Who the fuck am I right now? Surely, I could get an Oscar nod for this.

It goads her on. “My Back to Grace Foundation is especially important. It funds all sorts of events that bring families into the community. I started it nearly fifteen years ago when I saw a distinctive shift in values.” Her eyes widen with meaning.

“It’s concerning, seeing so many young people losing their way.

All these alternative lifestyles and ideas being forced down their throats, especially with social media feeding them nonsense.

Every corner of entertainment is pushing their sin-filled agenda these days.

Not even literature is safe anymore, aside from the Good Book. They can’t change that!”

Clearly, Gayle is a specific kind of Christian—the kind who thinks she has a right to tell people how to live and hides behind bible verses while she does it.

I bite my tongue against the urge to ask if me and Connor fucking a woman at the same time is considered an alternative lifestyle. “So, this foundation, how does it combat these issues?”

“It focuses efforts on providing as many wholesome, faith-based interactions as possible in the community. By doing so, I believe these lost people can find their way back to the Lord.”

“Praise be.” It’s taking everything in me to keep a straight face.

She nods with approval. “The hotel’s contributions have certainly helped.”

Bingo .

My phone is vibrating in my pocket, but I ignore the call because I need to learn what I can from this woman. How I’ll use it, I have no idea. “So Henry’s made a donation to your charity?”

“Oh, yes. Several sizeable ones.” She laughs. “I won’t lie, when I first heard about plans for this hotel and the area, I was against them. But Henry has helped me see the benefits over time.”

How many digits did it take for her to see the light, I wonder.

“What about you? I see you aren’t wearing a wedding ring,” she notes. “You should come to our Sunday service. There are plenty of young women who attend. I could introduce you to a few.”

Old Ronan would accept, like a fox discovering a hen house, and every single one of those young, godly women would end up screaming my name just to prove a point. “I’m not sure what my work schedule looks like.”

“The Lord shall wait for no paycheck.” She waggles her finger.

My experience at church is limited, but I doubt that’s a proverb.

Her eyes wander. “Oh! There’s Mayor Wilson.”

I follow her gaze to a short and stocky bald man by the fountain.

“I’ve been trying to get hold of him all day. Henry had me earmark a chunk of money for Theo’s son’s outdoor adventure club so they can go camping in Idaho this summer. What an experience for those kids.”

I struggle to keep my expression smooth. “Does Mayor Wilson know Henry’s the one helping out with that? ”

“Of course he does! The boys went to Yosemite last year. Theo said the scenery was spectacular.” Her smile is genuine.

“Henry has been so generous. Councilwoman Reeves’ daughter and a few classmates are going to Paris in the fall to study fashion!

And Councilman Maher’s wife has been trying to start a community theatre, so we’re giving her the funds to do it.

That’s a big one. We’ve been saving for years.

No way we could do that without Henry’s help. ”

“That’s amazing .” What’s amazing is that this woman doesn’t seem to see Henry’s game for what it is. But she can’t be this dense … can she? Either way, two drinks in and Gayle is a fucking canary.

“It truly is. Our community is going to thrive, all thanks to Henry. Of course, he doesn’t want credit for it.

He’s happy to allow the foundation to shine.

” A hiccup escapes Gayle, earning her laughter.

“I think this drink might have put me over the edge. Oh dear, it looks like Theo is leaving. I don’t want to miss him before he ducks out.

” She reaches out to squeeze my forearm.

“It was so nice talking to you, Ronan. We’ll see you on Sunday? ”

“I’ll try my best.”

Gayle rushes across the room.

“Really great talking to you,” I murmur after her. So, Henry is funneling money through Gayle’s charity organization to support causes and win votes, and he’s buying Gayle’s vote by helping her with her mission to save all the lost souls.