Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21161 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21161 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
“Of course.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m just selfish of your time.”
“Well, I guess if you weren’t so knocked up, you could do the auction with me.” I place my hand on her rounded belly and kiss her again. “I’m still hoping for a Thanksgiving baby.”
“With the way she’s taking her time, it will most likely be on New Year’s.”
“As long as the two of you are okay, I’m happy to meet her when she decides to show up.”
“Stop making me love you,” Joy teases. “I’m supposed to be the jealous wife.”
“I kind of like seeing you all fired up. Wanna go home after this and see how mad I can make you?”
“Watch it, Mayor.”
“I love when you call me that.”
Someone clears their throat, and I glance over to see the director of the nursing home, Mr. Flynn. “I think we’re all set,” he says and then says hello to Joy.
“Gotta go.” I give her one last quick kiss. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” she says, and I finally see the smile I was waiting for.
Once I get on the stage with the rest of the contestants, I see Tinsel has joined in on the auction. When Mr. Flynn calls her name, she walks out on the little makeshift stage and holds up her badge.
“I’m available to make arrests, or I can help you get away with a crime.”
“Tinsel,” I hiss, but Jack just shakes his head.
“I’m also willing to bring my husband along because he’s good with his hands as long as they're on me.” The crowd breaks out into laughter, and she shrugs. “It’s true.”
“Two pennies,” someone in the crowd calls out, and then it’s followed by several other offers in a row.
“Going once, going twice…” Mr. Flynn says, and when no one else makes a bid, he hits the gavel. “Sheriff Tinsel and her husband Jack are sold to Mr. and Mrs. Lemneski. Oh, and be careful, you two. The Lemneskis are known for being card sharks.”
Once Tinsel and Jack have exited the stage, it’s my turn to go up. The crowd claps, and a few people cheer as I wave to the residents I already know pretty well.
“Now we’ve got the pride of Troping, Mayor North!” Mr. Flynn says.
“Hey, everybody, like Mr. Flynn said, I’m Mayor North. I’d love the chance to listen to your ideas on how to make Troping a better place, and to also learn something new. I’ve been told I’m not a bad ballroom dancer but that I’m terrible at playing the piano. If you win me, I promise to bring along my beautiful wife so that when you get bored of me, she can step in and be her wonderful, charming self.”
The crowd makes a collective “aww,” and I see heads turn in Joy’s direction. She blushes, but I know how much the people here love her too.
“Do I hear five pennies?” Mr. Flynn says, and the bidding takes off quickly.
At one point, I’m pretty sure I hear Tinsel lower the bid, but too many people are laughing over it for me to be sure it was her.
When I look out in the crowd, I see Joy sitting beside an older woman I don’t recognize. The two of them are talking, and then I see the woman raise her hand to bid. Right after, Mr. Flynn calls the auction to come to an end, and the woman beside Joy has won.
I shake a few hands on the way through the crowd and make my way over to my wife. “North, this is Mrs. Ester, and she’s just moved back to Troping.”
“Welcome home, Mrs. Ester. It’s always nice to meet a new face,” I say and take a seat beside her. “And I’m excited to know what you think of Troping since you were last with us.”
“Oh, just call me Ester. I told your wife I lived here until I met my husband Oscar. We stayed for a few years, and then he joined the Navy. We traveled the world, and now we’re back to be closer to family.”
Just then, an older man comes over and holds out his hand and introduces himself as Ester’s husband Oscar.
“You know normally I’d be quite the jealous man if I walked in and saw my wife bidding on a younger man,” he says, teasing Ester. “But when I found out it was the mayor, I knew she made the right choice. You see, I was the mayor for a short time before we got married.”
“No way,” Joy says and taps my arm, and I turn to her and smile. “Can you believe that, North?”
“Now that’s a funny coincidence,” I admit.
“I was his secretary,” Ester admits, and Joy gasps. “When I heard about the young couple in City Hall that got married, I told my Oscar that the office was lucky for us so maybe it would be lucky for the two of you.”