“Congratulations,” Temperance said, setting her champagne glass on the coffee table before leaning back on the sofa.
Giggling Aubrey shook her head “you’re just as cute now as you were back in high school.”
“We are not,” Temperance protested even as her husband wrapped an arm around, pulling her to his side right.
Will’s deep chuckle rumbled in his chest “I have to agree with her, honey. We are pretty cute.”
“You’re outnumbered,” Kaia said from where she sat beside her wife.
“Fine,” Temperance sighed, throwing her hands in the air “you win.”
“Don’t sound so disappointed,” Will said, lifting one of her hands to his lips.
Rolling her eyes “maybe I was hoping for romantic or something…I don’t know … mature.”
Will leaned his head back, filling the room his deep laughter. “Honey, you’re married to me. Be thankful to get cute.”
Elbowing him in the side she smiled “I am but one can dream.”
Aubrey smiled over at one of her oldest friends “we should get together more often.”
Her wife nodded in agreement. “I’ll even make room in the mayor’s schedule.”
Will raised an eyebrow “that should be pretty easy considering you are the mayor.”
Kaia gave her wife a rueful glance “you’d think so but there’s always something that needs my attention.”
Patting her hand Aubrey sighed “I’ve gotten used to it but it’s our son who really misses his mother.”
Huffing a little Kaia said “Basil saw more of me than you. The little trouble maker.”
Temperance smiled politely knowing the reputation their son had. She caught her husband’s eye and smiled, thankful their children had not caused them so much trouble.
“He’ll settle down soon,” Will said, trying to sound positive “must boys do at his age.”
“If you ask me he’s overdue,” Kaia huffed, “he’s almost twenty-four.”
“Maybe he just needs the right motivation,” Aubrey said, turning to her friends. “You have kids. Are they single?”
“Oh no,” Will shook his head “we’re not setting our kids up.”
“Well it was just a thought,” Aubrey sighed but the glint in her eyes didn’t fool anyone.
“Don’t meddle,” Temperance said, although in her mind she had been transported back in time. She could still hear her teenage self mapping out the lives of her children and how one of them would fall helplessly in love with one of Unity’s children tying their two families together. Of course that hadn’t happened, Unity had died from a rare form of cancer when they were teenagers. She still missed her best friend even though she’d been gone for almost thirty years.
Leaning in close Will asked “are you alright?”
Blinking fast, she nodded “I’m fine. Just thinking.”
Will squeezed her tight. She didn’t need to explain. He understood she still ached for her childhood friend and moments such as these sometimes brought back the past and what might have been. “It’s getting late,” he said to his hosts “congratulations again and hopefully the next four years as mayor will be less hectic than the last.”
“Don’t worry,” Aubrey said “Kaia thrives on solving problems. It’s why she makes such a good mayor.”
“Maybe she should run for governor next,” Temperance said.
“Oh no,” Kaia shook her head. “Being mayor of a small country town is all the thrill I need.”
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