A Second Chance at Crimson Ranch. Michelle Major

what happens with you?”

      “My mom still lives in Saint Louis, where I grew up. I’m going to stay with her and regroup.”

      “What about the community center?”

      She sat the beer bottle on the table and wrapped her arms around her waist. “It would have been good for Crimson. I had so many plans: art classes, events, reviving the theater, workshops for seniors. We were going to bring together people of all generations and walks of life in Crimson. The center would have highlighted local artists and brought guest teachers to the area. It had so much potential.”

      For the first time, Logan saw something more than disappointment in her gaze. When she talked about the community center, it was with passion and dedication.

      “It still does,” he answered.

      Her eyes searched his as if she expected to see something he knew she’d never find. She stood and took a step toward him as if drawn by the same invisible connection he was having trouble ignoring. “Why do you care about this?”

      “I don’t.” He took a drink of beer and looked away. “I’m making conversation to stop you from crying.” He forced his lips into a casual smile. “I’ve been away from Crimson for a while, but I’ve still got a reputation to protect. One dance with me and a woman bursts into tears. I don’t think so.”

      That made her smile and the strange charge between them disappeared. “I’ll be sure to tell everyone how that one dance was an amazing, life-altering moment for me.”

      He didn’t know whether to laugh or be offended at her sarcasm. Before he could decide, she lifted onto her toes and brushed a quick kiss across his cheek. “It was nice meeting you, Logan. Thank you for the dance,” she said softly. “I owe Sara for making you ask me.”

      “My sister-in-law didn’t make me do anything.” Suddenly it was important Olivia understand that fact.

      She only smiled over her shoulder and walked out of the restaurant.

      Logan sank into her chair after she’d gone. Her perfume still lingered in the air and he closed his eyes to focus on the expensive floral scent. He’d been back in Crimson for less than a week, enough time to reconnect with his brothers and attend Josh and Sara’s wedding. But already he felt his equilibrium shifting. His reaction to Olivia Wilder tonight was proof of that.

      He needed to get back to his regular life sooner rather than later, which wouldn’t involve an extended stay in his hometown. He’d left that chapter of his life behind long ago.

Chapter Two

      Olivia nervously tapped her toe on the floor as she waited in the lobby outside the mayor’s office two days later. She tried to relax, to think of flowery meadows and golden light, but the only image that popped into her mind was Logan Travers’s face as she’d kissed him. As silly as it was, she could still feel the rough stubble of his cheek and smell the woodsy, all-male scent of him. What had possessed her to kiss him as she’d walked away after the reception?

      As innocent as it had been, Olivia had never done anything so forward in her life. Put her mouth on a practical stranger, even a tiny peck. She almost giggled at the absurdly liberating feeling it gave her, which at least served to calm her nerves a bit.

      To him it had probably meant nothing, much like their one dance. He’d been fulfilling an obligation, end of story. Olivia certainly knew a lot about being an obligation.

      No more. That wasn’t how she’d live her life going forward.

      “Marshall will see you now.” The new assistant eyed her with a mix of curiosity and sympathy.

      “Thank you,” Olivia answered and, her nerves fluttering, walked into the office her husband had occupied only months ago.

      Marshall Daley looked at home behind the desk she’d come to think of as Craig’s. He’d been appointed mayor pro tem after Craig resigned and would complete her husband’s term until the next election. Marshall was a lifelong resident of Crimson, a retired insurance salesman and Olivia knew he’d do the right thing for the town as mayor.

      She closed the door and took a seat across from him. “How are things going?”

      He sat back and drew in a long breath. “They’d be a hell of a lot better if your husband hadn’t run off, leaving his responsibilities floating in the breeze.”

      “Ex-husband,” she clarified. “Almost. I’ve got another few weeks before the divorce is final.”

      “And you’ve heard nothing from him?”

      She shook her head.

      “I was so sure he’d come home and make this right.” Marshall picked up a pen from the desk and twirled it absently between his fingers.

      “My soon-to-be ex-husband is a selfish jerk who doesn’t care about right or wrong. My concern is what happens to the community center after this.”

      She felt herself twisting her wedding ring around her finger, still keeping up appearances despite the fact that her marriage had been a disaster. A part of her had, like Marshall, held out hope Craig would make things right and save her from looking like the fool she was. A look of pity crossed Marshall’s face, making her want to run shrieking from the building. She tried to see herself through the new mayor’s eyes. She’d worn a business suit to the meeting, the kind she normally reserved for town meetings. Now the tailored gray wool felt tight and itchy, as if it didn’t belong against her skin, the same way she no longer fit the mold of complacent political wife.

      “Unfortunately, the community center may become one more casualty of Craig’s abandonment.” Marshall shrugged. “Jeremy Dempsey wants nothing to do with the renovations. You must have noticed that work has stopped on the project.”

      She nodded. She’d driven by the job site on the way to this meeting, disappointed to see the darkened building.

      “Without a general contractor, the work is stalled indefinitely. We can’t find anyone willing to take over. Guys feel like they’re being disloyal to Jeremy if they even return my calls. It’s like he wants to punish the town for Craig and Melissa’s misdeeds.”

      Olivia had heard that Jeremy was making things difficult around town since learning his wife was Craig’s mistress. Olivia understood all too well the humiliation, hurt and anger Jeremy probably felt. “It’s not right that the people of Crimson should be punished. Craig and Melissa had hardly anything to do with the community center. I swear the only reason either of them cared about it was because it kept Jeremy and me occupied and off their trail.”

      “I understand that,” Marshall said with a slight cringe. “I also know how hard you worked on the project, and I agree that the town needs it. But there’s no one in Crimson willing to take over, Olivia. I’ll have a public relations nightmare on my hands if I hire someone from out of town. I’m putting out a dozen fires as it is thanks to all the things Craig left undone.”

      “You can’t give up on this,” she argued.

      “We need more money to finish the project. I know you did the initial fund-raising when you were the mayor’s wife, but things have changed.” He sighed and rubbed two thick fingers against his forehead. “There’s a real estate developer who’s interested in the building. He wants to turn the space into condos.”

      “No!” Olivia felt her heart pound against her rib cage. She’d worked hard to convince Craig to support the community center. She had so many plans for it and couldn’t stand to see them circling the drain this way.

      Marshall started at her outburst, then shrugged. “I’m sorry, Olivia. I don’t have a choice.”

      She wasn’t sure what she’d expected from this meeting. A part of her had hoped Marshall would say the community center could be saved.