Winning Over Skylar. Julianna Morris

before, and despite her youth and inexperience, now practically ran the place behind the scenes. Chet was only in his office a few hours a day; the rest of the time he managed his restaurant. Micki Jo, on the other hand, worked full-time and eagerly jumped into every aspect of Cooperton’s government. She was taking night classes toward a bachelor’s degree in political science.

      “How are your studies going?” Skylar asked.

      The other woman flashed a smile. “I got A-pluses on my last two tests, and I’m writing a paper about Thursday night’s council meeting for my poli-sci course. The guys sure did a fast duck and cover with Aaron Hollister’s expansion proposal.”

      “Tell me about it. Mr. Hollister wants a swift approval, but it isn’t going to be that easy. You may hear some yelling before we’re done.”

      “My money’s on you, but if you come to blows, try not to get blood on the floor,” Micki Jo advised. “Our preservation chairperson will have hysterics if that hardwood gets damaged. You know how excitable she is.”

      Skylar laughed and headed for the city council’s offices with the box of reports tucked under one arm. Three rooms in city hall were allotted to the council—including one for small meetings. She’d never expected to need the offices, so having a key hadn’t occurred to her. Come to think of it though, Jimmie may have had a set. If so, it would still be with his key ring in the dresser drawer, in the envelope....

      Her lingering humor faded as she recalled being handed a large yellow envelope by the coroner’s office after Jimmie’s accident. “His valuables,” they’d said gruffly. She’d barely looked in it, tucking the thing under a pile of his T-shirts. Grace had helped her pack up most of Jimmie’s clothes and personal items, but Skylar had left that drawer alone. Somehow it seemed symbolic, a small goodbye yet to be said.

      The council office was stuffy, and Skylar pushed thoughts of her husband’s accident from her mind as she opened a window. She’d gone over the Nibble Nook’s schedule, trying to find the best time to meet with Aaron, finally deciding morning would be best. Several of her employees were eager for extra hours, and she could get them to cover for her when she was gone.

      Precisely at 9:00 a.m., Aaron came through the open door carrying a soft-sided briefcase. “Good morning,” he said with a formal smile. “You agreed to look at the PowerPoint program on expansion plans, so I brought my computer.”

      “That’s probably the best way to start.” Skylar wanted to ask how Melanie was feeling, since Karin had mentioned her friend had been out of school sick both Monday and Tuesday, but it was best to keep the meeting on a purely professional level.

      Aaron set up his laptop, and she realized they’d have to sit side by side while he changed the slides and talked.

      Damn.

      He moved his chair next to hers, and his elbow came perilously close to her breast as he started the program. Grimly she focused on the information. It was concise and to the point...and a big problem as far as she was concerned. Keeping her expression neutral became a challenge, and when the final slide had been clicked off, she had trouble unclenching her jaw.

      “You want to expand east of the factory,” she said finally.

      “It’s the best location.”

      “That property has been leased to organic farmers for years.”

      “But is still owned by Cooper Industries. The lease is coming up for renewal, so it’s an opportune time to move forward with updating and expanding the factory complex. The land just needs to be rezoned.”

      Skylar thought of the farmers who’d worked so hard to grow pesticide-free produce, going through the trouble and expense of being certified organic. She wanted to scream. Granted, the land didn’t belong to those farmers, but she knew old Mr. Cooper had promised they’d be able to stay. What’s more, the Cooperton Organic Farmer’s Market lured shoppers from as far away as Sacramento and San Francisco—shoppers who spent much-needed dollars in their town instead of somewhere else.

      “What about the area south of the existing complex?” she asked, deciding not to bring up the organic issue unless it became necessary. “It’s more marginal farmland owned by Cooper Industries and isn’t currently in use. Rezoning would be much more palatable there for everyone.”

      Aaron looked taken aback, and she could swear he hadn’t considered an alternate site. “I believe services are better in the other location.”

      She would have to look at the city and county maps to determine if that was actually true, or just an excuse. On the other hand, she knew the roads around Cooperton and enough about other town projects to ask a few questions.

      “Maybe, but are you aware the proposed site for a new waste-sewage treatment plant is south of the factory complex, as well? By expanding that direction, you would likely reduce your sewage costs and possibly limit any retrofitting to meet new regulations.”

      Aaron’s forehead creased in thought. “Does Cooperton have the money to build a new treatment plant? This town is so old and tired, I’m surprised they’re even talking about it.”

      “Cooperton is old—that doesn’t mean it’s tired.”

      “Really? How about the high school? Or city hall for that matter? This place is ancient. Most towns have abandoned these aged buildings for something modern.”

      Skylar’s blood started a slow simmer. “Modern isn’t always better. Have you taken a good look at this place? City hall was restored three years ago with a private grant and placed on the national registry for historic buildings. And believe it or not, Cooperton High students test quite competitively with other students in California.”

      Aaron gave her a narrow look. “This is a switch. You didn’t have a good opinion of Cooperton when we were kids, either—you thought the people who lived here were nothing but tongue-wagging, judgmental hypocrites.”

      “I’ve grown up since then and discovered most people are basically nice if you give them a chance. And it isn’t as if my parents were pillars of the community—I don’t blame anyone for being glad when they left.”

      Skylar stuck out her chin with a hint of her old defiance. She wasn’t even sure where her mother and father were living; they’d left Cooperton shortly before she’d married Jimmie and she’d never tried to find them. As far as she was concerned, the Gibsons were the only grandparents her daughter needed. But then, it was Jimmie and his parents who’d changed Skylar’s mind about Cooperton, helping her see it was more than a place which had made a teenage girl angry and rebellious.

      “Regardless, my opinions are not your concern,” she added, realizing the conversation had gone far out-of-bounds.

      “Anything that influences your decision is my concern. After our clashes over Melanie...well, the situation is awkward enough.”

      Skylar’s nerves tightened. “I’m not biased, I just want to make the right choice for Cooperton. Now, do you have a written proposal to leave with me? I’ll study it so I can have a better idea of what questions to ask at our next meeting.”

      “Yes, I have it with me.” Aaron opened his briefcase and took out a thick book with a spiral binding. “This is the basic plan.”

      She took the book and wondered if he’d hoped to impress people with the volume of paper in his “basic” plan. How would she know, anyhow? She ran a hamburger stand—a highly successful stand—but a far cry from a business like Cooper Industries.

      “I’m sure that at some point our building inspector will need to see full-size copies of the blueprints,” she murmured. “And any approval I give would still be contingent on subsequent building permits and inspections and the like.”

      “Of course. I’ll bring copies to the Nibble Nook.”

      A surge of adrenaline hit Skylar. She didn’t want Aaron conducting business at the Nibble Nook. Besides, her customers