3 Dime If I Know by Maggie Toussaint Page B

political situations.”
    “You miserable worm.” Red of face, Jonette edged around Dean and grabbed Darnell’s leg. “Get off the table, and get the hell out of here.”
    Darnell shook his leg but Jonette clung like a bulldog. “Don’t be taken in by her pretty face, folks,” the mayor said. “She’ll tell you lies about me. I have a college degree and years of experience at being mayor. I’m a proven leader. She’s nothing but an aging barmaid.”
    Dean grabbed hold of Darnell’s other leg. “Asshole. Out of my place, or I’m calling the cops.”
    Fake laughter burst out of the mayor’s mouth. “That’ll play well in tomorrow’s paper. ‘Cops called to mayoral fundraiser’ is a killer headline.”
    “Think you’ve got it figured out?” Dean snarled, tugging at the suit-clad leg. “The headline will read ‘Drunken mayor disrupts the peace at opponent’s fundraiser.’ ”
    “The newspapers will print what I damn well tell them. Let go of me. I’ll have your liquor license pulled and run the two of you bad seeds out of town.”
    Roger Dalton stepped forward, cell phone held high. “You may control the newspaper in this town, but you don’t control the Internet. I uploaded your rant to YouTube and tweeted about it. Two dozen people have already seen it. This thing’s going viral.”
    Darnell shrieked and lunged for Roger. Dean, Rafe, and a few other men in the crowd escorted the outraged mayor from the building.
    I hurried to Jonette and hugged her. Her chin quivered. My eyes watered with sympathy, but I fought the tide of emotion. One of us had to be strong, and it was my turn.
    “Some party,” she said. “Where’s the nearest rock? I want to crawl under it and not come out until after the election.”
    “Oh, no you don’t. That’s why Darnell came here. To bully you and to embarrass you. Instead, he embarrassed himself.”
    “All the things he said about me were true.”
    “Your past isn’t news to anyone here. We all have pasts. We’ve all made a mistake or three. Look at how long I was married to Charlie.”
    “Hmm. Well. Okay, then. We’ll soldier on.” Jonette searched my face. “You and Rafe patch things up?”
    I looked away, knowing I couldn’t lie to her. “Not exactly.”
    “Holy mother of God,” Jonette gasped. “Look what walked through my door. Meow. I’ve always had a thing for tall, buff, and gorgeous. A man with smoky eyes like that shouldn’t be allowed to prowl the planet. Let’s check him out.”
    My heels dug in. This was a bad idea. “I’ve got a boyfriend, and you do, too.”
    “Come on, it’ll be fun.”
    She took off like a shot. Worried that this might be train wreck number two of the evening, I trailed after her.
    Jonette pinned a Moore for Mayor button on the collar of the grinning man. “Jonette Moore. And you are?”
    “Hill Golden, ma’am. Sorry to intrude. I heard my brother was here tonight. But I no longer care, not with two such pretty ladies at my side.”
    My brain caught up with the conversation. “You’re Rafe’s brother?” The man was drop-dead handsome. The way he smiled at me made me think I was the love of his life. My heart fluttered.
    He shook my hand, caressed it a bit. “Call me Hill, sweet thing. I didn’t catch your name.”
    “I’m Rafe’s . . .” My voice trailed off, not sure how I should declare myself to his brother, remembering his sister thought I was a commoner. Sensing the awkward pause, I hurried to finish. “I’m seeing Rafe. Socially.” Heat flamed my cheeks. Everyone knew socially meant having sex.
    Hill whistled through his perfect teeth. “Rafe has excellent taste in women. You’re his first redhead, by the way. And now that I’ve met you, I’m thinking red is the way to go. Why don’t the two of us go someplace private and get better acquainted?”
    Repelled, I drew back. “Eew No.”
    “That attitude is turning me on, Red.”
    “Don’t call her that,” Rafe growled as he joined