“Extra flattery,” Mason says with a wink. I swear the snakes on his head are blushing. “You already know, I used to be about to make my afternoon rounds. Would you want to hitch?”

Pleasure grips me on the proposal. Perhaps it’s the chance to snoop into a superb story, I’m undecided, however I’m elated to remain at his facet a bit bit longer. We head out collectively, strolling down the sidewalk and pausing each few steps for Mason to verify in with everybody we go by.

“Good morning, Mr. Mayor!” Mrs. Murphy calls. She skitters over, a tiny woven basket clutched in her arms. “I’ve simply picked probably the most plump and scrumptious berries this morning. Would you care to attempt one?”

Mason’s snakes pop up at full consideration. “Alright, alright, level made,” he chuckles. He picks a handful of berries and gently arms one to every snake. It’s a unusually lovely sight.

“Oh, Mrs. Murphy? I used to be questioning for those who had any extra details about your stolen flamingo.”

“Stolen?” Mason asks. “Are we treating this as against the law now?”

“Oh, goodness, no,” Mrs. Murphy replies rapidly. “It seems my expensive husband had a bit an excessive amount of toadstool cider final night time and ended up enchanting the flamingo by chance. You would possibly discover the little man on the pond in search of shrimp.”

My temper deflates on the information. There goes my hard-hitting felony investigation. Once more.

“I’ll ensure that Beast and Animal Management are made conscious. We’ll discover a correct dwelling for him, with loads of shrimp to eat.”

Mrs. Murphy provides Mason a grateful pat on the leg and continues on her stroll.

“You appear dissatisfied,” Mason observes.

“Huh? Oh. Effectively, it’s simply, I used to be overlaying that story. And form of hoping for some enormous underground garden ornament mafia I may bust. However I suppose this can be a good ending, too.”

Mason chuckles. “You by no means give up in search of the subsequent huge story, do you?”

I shrug my shoulders and smirk. “What can I say? I like my job. It’s robust, and typically I find yourself following a foul lead. And even one which doesn’t exist within the first place.”

Mason seems down at me knowingly.

“However after I do discover a huge story and handle to interrupt it, it feels unbelievable. Like I’m really doing one thing to make the world a greater place.”

We stroll a bit bit longer till we cease on the city corridor. Mason is unusually quiet till we attain the doorways.

“I do know precisely how you are feeling,” he lastly says. “Being mayor could be tedious, typically thankless work. However after I see my neighbors smiling, having fun with their lives carefree and protected? It makes every little thing fully worthwhile.” He opens the door and gestures for me to observe. “I’d like to proceed this dialog, when you have the time.”

“A lot,” I reply. We return to his workplace, Deborah trying none too happy to see me, and end our coffees in his workplace. The dialog picks again up and retains going fairly naturally till the subject of my firing in Chicago comes up.

“It’s like, I did every little thing proper. You already know?” I ask.

Mason is sitting again in his chair, arms clasped, giving me his full consideration.

“Perhaps courting my editor was a foul resolution, however he was so charming. And I assumed we actually had one thing between us. The way in which he simply threw me away like that, my complete life, prefer it was a crumpled piece of trash to him. It nonetheless stings.”

I don’t know why I’m dumping all of this on Mason, or why I feel he’d care. However he appears to, regardless.

“I suppose I used to be simply frightened that if I didn’t make a giant title for myself instantly, I’d get tossed apart once more.” I let loose a darkish snort and relaxation my face in my hand. “And look how that turned out. I don’t know, possibly I’m simply not lower out for this in any case.”

Mason stands and walks to me, gently taking my arms in his and searching down at me with a lot concern.

“For what it’s value, I feel you’re a tremendous reporter.”

My heartbeat picks up, ringing loud in my ears. His arms are so clean, his eyes so variety.

“The world wants reporters such as you. Don’t surrender.”

I swallow exhausting. There’s a sense of strain constructing in my throat. I rise up and grip his arms tight.

“And I feel you’re a fairly nice mayor,” I reply. Only a trace of a blush spreads on his cheeks, and I’m fully taken in. He’s good-looking, I can’t faux I don’t suppose so. Perhaps that is unprofessional. Perhaps I’m making one more mistake. However I feel I need to be with this man.

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