The first time I met Maggie Sullivan, she was my brother’s guest at Sunday dinner. That should have been enough to keep me away. It wasn’t.
The night I lost control and gave into my passion was also the night of my brother’s arrest for selling drugs—a business I was sure Maggie must have had a hand in.
Overwhelmed with guilt, I seized a chance to try out for Center Stage, a televised singing competition. Winning changed my life.
Now, years later, I’ve returned to Little Falls to reconnect with my family, and Maggie Sullivan has somehow managed to become mayor.
With only twenty-four hours until she’s reelected uncontested, I decide to throw a wrench into her perfect life.
When the race heats up, and old, unwanted feelings surface, I start to realize that Maggie might not fit the box I’ve shoved her into all these years.
Soon, I’m wondering if I want to steal the election, or if the real victory lies in winning Maggie’s heart.
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Copyright 2024, W. Million
I checked my watch. The first performer should have started five minutes ago. Running behind for some reason? Or fashionably late? Maybe the potential performers were intimidated by the large audience? I’d been here before with Lila for an open mic night, and the bar hadn’t been this packed.
The yellow curtain on the stage stirred. Kareena, the owner, burst through the gap to the small bit of stage in front. She looked flushed and too excited for a simple open mic night. “Ladies and Gentlemen.” She waited for everyone to quiet down.
I sat straighter in my chair. The place hummed with an unusual energy.
“Tonight, as some of you know—news like this spreads like wildfire—we have the privilege of a very special guest.” Kareena glanced behind her, her brown cheeks rosy. “Oh gosh, I am so excited.” She giggled and covered her mouth.
I frowned and eyed everyone in our party who looked equally confused. Other people in the crowd whooped and hollered as though they, too, knew the secret. What could be so special about some singer at open mic in a town barely bigger than Little Falls?
“I was going to do this big, long spiel about our guest, but he asked me to keep it simple since his appearance is last-minute. So, maybe I’ll let it be a surprise to those of you who don’t know yet.” Her grin was broad enough to split her face. “Enjoy the night, everyone!” With a flourish, she threw back the curtains and disappeared.
“That was weird,” Fernando muttered. “The only person I know who has ever inspired that kind of weirdness is—”
The curtain peeled back, and the chords of a familiar song started. My breath caught in my throat.
Grady Castillo.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Fernando called over the familiar beat of the song. “I wonder what he’s doing back here.”
When not writing, Wendy enjoys spending time in or around the water. She lives in Ontario, Canada with two beautiful daughters, two cute pooches, and one handsome husband (who is grateful she doesn’t need two of those).
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