Chapter 15

Everything was perfect for Glenna for the next two days. Wednesday she’d dropped her application to be on the mayoral ballot, and then she’d spent the rest of the time working, planning her campaign and enjoying the pleasures of being married. She knew they were still in the honeymoon phase of their relationship, but it was like she and Harry couldn’t get enough of each other.

They fell into bed together every night and, when they finally couldn’t move anymore from wearing each other out, they fell asleep in each other’s arms. They woke up and were almost late every day because they had to spend just one more moment in each other’s arms. So, Friday was a shock when she came around the corner to the block her spa was on and saw the huge billboard across the street from her entrance. The billboard with her husband’s smiling face on it and the words, “VOTE HARRY GLADSTONE FOR MAYOR 2017. KEEP THE LEGACY ALIVE. Then in smaller letters at the bottom were the words that felt like a knife in her back, tearing out her heart. “Paid for by the Candidate.”

He’d lied to her! He’d promised her he didn’t want to be mayor. He’d convinced her he was sincere, and then to keep her from seeing the truth, he’d taken the thing she felt was most precious from her; the purity she would give her husband. Were his vows a lie too? Something he and Hal had cooked up to embarrass her and keep her occupied ‘til he would launch this campaign?

She pulled into her parking space and quickly let herself in the spa and went straight to her office and wept. She knew it was too good to be true. Her phone dinged letting her know she had a text message. She looked down and almost threw the phone across the room. It was from Harry. “I miss you already.”

Did he think she was stupid? Her tears dried up and she got angry as she typed her response. “YOU CAN STOP PRETENDING NOW. I GOT THE MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR WHEN I GOT TO WORK!”

His response was a question mark.

“JUST LEAVE ME ALONE. I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOU, TALK TO YOU, OR HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. I’LL HAVE SOMEONE DROP YOUR STUFF OFF AT THE INN. YOU’LL HEAR FROM MY ATTORNEY AS SOON AS I CAN FIND ONE NOT INVOLVED WITH YOUR FAMILY!!!”

Seconds later her phone rang. It was Harry. She silenced it, but the constant buzzing was driving her crazy so she picked it up and blocked his number. A few minutes later the office phone started to ring. Caller ID indicated it was Harry’s cell phone. The ringing stopped and a few seconds later Ruby entered her office. “That was Harry. I told him you were in a training meeting, but I don’t think he believed me.”

Glenna swiped at the tears running down her face. “I don’t care. If he calls back tell him I said he can go to hell, and if he calls me again, I’m calling Trent and reporting him for harassment.”

Ruby came around the desk and pulled her up into a hug. “Glenna, honey, maybe you should talk to him. There might be a logical explanation.”

Glenna glared at her. “There is a logical explanation, he’s a liar and took advantage of my love for him.”

“Okay, I can see you aren’t in the mood to talk about this. I’ll clear your schedule for today, we don’t need you bruising a client. When Hector gets here I’ll send him to get you double chocolate ice cream and all the fudge he can find. You let me know if you want to talk.”

Just then the phone rang again, this time the number was the Inn. Glenna’s eyes got hard and her jaw clenched. Ruby reached for the phone but Glenna beat her to it. “STOP CALLING HERE MISTER GLADSTONE! I ONLY HAVE ONE THING TO SAY TO YOU, YOU AND YOUR FATHER CAN GO STRAIGHT TO HELL. IF YOU CALL ME AGAIN I’M CALLING TRENT AND REPORTING YOU FOR HARASSMENT.” Then she slammed the phone back on its cradle, fell into her chair, and sobbed as her heart shattered into a million pieces.

*****

Harry stared at the receiver in his hand. He didn’t understand, what had he done? They were perfectly good when he’d left the house this morning, now Glenna was talking about lawyers and telling him to go to hell. He couldn’t understand. She threatened to report him for harassment if he called her again, but he needed to get some answers. He’d go over to the Spa and make her talk to him. He grabbed his keys to do just that when his brother walked through the front door of the Inn. “Harry, I thought you weren’t going to run for Mayor.”

Harry held up his hand in a show of dismissal. “I’m not. I have too much to do and I’m in a hurry Heath, so I’ll talk to you later.”

Heath stepped in front of him blocking his way. “I think you should look at this first.” He held the local paper opened to a full-page ad with Harry’s picture on it. The copy said, “Harry Gladstone for Mayor 2017. The best choice for the future.”

Harry growled, “I’m gonna kill him.”

“Calm down and let’s think about this.”

Harry pushed his little brother’s hand off his arm. “Not this time, Heath. He went too far. I told him what would happen if he came between me and Glenna. She won’t even talk to me and I didn’t understand why. Now it makes perfect sense. She thinks I did this. I’m going to see her, then Hal, and I will have it out once and for all.” Harry strode to the door but stopped and turned back to Heath. “You should be upset with him, too. Thanks to him, you’re going to have to move back home, because Glenna has kicked me out.”

Then he jumped in his suburban and drove to the Lazy Day Spa. As he got to the shop he could see what had upset Glenna. There was another picture of him asking for the citizens to vote, this time reminding them his was the rightful legacy. If he’d had any doubt about who was behind these campaign ads, that billboard alone removed it. Hal must have gotten wind of Glenna’s bid for Mayor. He pulled into the parking lot and got out.