Introduction

Val Shakely is a list-maker. Daily routine. Check. Calm, quiet (but successful) business. Check. No drama. No excitement. Some might call it boring, but it’s precisely the way Val likes it. She loves her hometown of Cambria, nestled in the mountains of Colorado, and runs a fruitful PR firm. It's more than enough for Val. So what if she doesn’t have a social life? Then, her cousin Gwen decides to take on the local political bully, Mayor Roger Barton, in head-to-head combat for his poisition, and Val takes her company reluctantly, and against her better judgment, into the fray. The minute Val takes on Gwen’s campaign, the safe world she carefully constructed begins to unravel. She feels the pressure of the campaign and the personal attacks by Barton. And as if that wasn’t complicated enough, Val finds herself falling in love with local businessman John Hatfield, a man just as boring as her at first glance. Both charming and confrontational, Val is drawn to John in a way that cracks the simplicity of her life. In the end, Val’s desire to stay on the sidelines is put to the test and she’s forced to reexamine the life she’s built as she trudges toward a new and more exciting future.

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Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Val Shakely was at a proverbial standstill. The world turned; she went about her life in an orderly and systematic way. But at some point, she’d gotten stuck. And she was happy to stay stuck. It was uncomplicated. If you stayed stuck, life would wash around you, like water around a boulder in the middle of a river. You could hide yourself in plain sight.

As Val walked toward the restaurant, she savored her last few minutes of calm. She was meeting her cousin Gwen, and Gwen never stood still.

Despite being busy professional women, Val and Gwen were close, and a formal dinner date was a special occasion. When Gwen insisted they meet at The Vine, one of Cambria’s most upscale restaurants, Val figured something big was up. Sure enough, when they sat down from each other, Gwen bounced on her seat, practically bursting with excitement.

“I’m going to do it, Val,” she said, her smile so big the creases in her cheeks looked almost painful.

Of course, Val knew immediately what “it” was. Gwen had involved herself in local politics ever since she’d returned to Cambria after college. While Val built a public relations firm, Gwen had won a hotly contested seat on the city council. Now, she’d decided to throw her hat into the mayoral race.

Can’t you just get married or have a baby like other women our age, Val thought, immediately feeling like a huge hypocrite. After all, it’s not like she’d done either of those things, and she had a few years on her cousin.

“And,” Gwen continued, with a twinkle in her eye, “I know I can do this because I’ll work with the best, most effective public relations firm in town – yours!”

Aha, the real reason for the dinner date. Val sighed as her mind raced through the implications of taking on Gwen as a client. A big NO ached to come out of her mouth, but in deference to her cousin, she held it back. She’d known the request would come ever since Gwen first considered running, and Val had dreaded it.

Val had a bad history mixing politics and business. As a result, she’d assumed a firm stance against taking on those clients. But this was Gwen! How could she say no to the one person who’d stuck with her through thick and thin? Her stomach turned while considering her options.

“I don’t know, Gwen. I’m not big on the idea of putting the business in the middle of politics in this town.” Val shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Gwen flashed Val a knowing look but soldiered on, deter- mined to get her way. “What? You mean you won’t help me? Don’t you have confidence in me?” Gwen asked, playing on Val’s loyalty and faith in a way she understood would hit the mark.

Val groaned. There was a reason why Gwen succeeded in politics, and not only due to her girl-next-door good looks, as her opponents would have people believe. When Gwen wanted something, she never gave up.

“Of course I do, Gwen. You know me better than that, so stop being an obnoxious brat.” Val threw her cousin a mock glare and assumed a more serious expression. “Let’s talk about this realistically. This can turn into a disaster for several reasons, not the least of which is Mayor Barton. You and I both know he won’t let it slide, that I refused to take him on as a client in the last election, if I turn around and help my cousin in this one.”

Val’s refusal infuriated Roger Barton. Not used to being denied a request, he clearly couldn’t believe Val’s tiny firm would decline to take his business. Though Val abhorred confrontation, Barton’s arrogance had made it much easier for her to say no. He’d vented his frustration publicly, and the stress of even that much attention on Val firmed her resolve. She knew for certain involvement in Gwen’s campaign would develop into a nightmare.

“Barton hates you anyway, so who cares what he says now? Besides, I’m not asking you to volunteer. I want you to do marketing … to officially represent my campaign. I’m not looking for an endorsement, just your services.” Gwen smiled sweetly, batting her eyelashes at Val in the particular way she did when she went for the kill.

Val knew Gwen had won, and her heart pounded so hard it made her head throb. She hadn’t been able to say no to Gwen on past occasions, and it looked like this wouldn’t be the first time. Reluctantly, she resigned herself to the inevitable.

“Alright, Gwen. Fine.”

Gwen squealed, moved quickly around to Val, and gave her an overly enthusiastic hug which made Val gasp for breath.

“I knew you’d come around.” Gwen grinned sheepishly.

“If I’m going to do this, you have to promise me something,” Val continued, letting her uncertainty go for a moment to reveal a hint of the feistiness people rarely saw. “Promise me you’ll win, Gwen, because I’m not sure I can deal with Barton if you lose.”

Val managed an uneasy chuckle. She sipped her wine and settled in for what became a strategy session.

Gwen had come fully prepared for Val to say yes. She handed her a stack of papers outlining her campaign plans, budget, marketing ideas, and a painfully detailed overview of Barton’s time in office. It also contained all the details which Gwen assumed Barton would try to use against her.

By the end of dinner, Val was sick with anxiety. The next day, she sent contracts to Gwen’s office, and before lunchtime, her firm represented the Gwen Marsh for Mayor campaign.

***

Name officially added to the ballot, Gwen threw a campaign kick-off party. Val, who preferred jeans, reluctantly dusted off a little black dress for the occasion. She walked into the ballroom at the Hyatt Regency, and her cousin’s supporters nearly trampled her. The room swarmed with activity. She looked around for Gwen but couldn’t see her among the throngs of people.

Val had to admit awe at the turnout. Gwen had been an active and controversial city councilperson for the last four years, known for her unwavering commitment to governmental transparency. She helped rewrite municipal election guidelines limiting campaign contributions by corporate donors to create what she considered a more even playing field. This gained her more than a few enemies, such as Barton and other council members.

A server offered Val a glass of wine which she gladly accepted, and she inched toward the front of the ballroom, stopping to greet people she knew.

Val loved her cousin’s stance on campaign finances, and that she had won her coveted council seat based on blood, sweat, tears, and little money. Refusing to accept corporate donations, Gwen’s campaign budget was approximately one-hundredth of her opponents’, but she’d won anyway. Working with her on this mayoral campaign would give Val a chance to make a further impact in the community.

She made it about mid-way through the room when she glanced over and noticed a man in a black suit with a pink tie nearly identical in color to her purse. Brave, she thought.

Almost on cue, the man’s head tilted up and met Val’s. Realizing she’d been caught staring, she smiled nervously, pointed at her purse, and gestured at the tie. He looked familiar to Val, but she couldn’t place him.

He smiled back, eyes sparkling with amusement, and returned to a conversation the men surrounding him appeared to be enthralled with. As Val continued to wade across the room, the man pointed at her, and several of his companions turned to look. She could sense her face grow hotter. She tucked her head and pushed her way through the crowd and out of their line of sight.

Someone caught her arm. “Val, you look like a beet!” Gwen said, keeping a tight grip as they moved over to one corner of the room. “Do you feel alright?”

“I’m fine.” Val took a deep breath and attempted to push the embarrassing moment out of her mind. “Looks like you’re a hit.” “Even I’m surprised by the turnout.” Gwen giggled, gesturing toward the crowd and sounding lightheaded from the wine. “Did you notice that gaggle of suits over there?” She pointed in the direction of Val’s mystery man.

“Yep. The ringleader’s tie matches my purse.” Val glanced back but couldn’t find the right position to see the gentleman from where she stood.

“That’s John Hatfield,” Gwen said, matter-of-factly.

Val nearly spit out her wine and ended up sputtering and coughing, her face shifting from red to a pale purple as she struggled for air. Gwen, looking alarmed, hit her hard on the back.

“Don’t beat me up!” Val half laughed and half winced as the wine stung the inside of her throat. Once she’d regained most of her composure, she said, “John Hatfield? You’ve got to be joking.”

“Nope. My staff sent him an invite. I had no idea he’d actually

show up.”

John Hatfield was something of a business legend in town as head of Hatfield Paper Products. He rarely made public appearances. In fact, Val had invited him to a half-dozen charity events and had received a polite refusal from his secretary every time. Looking in the general direction of the suits, Val pondered the man.

“I’m somewhat shocked he actually exists.” Val hoped her cool tone covered her true emotions as her face started to burn again. She wondered how ridiculous she’d made herself in front of one of the most influential men in Cambria if not Colorado. She coughed a few more times. Beads of perspiration formed on her forehead, and she felt queasy.

“I think you should take it easy on the wine,” Gwen said, misinterpreting the shade on Val’s cheeks.

“I need to get some air.” Val put down her glass, excused herself, and walked toward the ballroom entrance in search of some water or possible escape – it was a toss-up.

She spied a table with water bottles, scooped one up, and pried the cap off. She took several hurried gulps and relished the delicious cold liquid as it hit her irritated throat.

Someone brushed against her back. Val turned, and nearly

ran face first into John Hatfield.

“Are you okay?” he asked, smiling. Val could hear amusement in his calm, smooth voice.

“Yes, except that you practically knocked me over,” Val mum- bled, though he had barely touched her. She hated being taken off guard, so she sounded more annoyed than she felt. John stood claustrophobically close. For the second time, Val wished she’d stayed home.

She studied him. His eyes seemed puffy, like he needed a good night’s sleep, but he was still attractive. Handsome. In fact, downright gorgeous in a brooding sort of way. And coming to the realization increased her frustration with the situation, though she couldn’t figure out why.

“I’m John,” he said, casually.

“Val … Shakely,” she stuttered, not her finest moment. “You own the PR firm representing Ms. Marsh, right?” “Yes. Are you going to follow her campaign?” The question sounded ridiculous. After all, she knew the rarity of his public appearances, so he must have made this exception for a reason. “Actually, yes,” he said rather seriously. “I’m particularly interested in how she intends to win without a nickel to her name” Val found herself getting defensive. “Money doesn’t make

a good candidate, Mr. Hatfield. Gwen works hard, and she’s

committed to this community.”

“So, you recognize me?” he smirked. He smirked! Who smirks? Movie villains?

“Of course I do. I’ve lived here all my life. Anyway, I thought we were talking about Gwen.”

Val shifted uncomfortably. She despised participating in political campaigns and here she was, in front of a local business mogul, feeling totally intimidated, embarrassed, and flustered. She couldn’t pinpoint what made her so hostile toward him, but she could feel the conversation shifting in a bad direction.

Before John had a chance to say anything further, Val’s sense of self-preservation finally kicked in. “Mr. Hatfield, it was a pleasure to meet you. I hope you’ll forgive me, but I’m not feeling well.” Without another word, she turned and walked out the door.

***

Back in the safety of her apartment, Val breathed a huge sigh of relief and chastised herself. Well, I doubt he’ll be donating to my causes now.

She kicked off her shoes, poured a glass of water, and plopped down on the sofa. She flipped on the television and groaned as an image of Gwen and John Hatfield popped up on the screen. A quick look at her watch told her the party would continue for some time. She turned up the volume to hear John say, “… speaking with Ms. Marsh’s PR representative tonight, and I’ve taken a particular interest in this campaign.”

Val crinkled her nose. She couldn’t think of a thing she’d said which would have made any significant impact on the man. She’d been rude and defensive, not her most shining demonstration of professionalism. Once again, Val chided herself for getting involved in her cousin’s campaign.

She reviewed her interaction with John. She paused on his screen image and stared into the dark, brooding eyes that held a glimmer of amusement, giving him an unmistakable air of smugness. She found him extremely attractive. Even thinking about him from the safety of her couch made her strangely uncomfortable.

Why did a man she’d barely met and would likely never see again make her feel so off-kilter? It was probably the not knowing. Val saw herself as a straightforward individual who wore her emotions on her sleeves. She kept her life as simple as possible, and uncertainty made her uneasy, so she tended to avoid things she couldn’t control or take charge of.

In all of Val’s dealings in Cambria, she and John never crossed paths, at least not in person. Relief filled her when she realized the chances of seeing him again were so slim. Head resting comfortably on the back of her couch, Val closed her eyes and dozed.

***

Val woke up feeling perky, ready for the day. On her way to the office, she grabbed coffee and a breakfast burrito from her favorite local dive and exchanged greetings with Harry, the restaurant’s owner. The usual, she thought, contentedly, the familiar weight of the bag in her hand as she made her daily trek to the Century Building, her home away from home.

As she approached her office, Val was pounced on by an excited Gwen, and the day’s strategy session commenced with a detailed description of the party.

“So amazing!” Gwen sank into the visitor chair next to Val’s desk. “I can’t believe how many people came!”

“I know,” Val said, distracted. She kept recalling her awk- ward behavior with John and didn’t want to revisit it with her cousin. She tried to steer the conversation to work, hoping in vain Gwen wouldn’t bring it up.

“And you ran off!” Gwen scolded. When Val tried to explain her sudden sickness, Gwen cut her short. “John Hatfield told me he talked to you. He’s single, you know,” she said, deliberately goading Val. Gwen constantly teased Val about her lack of romantic interests, not that Gwen had any of her own.

“What did he say?” Once again, color rose in Val’s cheeks. She hated how easily she blushed. Her lack of a poker face infuriated her.

“Your PR representative was very persuasive,” Gwen said in a terrible impression of John’s voice. “What in the world did you say to him?”

“I didn’t say anything,” Val said, “I talked to him for approximately two seconds before I left. I can’t imagine why he’d even give me a second thought.”

“He mentioned something about your purse.” Gwen furrowed her brow as she tried to remember his exact comment. Much to Val’s relief, she couldn’t, and that seemed to be the end of it. With only a slight verbal nudge from Val, they moved on to campaign details.

Gwen left a few hours later. Val took a moment to look out her window and take in the beautiful day. The leaves on a few scattered trees had begun to change color and crowds of people milled about on the street below.

Val adored her office. It was a tiny piece of heaven nestled between the offices of two larger firms – an insurance company and a marketing firm called Xtra that Val sometimes worked for. As she walked by their doors, she always noted the missing “E” in their name and pondered for the millionth time how many “X” related words floated around the business world.

Val’s office contained a hodgepodge of her professional life. Framed posters from charity events lined one wall. Across from her desk, a bookshelf overflowed with books from promoted authors, graphics design books, books about public relations, event planning, marketing, and a slew of other relevant business titles she almost never referred to anymore. At the back of the office, a window overlooked the street below. She had her desk positioned sideways out from the rear wall so she could lean her head up against the window and take in the bustle of life below.

Downtown Cambria was quaint yet full of modern cuisine and shopping, with musicians and street performers entertaining weekend crowds. Val spent more time gazing out the window and less time actually joining in the activity below, but she loved every second of it.

Her average day consisted of about nine to twelve hours at her desk, typing, doing research, and creating multi-media marketing materials. She enjoyed going out to meet with clients for strategic planning sessions, yet she cherished the comfort and safety of her office. Sitting amidst all the trappings of her professional life gave her a sense of purpose, made her feel like all her work compensated for the total lack of social life.

She founded Shakely PR & Marketing eight years before. After a tough start, she’d finally hit her stride. So what if she didn’t even have a pet, much less a boyfriend, to keep her company at night? She had developed into a successful businesswoman, respected in the community, and that was enough.

The far corner of her office held one plant constantly on the verge of death. Val would be the first to admit she was a terrible plant owner. She found herself so wrapped up in projects the watering somehow slipped her mind. Seeing the shriveled leaves reaffirmed her decision not to get a pet. Making a mental note to toss out this latest casualty, she saved work on her current document. Time for lunch.

The interior of the Century Building housed a variety of professional offices. At street level it also hosted some amazing local shops, full of great gifts and food. Val decided to grab a sandwich at the downstairs deli.

“Hi, Jim,” Val said with a smile as the insurance agent next

door walked into his office.

“Hey, Val. How’s your Humane Society project going?” Jim was a serious dog lover. Val didn’t know much about him except he always asked about her pet-friendly projects when they ran into each other.

“Really great, actually,” Val said. “The fundraiser garnered almost $40,000 for their new facility.”

“Amazing! I need to hire you to work for me,” Jim said, grinning. He’d made this comment to Val every time he’d seen her for the past two years but had never once talked to her about anything other than dogs. Val gave him a friendly wave and headed out the door.

Born and raised in Cambria, Val knew she’d return, even though she went away to college. The city nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. It had evolved into an interesting mix of college town, hippy chic, and old, established society. Families brought to Colorado by the Gold Rush had stayed put for generations, starting industries, creating artistic and cultural institutions, and ingraining themselves so deeply into the city they sometimes found it hard to let outsiders in.

Nonetheless, the atmosphere of the town was invigorating. Val loved the charitable spirit that existed on all levels of society. She worked and lived downtown, comfortable and content with her life. She enjoyed a casual stroll over the cobblestone walkways of the shopping district and took in its energy.

When Val returned upstairs, food in hand, she sat down at her computer and started her daily reading. She perused two or three local websites that covered local business and politics. Her favorite site, Jabber, contained anonymous yet insightful posts with a critical view. The mysterious blogger prompted a good amount of speculation, given the insider information that appeared daily. Val had been both excited and scared to see what might pop up about Gwen.

Sure enough, a picture of her cousin at the previous night’s party appeared with the headline “Can Gwen Marsh Win on Looks Alone?”.

Val bristled. Gwen was certainly a beautiful woman, yet also bright and fully committed to her work in the community. Why did so many people get hung up on her looks?

The post outlined Gwen’s lack of funds, her refusal to take corporate donations, and the blogger’s bleak conclusion about the likely result of the campaign. Val absolutely despised the insinuation that Gwen couldn’t win this election on merit alone. Jerk, Val thought. The picture even makes Gwen look like more of a socialite than a serious politician.

She closed her browser in a huff and turned to the after- noon’s tasks. By the end of the day, Val completed four press releases and a flyer, posted several times on social media for Gwen’s campaign, and found time to attend to the needs of her other clients. Gwen had hired Val nearly full-time, and though Val knew it devoured a huge portion of her cousin’s campaign budget, she couldn’t talk her out of it. So Val made sure she gave the campaign every bit of her effort and attention. Exhausted and prepared for a quiet night, Val locked up and headed downstairs.

She reached the front door, looked out, and saw none other than John headed straight for her. Good grief, I must be cursed, she sighed. When she opened the door, a chilly blast of air preceded the handsome gentleman.

“Ms. Shakely.” He said with a nod, grinning.

Does he always look this smug?

“Mr. Hatfield. It was good to meet you last night.” Val shifted about uncomfortably, not quite sure what to do. John stared silently, making her even more nervous. She couldn’t take the tension and took a step toward the door. “Well, I don’t want to keep you from wherever you’re headed. Have a good night,” she said and tried to walk past him.

“Wait, Ms. Shakely. May I speak with you for a moment?” Despite the chill, he lingered.

“Call me Val, please.” She studied him for a moment, watching him gather his thoughts. “What can I do for you?”

“I wonder if you’re familiar with the Hope Foundation?” He closely watched for her response.

Val raised an eyebrow. “Yes, I am. In fact, I sent you an invitation last fall for their annual fundraiser. You declined to attend, if memory serves.” Val tried to assume a stern expression and was pretty certain she failed.

“Um, yes.” John seemed to be gauging her reaction, study- ing her. “I’ve taken a new interest in their organization. Could you possibly tell me the best person to contact to discuss a charitable contribution?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s listed on their website.” I put it there myself, she thought. This can’t be what he wants to talk about. “Can I do anything else for you, Mr. Hatfield?”

“No. Thank you. You’ve been very helpful. And please, call me John. Good night, Val.” He smiled before heading into the building.

Completely perplexed, Val turned and headed home. Two interactions in two days, and each time she met this man it ended with her feeling flushed and frustrated. A consummate over-analyzer, Val took much longer walking home than usual as she pondered John and the conflicting rush of emotions that flooded her senses each time they met. view abbreviated excerpt only...

Discussion Questions

* Cambria is a fictional city in Colorado. In the book it seems like a
small town where everyone knows everyone else, and where Val walks towork each morning, but it must be large because there are 127,000
registered voters (Chapter 11). What are some other signs that it is a
large city?

* Is this book aimed at women, or do you think men would like it also?
What are some things men would like about it?

* Is Val stronger, professionally or personally, at the end of the
book? How can you tell? If she is stronger, what are one or two of her
experiences that you think contributed most to this?

* Val seems almost pathologically shy at some points. Why do you think
she chose to be an entrepreneur in the Public Relations field?

* Val describes herself at one point (Chapter 2) as the "country
mouse" uneasy in John's "high society". Is this accurate, or is she
more adroit than she lets on? Give examples.

* John, although not shy, is repeated described as "reclusive".
However, he frequently appears at social events, is well-known and
recognized about town, and seems to have good social skills. How
reclusive is he, really?

* John is a rich kid from a leading family while Val, although not of
humble origins, comes from a solidly middle-class mercantile family.
Do any of their many conflicts come from their difference in
backgrounds? Give examples.

* What is the importance of Jabber in the story line? In ancient Greek
tragedy the chorus always knew the truth and spoke it. Does Jabber
play that role here, or is it just stirring the pot to keep the story
moving?

* How does the Jabber blogger find out so much and get such good
photographs without anyone finding out who he/they are?

* The back-cover blurb describes Mayor Barton as a bully. Is this
accurate, or is he just strong-willed? Can you think of any bullies
who held public office?

* Val is described (Chapter 1) as being a few years older than her
cousin Gwen, but Gwen seems to be the dominant one in all their
interactions. Why is Val so agreeable? Does Gwen bully Val?

* There are two major crisis points in the book: one in Chapters 9-10
where Val was kicked off the board of the Community Foundation through Mayor Barton's machinations and takes several "mental health days", and one in Chapter 14 where she is menaced in person by Mayor Barton. Her reactions are very different in the two crises. Why?

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