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  “There’s no reason you should pay for everything, Shelly,” Ruby said. “You’ve already done a lot.”

  “But I haven’t finished my list yet.” Last winter, Shelly had put up a list of proposed town improvements at The Brimming Cup and asked her patrons to vote on which project to attack first. She’d since been working her way down the list.

  “I think we should have a permanent list of improvements that we keep adding to,” said Sam. “And all the merchants can donate a certain amount every month into a fund.”

  “We can put up suggestion boxes in different locations,” said Melinda. “And we can let the townspeople continue to vote on what they’d like next. That way, the town will grow and improve, but slowly, at a pace that’s comfortable for us.”

  “And no developers,” said Gwen with a shudder. “No big hotels or shopping malls or tacky tourist attractions.”

  “And how about we change the street names back?” suggested Doc Perkins. “I’m tired of my office being on Lottery Lane and my house on Big Draw Drive. It’s embarrassing.”

  “And I want to replace the duct-taped screen at Pop’s,” Gwen said.

  “Aw, Gwen, that’s my legacy,” Dev complained. “The kids love pointing it out to their friends and bragging that their dad did that with a bottle rocket, back when he was a juvenile delinquent.”

  “We need to modernize the medical clinic,” said Shelly. “So we can handle real emergencies here in Jester.”

  “And we’ve got to rebuild the pavilion,” said Melinda.

  “Put all these ideas in the suggestion box,” said Conner. “Shall we vote? All in favor of funding city projects as voted on by the townspeople, from a fund created by the Merchants Association, raise your hand.”

  The motion passed unanimously, of course.

  “Shelly, I’ll take over the streetlamp decorations,” Jennifer offered.

  “Great.” Dev rubbed his hands together. “Any more new business? If not, there’s a round on the house for everybody.”

  “Wait a minute,” said Finn. “There is one more thing. The town council is holding a special election for mayor, to replace Bobby. The only person who’s expressed any interest in running is Paula Pratt.”

  Another groan.

  “I’ll bet she was holding the ladder while Bobby unfastened the bolts on the pavilion,” Jack Hartman grumbled.

  “We’ve got to field a candidate. Anybody can beat Paula. They wouldn’t even have to campaign. But we need a warm body.”

  “Is there a residency requirement?” Eli asked.

  Gwen looked at first surprised, then pleased. He probably should have talked this over with her first, he realized. He’d come a long way in the sharing department, but he still sometimes had to be reminded.

  “If there’s a residency requirement, we’ll overlook it,” Dean said. “You thinking of tossing your hat into the ring, Eli?”

  “I’d be honored. If you all want me. I mean, I’m still something of an outsider.”

  The applause and whistles were deafening.

  “Of course we want you, Eli,” said Amanda. “Fresh eyes are just what the town leadership needs. Otherwise, those old fossils on the town council—present company excluded, Dean—will just settle for what we’ve always had.”

  In less than ten minutes, someone had produced a petition and every registered voter in the room had signed it. Without even trying, Eli had a committee to collect the rest of the necessary signatures to get him on the ballot, a volunteer to make campaign signs and buttons, a speech writer and an image consultant.

  “Not that you really need a new image,” Sylvia added hastily. “You’re pretty cute the way you are.” She winked at Gwen.

  The instant support of his fellow merchants surprised Eli, but he supposed it shouldn’t have. That was just how Jester was. The people here did trust and accept him. All he’d had to do was open up a little himself, and they fell all over themselves to be his friends.

  Gwen, his very best friend, leaned over and whispered, “Are you sure about this? If it’s what you want, I’ll support you a hundred percent.”

  “Yes, it’s what I want. And thank you.” He kissed her on the nose, then couldn’t resist another, slightly more prolonged kiss on her mouth. “I can’t think of a better way to give back to a town that’s given me my first real home.”

  Gwen smiled and hooked her arm in his. “This town’s lucky to have you. And so am I.”

  The warm feeling in his heart grew and expanded into every square inch of his being, until no part of him was left in darkness.

  Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Kara Lennox for her contribution to the MILLIONAIRE, MONTANA series.

  ISBN: 978-1-4603-6871-8

  FORTUNE’S TWINS

  Copyright © 2003 by Harlequin Books S.A.

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