The Mayor's Secret Fortune by Judy Duarte

Author:Judy Duarte
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2019-12-02T19:45:07+00:00

* * *

As Ellie and Steven walked around the room, she clutched the stem of her wineglass, pretending that she was actually drinking when she’d only taken a single sip. The merlot was good, though. Very good.

It might be fun to go with Steven to Austin and tour the Mendoza Winery. But being the mayor kept her busy. Her calendar was pretty full. And once the baby came...well, she wouldn’t have much free time at all.

She took another scan of the displays that had been set up around the room and headed toward one that highlighted San Antonio’s famous River Walk. She wanted to check out the nearby restaurants. It would be nice to eat near the water.

As she crossed the room, she spotted two well-groomed women looking at her and whispering. She recognized the snooty brunette wearing black slacks and a red blazer, although she couldn’t remember her name. They’d probably run across each other a couple of times but had never been formally introduced.

“Like I told you before,” the middle-aged brunette said to the blonde standing beside her, “she might be young and pretty, but no one takes her seriously.”

Blondie let out a little snort, then lowered her voice, but she didn’t speak quietly enough. “The men do, but for all the wrong reasons. All they can talk about is how beautiful she is, how sexy they find her. And they seem to agree that it’d be worth a move to Rambling Rose, just to see her more often.”

Ellie’s hearing had always been good, which had come in handy more times than not. Steven wasn’t too far from the women. Had he picked up their conversation?

“She’s not that sexy anymore,” the brunette added. “Check out her waistline. She’s getting thick in the belly.”

“You’re right. She didn’t tuck in her blouse. Probably because she can’t button her pants these days.” Blondie covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. “Too much fast food. Or too many trips to the bakery.”

Ellie’s cheeks warmed, and her stomach clenched. Normally she had pretty thick skin, but pregnancy hormones must have gotten the better of her, pushing her to react. Instead of letting the rude comments pass, she approached the two catty women.

“Body shaming is frowned on these days,” she said. “It actually makes those doing the shaming look bad. And that’s not wise, especially if either of you has political aspirations. I suggest you take a class on how to be more PC. And while you’re at it, you should learn how to conduct yourselves at public events. A little tact and kindness goes a long way.”

“I’m sorry,” Blondie said. “We didn’t mean for you to hear that. We thought we’d kept our voices down.”

“You didn’t. But that’s not the point. You shouldn’t judge a person’s character on their outward appearance. You’re more apt to be wrong than right.”

Ellie was about to turn away when Steven placed his hand on her shoulder, bolstering her with his presence, providing his support.

“Ellie Hernandez is the most beautiful woman in this room,” Steven said, “inside and out.

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