Clyde shook his head. “Something a little more exciting than a stranded cat would definitely make my job a little more enjoyable. What can I help you with?”
“I saw the ad that said you were looking for a copy editor. I thought I’d apply.” Liam stuck one hand in his pant pocket, keeping eye contact with the man in front of him.
Clyde’s eyes squinted a bit, his pointer finger tapping along his lips. An awkward pause settled between them, and Liam glanced around, wondering if he’d missed something.
“Sorry, just got lost in thought. I have an application you can fill out, and we’ll see if you’re qualified.”
Raising his eyebrow, Liam asked, “You have that many people wanting the job, huh?”
The larger man had stood and turned toward another office, but he stopped and faced Liam. With a wide smile, he said, “What qualifications do you have, then, son?”
Liam listed off his time as the business manager and copy editor for his high school paper, then as the chief editor for his college paper. The minor in English he threw in as a bonus, and the man’s eyes grew wider with each announcement. As an investment banker, he hadn’t used those skills as much, which meant he would need to find an online class or two to enroll in.
“Well, Liam, you’re hired. The gal we had before is out on maternity leave, and she said she probably won’t be coming back if we can find someone to take over. You can get started today. Let me run and get the job description packet for you from my office. Will you watch the phones for a minute?” The man turned before Liam had time to give him an answer.
Taking a seat, Liam interlaced his fingers and rested them on the back of his head. The thrill of something else to keep him occupied during the slow times at the bookstore made it all the sweeter.
The door opened, and as Danielle walked in, he dropped his arms, slamming his funny bone on the desk. He grimaced, the odd sensation flowing through his arm to his fingertips.
“Are you all right?” Danielle walked up to him, resting her purse on the top of the raised desk.
“Yep,” he said through clenched teeth. The pain was easing up, and he tried to smile.
She flashed him a half-smile. “You work at the paper too?”
Liam laughed and grinned. “I was hired on about fifteen seconds ago. I’m just supposed to cover the phone while Clyde is in back looking for something. What are you here for?” He turned his head to give her a look out of the corner of his eye.
She lifted her head, scanning the office windows behind Liam. “I just had something to ask Clyde. He’s here, right?”
He could hear her foot tapping and wasn’t sure what to say, when Clyde came out front, a stack of papers in his hands.
Clyde looked up a moment and smiled when he saw Danielle. “Our own famous reporter, coming back to her old haunt. What can I do for you, Dani?”
Liam noticed how her chin raised and a wide smile crossed her face, lighting up her eyes. She seemed to be pretending Liam wasn’t there, and he laughed inwardly. The girl had spunk.
“I’ll be in town for several weeks, maybe longer, and I was wondering if I can help out in any way. Write an editorial here and there. Maybe cover some of the events. I’ll go crazy just hanging out at my mother’s house.”
Turning to look at Clyde’s face, Liam knew the answer, and he wished he’d brought popcorn because sparks were going to fly.
“Sam took over the headlines when you left. I’m sorry, Dani.” He looked down at the papers in his hand and then up at her again. He moved his gaze from Liam to Danielle several times. “I’ve just had a thought about something, though. What would you think about an op-ed piece?”
Danielle and Liam both pointed to themselves and said, “Me?” at the same time. Liam chuckled when he saw daggers flying in his direction from Danielle.
“You own a bookstore, and suddenly you’re a writer?” Her voice was clipped, and her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. She must not be used to sharing a story.
Liam thought of the difference of the Danielle he’d bumped into on the street when taking Cari to the park. Was this version of her threatened by him?
Standing, Liam towered over her even from behind the desk. “I happen to be a good writer. I was on the newspaper in college and have written a few articles for other publications since.”
Danielle scoffed. “Just because you survived a college paper doesn’t mean you’re up for journalism.”
He couldn’t help chuckling at her irritation. “It’s a small town. As long as it makes Velda happy, I think I’ll be okay. I don’t think I’ll survive long if she withholds her Oreo shakes from me.”
Danielle’s shoulders relaxed, and a small smile formed. “You’re right about that. Keep Velda happy, and life can be a lot easier around here.” Her tone signaled there was at least one story that fit into that category for her.
Clyde raised his hands in between the two of them. “Okay, children. Do I need to send you to time out?” The half-smile he gave them and the look of disdain from Danielle was enough for one night. Liam needed to keep his mouth shut or he really was going to be on her don’t-speak-to list.
“What I’m proposing will be interesting, seeing the sparks fly between you two. But I think the town would love something witty and raw, which is where you come in. I’m thinking a ‘His & Hers’ column.”
Liam wrinkled his nose. “A what?”
Danielle only shook her head, not acknowledging Liam’s question. “No, let me do it. I’ve got plenty of ideas for editorials. Subscriptions will go through the roof.”
Liam noticed the negotiating tone to her voice and laughed, drawing her ire.
Clyde shook his head. “No. I want it to be both of you. You’ll get together and come up with a topic, writing the guy’s and girl’s point of view on it. We’ll need to make sure it’s nothing too crazy. We are a family-friendly newspaper, you know.”
Sticking his hand out to Clyde, Liam said, “I’m in. Sounds like a great challenge.”
They shook hands, and Liam turned to Danielle. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll learn a thing or two from our resident expert.”
Danielle closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. When she opened them, he noticed they seemed almost teal, and it caused him to look closer.
“Fine. I’ll do it. When do you want it?”
“I’ll give you a week on this first one. Send me your finalized pieces by next Thursday, and I’ll run them in the weekend edition.”
Danielle nodded and turned on her heel, walking out the door.
Liam thanked Clyde and then jogged a bit to catch up with her. “I hope I didn’t steal your thunder in there.” Although, he’d liked the pointed jabs she’d thrown at him.
She turned and glared at him. “Really? Because it looked like you were enjoying every minute.”
“I look forward to our article. Do you have a topic in mind?”
For once, her face softened, and he was surprised at how soft her skin looked. Shaking her head, she said, “Let me think about it. We can discuss it at the wedding.”
“You want to discuss writing an article at your best friend’s wedding?” Liam had thought she was a bit intense, but he hadn’t realized she was that devoted to her work.
Frowning, she shrugged. “You’re right. I’ll probably be running errands all day for Becca. We can meet at the diner on Sunday.”
He tried to hold in a chuckle, but her ears perked up, and she turned to look at him. “What’s so funny?”
“The diner is closed on Sundays.” He wondered how long it had been since she’d actually been home. But it seemed like the diner had always had the same hours of operation. Maybe she just wasn’t thinking clearly.
She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it with a humbled expression. “Okay, the park, then. Bring your own lunch.”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
For some reason, Liam couldn’t wait. This was going to be more fun than he’d thought
when he walked into the newspaper office that morning. With Cari around, he wasn’t bored often, but a little teasing of the town reporter could make things even more interesting.
Chapter 8
The next evening, Danielle was more than ready for this bridal shower to be over. At the suggestion of her mother, she’d spent most of the night before coming up with games to entertain the guests. Thank goodness for Clip Board so she could keep a bunch of her ideas online and go through them after. She’d settled all the food with Velda after leaving the newspaper office.
The newspaper. She replayed the interaction she’d had with Liam and the giddy look he gave her when they’d agreed to have lunch. For some reason, his flashy smile and perfect teeth pushed several of her buttons.
She needed to forget about him, needed to focus on the task at hand, which was pulling off a shower for her best friend.
She’d spent the morning with her mother and Dottie Watkins, decorating the gazebo in the park. They’d ordered several dozen flowers from Becca under the guise that it would be used for an event at the city offices. The three of them had worked the flowers into the table decorations and around the poles of the gazebo.
“How can I help?” a deep voice asked from behind her.
Danielle turned, still holding the napkins she’d been arranging on the table, to find the guy she’d been trying to forget.
“Umm,” she tried to stall, glancing around the park to see what still needed to be done. “You could get out the Jenga game if you want. Just set it on the table right over there.” She pointed to a small rectangular table to her left.
Liam stepped over to the table, picking up the box. “Jenga, huh? I haven’t played this game in a while. What are you using it for tonight?”
Danielle finished with the napkins and grabbed a handful of forks from the box, placing them in the wire holder she’d borrowed from her mom. With the white tablecloths and the bits of purple, the park didn’t look half bad considering she’d begun most of it twenty-four hours before.
She pointed to the game Liam had unboxed and was steadily trying to keep in a single tower. “That is for Doubles Jenga.”
He laughed, knocking over a few of the pieces as he tried to add more. “What other games did you have in mind?”
Danielle sank into a folding chair next to one of the tables. It had been a long day, and she needed a rest.
“Bingo based on what gifts you think will be given, bride and groom trivia,” she said, pulling out a piece of paper from her back pocket. She scanned her writing, trying to remember the last of it. “There is also a ‘guess how much candy is in the jar’ and sharing favorite date ideas for the couple.”
With one eyebrow raised, Liam smirked. “Is this what most bridal showers are like?”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been to any, let alone one where the guys are invited. I just went with some ideas I found online.” She folded her paper back up and pulled out her phone. Fifteen minutes. “Where is Cari?”
“Playing at the neighbor’s. She asked about you earlier, wondering if you could come help build a sandcastle.”
“What did you say?” Danielle tilted her head to one side, curious to hear his answer.
Liam’s bright teeth shined through his smile. “I just said we’d have to ask you the next time we saw you.”
Talking floated to her ears, and she turned, seeing several of the ladies of Sage Creek walking in their direction. The sooner everyone showed up, the faster this thing would be done.
“Was this a surprise for the happy couple?” Liam asked, reminding her that he was behind her.
“Mayor Watkins is going to lure them over with some story about needing repairs to the gazebo and ideas on what flowers to grow in the park gardens.” Danielle stood, smoothing out her shirt. She walked over to the long table, moving one of the large vases of flowers for the food that would be coming.
Liam nodded, the corner of his mouth turning up a fraction. “Sounds like the mayor.”
Danielle found herself staring at him for longer than was acceptable, and when he caught her, she looked away, pretending to fix the tablecloth on the large table. What was her deal? Just because he was attractive didn’t mean she needed to feed those feelings anymore. She’d be the one left hurting in the end.
Becca and Colton came with the mayor as expected, their excitement and surprise something Danielle was happy about. It was hard to spring anything on her best friend, but at least she was giddy about the event.
After they’d eaten the sandwiches, salads, and desserts Velda had sent with some of her staff, Danielle stood, ready to play the games. It was strange addressing more than just the cameraman, and with the number of people there, she had to take a breath before saying anything.
“We’re excited to have you all here to celebrate Becca and Colton. We’ve got a few games to play before we have them open gifts.” She pointed to the table heaped with wrapped boxes and gift bags. She went over the games at different stations, her nerves feeling raw as she hoped the guests would enjoy them. Once she finished, she said, “Pair up with someone, and we’ll get started.”
People began milling about, and from a quick look, all the guys had been paired up, leaving a group of the older women sitting around one of the tables chatting. Danielle strolled over to them, loving the happiness on her mother’s face as she laughed at something one of the ladies had said.
“Aren’t you ladies going to join the games?”
Velda waved her hand. “Honey, we’ve played enough games in our lifetime. We’ll leave it to you young people. From the looks of things over there, it seems you’re on the road to being a matchmaker, Danielle.” She pointed in the direction of the six couples milling about the tables. Several looked like they were enjoying each other’s company.
Danielle laughed, walking back over to the table of food. She could use another chicken salad sandwich.
“Party planner isn’t going to participate in the festivities?” Liam asked, stepping up to the table across from her.
“I had hoped that planning this was like a get-out-of-activity-free card.” She took a bite of the sandwich without moving her gaze from his face.
Liam lifted his hand and waved his fingers, beckoning her. “Let’s go. Who knows? We might have fun.”
Danielle glanced at the Jenga game where the couple at the table giggled as they tried to remove a block from the tower. The idea was to tie their hands together, making them have to talk to get the block out successfully.
She shook her head. “I’m good. I—”
“Oh, come on, Dani. It will be fun.” Becca bumped into Danielle with her hip, sending her off-balance.
Danielle caught herself on the table before she fell and sent a glare in Becca’s direction once she’d recovered.
She and Liam started with the candy-jar guessing and then filled out their gift bingo cards, not saying much during that time. Danielle wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or happy that he’d asked to be her partner.
Doubles Jenga was next, and they were challenging Becca and Colton, who seemed to be on a winning streak.
Liam picked up the handkerchief Danielle had brought for tying their hands together. “Right hand or left?”
“I can do either. Which do you prefer?”
“I’ll take the left.” He lifted his hand next to Danielle’s right, causing the hairs around her wrist to stand on end. When his skin touched hers, she jumped when she felt the shock of it.
“Sorry,” she said. Liam had been tying the handkerchief, but she’d pulled it loose.
Liam looked up, his hooded eyes causing a deeper attraction to rise in her. She had to turn her gaze away, looking in the direction of the older ladies. When she realized they were all watching her, she closed her eyes, feeling embarrassment heat to the tips of her ears.
“Ready?” Liam’s voice caused her eyes to snap open, and she nodded. She could handle a few minutes attached to this guy. It wasn�
�t like it would be forever.
Danielle nodded, shifting closer to the table with Liam.
“Another pair of competitors. We’ve got them, right, dear?” Colton said, kissing Becca’s temple.
“Definitely.” Becca’s confident smile only enhanced Danielle’s competitiveness.
“We’ll see about that,” Danielle said, looking to Liam for his answer. His laid-back expression wasn’t helping her emotions stay under control, and her heartbeat sped up.
Becca and Colton went first, successfully placing their piece on the top of the tower.
“Use your finger to push one of the middle pieces,” Danielle said, whispering to Liam. They were so close to each other, her lips only inches from his.
Liam moved their hands closer to the tower, sticking out his pointer finger to test a few of the pieces. “I’ll push, and you pull it out,” he said, focusing on the block.
Danielle waited until he was done and guided their hands over the tower. It took a few moments to figure out how to grab the block with their hands tied together, but she was able to get it without pulling down any extra pieces. She went to place it on top, when Liam’s phone rang. He shifted to grab it, pulling their connected hands over the top of the tower and toppling the blocks to the table.
Liam’s expression flickered a wave of emotions, and he said, “I’m so sorry. I just need to get this.” He moved his left hand again, pulling Danielle with him.
“Let me help you with that.” Danielle worked her finger and thumb into the knot around their wrists, freeing them from the handkerchief.
“Thanks. Just give me a minute, and we’ll finish the games.” His eyes were more pleading that she was used to, but she brushed it off as he moved away.
“I think the two of you look good together.” Becca’s voice sounded like she was singing notes for a warm-up concert.
Danielle shook her head, walking back over to her uneaten sandwich. Maybe with time away from Liam, she could get her pulse to return to normal.
Chapter 9
Love Under Review Page 5
