Between the Lines

by Angela Benson

  What surprised him more was how cute she looked while she chewed. She’d put the pen in her mouth, push it in and out a couple of times, then play with the tip with her tongue before grasping it with her full, unpainted lips. There was something erotic in her every motion. He was almost relieved when Mathias came by to talk with her.

  “I need to steal Eleanor for a while, Jake,” the older man said.

  “Fine, sir,” Jake said, with a grin. “I’ll make the most of the privacy.”

  Eleanor grinned back and he noticed her whole face lit up with that grin. Why hadn’t he noticed that before?

  “Don’t get too comfortable,” she said. “I’ll be back. Soon.”

  Eleanor followed her father to his office, glad to get away from Jake. She’d thought things would get better as the day went on, but they hadn’t. He was still staring at her. Well, maybe not staring, more like observing. She’d been tempted to ask him if he liked what he saw, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to know his answer.

  “You seem to be dealing with Jake a lot better,” her father said after she was seated in the burgundy leather visitor’s chair in front of his massive oak desk.

  She tried not to think how much easier it would’ve been to put Jake and his desk in this large office rather than her smaller one. “Well, you know what they say, ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’”

  Mathias sighed. “Jake is not the enemy, Eleanor. We’re all on the same side.”

  “I hope you’re right,” she muttered.

  “Of course, I’m right. Look how he pitched in with the sports reporting. He could have snubbed his nose at doing that menial reporting job that you gave him, but he didn’t. He did what was best for the paper.”

  “Okay, Dad, I get your point,” Eleanor said. She couldn’t deny that Jake had done a good job. She’d been surprised by his enthusiasm for the project. And more than a little pleased. His actions made her wonder if she’d initially judged him too harshly. Jake Mason was proving hard to dislike.

  “Now,” her father said, interrupting her thoughts, “have you given any thought to the specifics you want from our merger with Mason Publishing?”

  She wished she could say she didn’t see any potential for good to come out of the venture, but that would be a lie. “Sure I’ve thought about it. If they’re going to give us money, you bet I can spend it. I want to make sure the money doesn’t come with strings attached though.”

  “Yes, yes, yes. You’ve made your position clear. Have you discussed any of your ideas with Jake?”

  Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve mentioned some projects I’d like to see funded.”

  “What was his response?”

  “He said something about a gravy train.”

  Mathias laughed. “So Jake thinks we want to milk Mason Publishing.”

  “As if we would actually do that. They probably have so much money they don’t know what to do with it.”

  “I’m sure you’re wrong there. Randolph is my friend, but as you’ve said before, he’s also an astute businessman. The only guarantee we made was that the newspaper will remain in our control. They can’t sell it or break it up without our agreement and everybody keeps their job, including you and me. Other than that, everything’s up for grabs.”

  “Everything?”

  “Everything. That’s why it’s important you work with Jake on this. Randolph has given him a free hand with this deal.”

  “Why this deal, Dad?” Eleanor asked for the tenth time since she’d learned of the deal. Maybe this time she’d get a satisfactory answer. “Jake’s not a newspaperman. That much is obvious.”

  Mathis sighed, leaned back in his chair, and twirled a pen in his hand. “Like any parent, Randolph wants Jake to take over for him someday and he thinks this deal is the project to bring Jake into the fold.”

  “You think Mr. Mason is going to support whatever Jake decides?”

  Mathias nodded. “That’s what I know.”

  Eleanor had figured as much, but there was one point on which she wasn’t sure. “Are you going to support me?”

  “You know how much I love you, Eleanor, and I want to see you happy.”

  Eleanor knew her father’s hedging wasn’t a good sign. “I know that, but it doesn’t answer my question.”

  Mathias dropped his pen on the desk and leaned toward her, concern in his eyes. “Are you happy, Eleanor? Really happy?”

  “Of course, I’m happy, Dad. Do you think I’m not?”

  He searched her face for any sign that she wasn’t telling the truth. “I worry about you sometimes. Trapped in a small town, with this small paper. You’re a young woman. You should experience life beyond Lamar.”

  Eleanor felt a tightening in her chest. “I am experiencing life. As you always say, ‘If it didn’t happen in Lamar, it didn’t happen.’” The old newspaper saying her father used so much didn’t make him smile this time.

  “You know what I’m talking about, Eleanor. Sometimes I think I did you a disservice by encouraging you to spend so much time here.”

  Eleanor got up from her chair, walked around her father’s desk, and hugged him. “That’s not true. You were and still are the best dad a girl could have. I love you, Dad.”

  “I know you do, sweetheart. I know you do.”

  Eleanor took comfort in her father’s embrace, but she realized he hadn’t answered her question. She’d let it go for now, but soon she would demand an answer.

  ***

  Eleanor began dropping off her clothes as soon as she walked through the door of her cottage. By the time she reached her bedroom, she was nude and her phone was ringing. She picked it up on the second ring.

  “So how is handsome doing?”

  Eleanor welcomed the cheery sound of Megan’s voice. She reclined on the bed and prepared for a long conversation. “When did you get back?”

  “Who said I was back?”

  Eleanor laughed. “You’re too cheap to call long distance.”

  “Ahh, you know me too well. So, how is the fine brother from New York doing?”

  “Thriving. He’s enjoying the sights and sounds of Lamar.”

  “I bet he is. The man is probably bored out of his mind. I’m sure I’ll be able to fix that. If you ever get around to introducing me, that is.”

  Eleanor knew her friend was right. It was time Jake met Megan. She couldn’t wait to see his expression when he learned she wasn’t the woman at the pool. “Well, you won’t have to wait long: Dad wants you to plan a ‘Welcome to Lamar’ party for Jake.”

  “All right,” Megan whooped. “Be sure to give Mr. S. a big kiss for me. If he was a little younger, I’d have my eye on him.”

  Eleanor chuckled. “Don’t even think about it, Megan. If Maxine hasn’t gotten his attention in all these years, you don’t stand a chance. Besides, I don’t think you’re stepmother material, though it would be fun to call you Mom.”

  “Don’t even joke about something like that, Eleanor. You calling me Mom. It gives me chills. You still haven’t told me about handsome. You haven’t decided that you want him, have you?”

  “Of course not,” Eleanor answered a bit too quickly.

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes, I’m sure. He’s not my type.”

  “Your type is a whole other conversation, Eleanor. I don’t think you know what your type is. Now before you get your panties all twisted because of that statement, tell me what Jake’s been up to.”

  Eleanor’s flaring temper quickly faded. “He’s our interim sports reporter.”

  “What? You’re kidding! New York Jake is covering local sports? You are going to bore the man to death.”

  Eleanor chuckled again. “Believe it or not, he’s enjoying it and he’s good at it.”

  “I bet it hurt you to say that.”

  Megan was right, but Eleanor was not about to tell her. “He’s become good friends with Ca
rl.”

  “Now I know the man is leaving town soon. Carl would bore a dead person. I don’t believe you, Eleanor. Why are you putting him around all the dull people? If it wasn’t so late, I’d come over there and introduce myself to him tonight.”

  “How did you know he was staying here?”

  “Earth to Eleanor. This is Lamar, remember? There’s no such thing as a secret, especially a secret about a man as attractive as Jake. Everybody’s talking about him.”

  “You stopped by the beauty shop today, didn’t you?”

  Megan laughed. “You know I had to get my weekly do and catch up on the gossip.”

  “I don’t see how Betty gets anybody’s hair done as much as she talks.”

  “Don’t knock it. Betty has all the news.”

  “You’re telling me,” Eleanor said. Everybody in Lamar knew what a gossip Betty was.

  Megan proceeded to tell Eleanor the latest news from the Betty hotline.

  “Hey, why don’t you have lunch with me tomorrow?” Eleanor suggested after all the gossip was discussed. “Drop by the office a little before noon and I’ll introduce you to Jake.”

  “It’s about time you invited me, girl. I was planning to show up on my own if you hadn’t.”

  “I sorta figured that.”

  “Be sure to invite Jake to lunch with us.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll invite him. I may even invite Carl.”

  Megan snorted. “Don’t even think about it. The brother needs to get away from Carl. I’m telling you Carl is the dullest man I ever met. He was dull in high school and he’s even duller now, if that’s possible.”

  “You’ve never liked Carl, have you, Megan?”

  “He’s too much of a Goody Two-shoes. Even when we were kids, he was always judging me. Who’s he to judge me?”

  Eleanor laughed. “You’re just upset because Carl is the only man in Lamar you don’t have wrapped around your little finger.”

  “Like I’d even be interested in Carl. Please. I want a real man, not a boy.”

  Eleanor felt again that Megan protested a little too much when Carl’s name was mentioned. She was almost sure Megan had a crush on him, though she’d never been able to get her to admit it. “If you say so, Megan. But I still may invite him to lunch with us.”

  “Hey, that might be a good idea. You can talk to Carl while I get to know Jake a little better. Better yet, why don’t you go to lunch with Carl and leave Jake with me. I’ll take good care of him.”

  “I bet you would,” Eleanor said, ignoring the flame of jealousy that flared up in the middle of her stomach.

  Six

  Jake couldn’t get Carl’s words out of his head. Eleanor could be beautiful. Eleanor could be beautiful. He was about to agree with him. From where Jake sat, Eleanor needed to loosen up on the dress. The woman gave new meaning to the word conservative. She could also do something with her hair. He wanted to see it in a style other than that old maid’s bun she wore every day.

  Not that he didn’t know what she was doing. He did. Eleanor was the corporate woman to the T. Her professional image was one of no-nonsense work.

  He shrugged. Maybe it was because she worked for her father. He noticed she had a difficult time with the older members of the staff. They still wanted to treat her like a teenager. He knew her getup was part of her barrier against that, though he didn’t think it was working.

  “Here comes trouble.” Carl leaned his head in Jake’s office. “Megan has hit the floor.”

  Jake stood and walked to the door. “How do you know?”

  “Don’t you feel the rumbling in the foundation?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Carl folded his arms across his chest and leaned back on the desk nearest Jake and Eleanor’s office. “Don’t you hear all that chatter in the hallway? It’s Megan time.”

  Jake kept his expression clear, but he felt the excitement bubble up in him. He was finally going to meet the woman by the pool. Anxious, he straightened his tie.

  Carl shook in head in disgust. “Not you, too.”

  “What?”

  “Megan’s already got you under her spell and you haven’t even met her.” Still shaking his head, he continued, “I thought you were different. I knew I was the only sane male in Lamar. Now I wonder if I’m the only sane male in the country.”

  “Are you sure about that, friend?”

  Carl dropped his arms and straightened. “Of course I’m sure,” he answered with what Jake thought was a mite much enthusiasm.

  “If you say so.”

  “Yes, I do say so.”

  Jake clapped Carl on the back. “Don’t get all upset. So you don’t like Megan. In a way I’m glad. It leaves the field clear for me. If you were interested, we’d have to duke it out for her.”

  Carl snorted. “You must be kidding. I’d never fight over Megan. Though that’s the kind of stunt that would get her attention.”

  “Let’s be glad it won’t come to that. You’re going to introduce me, though. Aren’t you?”

  Carl walked away from his perch and back to his desk in the middle of the newsroom. “You don’t know Megan. She’ll introduce herself. She probably knows all about you anyway. That woman is telepathic where men are concerned.”

  Jake was getting bored with Carl’s attitude. He said he disliked Megan more than he showed it, he thought.

  While Carl went back to his work, Jake paced in front of his office and waited for Megan to walk through the newsroom door. From everything Carl had said about her, he knew she’d be pleased to find him waiting. And he did want to make a good first impression.

  Eleanor walked through the door first and she was more animated than Jake had ever seen her. Her eyes sparkled and her laughter was light, but full. There was even more pep in her step. When he saw the tall woman with short, tight brownish-red curls next to her, Jake’s heart dropped. This was Megan?

  As Eleanor and the redhead approached, Jake became more certain the woman was indeed Megan. There was something blatantly sexual about her. He felt it even from a distance. She was the kind of woman who called out to men without opening her mouth. And she was the kind of woman to whom men always responded. But she wasn’t the woman from the pool. Her hair was too short and the wrong color and she was too tall. No, she wasn’t the woman from the pool.

  When she saw him, she flashed him a smile he was sure made weaker men pant. He merely returned it with one of his own. He saw the change in her expression and knew his response was not what she’d expected.

  Jake continued to watch as the two women approach him. Eleanor and Megan were the Odd Couple, all right. Megan in her bright red mini-skirt and jacket was fire, and Eleanor in her cold navy blue female version of the power suit was ice, or at least that’s what they seemed.

  “You must be Jake,” Megan said, extending her hand to him. He pulled her hand to his lips in mock Southern gallantry. Carl groaned at the action, then turned his chair away from them. Eleanor rolled her eyes. Megan merely took it as her due.

  “Why, Jake, they told me you were a Northerner. Where did you learn Southern charm?”

  Jake rubbed her hand with his thumb before releasing it. “I’ve always felt the woman brings out the charm in a man. Now, if they had women like you in the North, maybe Northern charm would be as well known.”

  “You’re pouring it on a bit too thick,” Carl muttered from his seat not five feet from them.

  Megan leaned close to Jake, but spoke to him in a voice loud enough for Eleanor and Carl to hear. “Don’t mind Carl. He was raised in the South, but he’s no gentleman.”

  “I heard that, Megan,” Carl said, still facing away from them. Jake noticed he was doing a pretty good job of showing disinterest.

  Megan turned to Carl. “Jealous, Carl?”

  “Of what?” He still didn’t turn around.

  Megan frowned then turned back to Jake without answering
Carl’s question. “Are you free for lunch? It looks like Carl will be too busy to go. What a shame.” Her smile said that was the best news she’d had in days.

  Jake laughed, then noticed Eleanor wasn’t smiling. She was watching him and Megan as though she expected something. What? “Where are you going for lunch?”

  “Virginia’s,” Eleanor answered. “It’s Megan’s favorite place.”

  Megan folded her arm under Jake’s as if she did it every day. “You must go with us. We have to get to know each other better.”

  Jake laughed. “I thought that was supposed to be my line.”

  “We don’t stand on formality around here, Jake,” Carl said, finally turning around. He stared directly at Megan though he spoke to Jake. “You’d better watch out; she’ll probably make a pass at lunch.”

  “Carl,” Eleanor chastised.

  Megan said nothing. She merely stared at Carl, then flecked nonexistent lint from her jacket in Carl’s direction and turned back to Jake. “If you two are ready, we can go. I don’t see any need for Carl to tag along. Do you, Eleanor?”

  Eleanor sure did see a reason for Carl to tag along. He could be her companion. From the way things were going so far, Megan and Jake would spend the entire lunch flirting. And she’d be sitting there like a fifth wheel.

  She knew she could bow out, claiming she had work to do, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to be there when Jake realized she was the woman by the pool. She could tell by the change in his expression when he saw Megan that he’d correctly concluded Megan wasn’t the woman.

  Eleanor knew too that Jake had done what most people did when she and Megan were together. He’d compared them. Strangely enough, she felt his comparison didn’t find her lacking. That was a first.

  “I can think of a good reason for Carl to come along,” Eleanor said, getting back to Megan’s question.

  “What?” Megan’s tone said she seriously doubted it.

  Eleanor looked from Jake to Megan. “I’m just a chaperone. You two may need somebody to hose you down.”