Between the Lines

by Angela Benson

  He allowed his glance to slide over to the first row of bleachers, where Eleanor stood talking to a member of the cheerleading squad. She looked great in her white denim shorts and pink T-shirt. Jake smiled when he thought about a baseball team with cheerleaders. He’d never heard of that before, but Carl had explained that the parents of the boys on the team had daughters who wanted to participate but who didn’t want to play. Thus, the baseball cheerleading squad.

  “She looks good, doesn’t she?”

  Jake didn’t bother pretending he didn’t know who Carl was talking about. “Very good.” Good enough to eat, he thought to himself. He remembered then that this was the second time Carl had commented on Eleanor’s looks. He’d assumed the two didn’t really get along, but now he wondered. “You don’t have a thing for Eleanor, do you?”

  “Who, me? You must be kidding.”

  For some reason, Jake took exception to Carl’s comment. “What’s wrong with Eleanor?”

  “There’s nothing wrong with her if you want a woman who thinks she knows everything.”

  Jake laughed. Carl was right. Eleanor did think she knew everything. He wondered how much of that was real and how much of it was a part of her professional persona. “What about Megan? Does she think she knows everything?”

  Carl snorted. “No, Megan thinks she is everything.”

  Jake shook his head. It was as he had figured. Carl had it bad for Megan. He had it so bad he didn’t even realize he had it. The poor sod. Megan was making his life miserable and he didn’t even understand why. Well, Carl didn’t have to worry about Jake making a move on Megan. No, his interests lay a little closer to home. He glanced over at Eleanor again. She might think she knew everything, but he knew a thing or two himself. It’d be fun figuring out who knew the most.

  ***

  “Strike three. You’re out,” the umpire yelled. Pulling off his cap and mask, he said, “Game’s over.”

  As the boys marched out of the dugout, Jake clapped them on the shoulders. “Good game, guys. We’ll get ’em next time.” He heard Carl saying similar words and reminding the boys about their next practice.

  “I don’t know who feels worse, me or them,” Carl said after the last boy had filed out.

  “Take my word for it,” Jake said, gathering the last of the equipment from the dugout. “They feel worse.”

  Carl picked up the ball basket. “Maybe you’re right. Hey, you played sports in college, didn’t you?”

  Jake nodded. “I ran track. Almost made the Olympic team.”

  “That’s right and you majored in drama.”

  Jake stopped and looked at Carl. He didn’t talk much about his rebellious Yale days. He’d majored in drama to irk his father. Jake had thought his father would force him to choose a major that would be useful in Mason Publishing, but it hadn’t happened. Randolph had only encouraged his interests. Jake had been too stubborn to change his major after that. “How’d you know?”

  Carl was silent.

  “How did you know?”

  Carl shrugged as if it wasn’t important. “I must have read it somewhere.”

  “Come on, man. There’s more to it than that. I’m sure you didn’t read it somewhere. How’d you know?”

  More silence.

  “You did a background check on me, didn’t you?” Jake didn’t wait for a response. “Whose idea, Mathias’s or Eleanor’s?” Jake knew the answer but he asked anyway.

  “Eleanor’s,” Carl answered reluctantly.

  “Damn!” Jake slapped his cap against his thigh. “I knew it. What’s on that woman’s mind? What right does she have to go digging around in my background?”

  “Hey, man,” Carl said, placing a calming hand on Jake’s shoulder. “It wasn’t like that. Eleanor was worried about your plans for the paper. You don’t know what this paper means to her.”

  Jake sat down on the bench. “Why don’t you tell me?”

  Carl dropped the ball basket and sat next to Jake. “Eleanor’s mother and father bought the paper when Eleanor was a baby. The paper was a weekly then. Anyway, a black couple owning a newspaper in a small, predominantly white Southern town was a big thing at the time. They experienced some problems early on, though you wouldn’t know it now. The people of Lamar have grown used to it and to them. The paper is her family legacy. Naturally, she has strong ties to it and she’ll do anything to protect it.”

  “So why did Mathias agree to go into business with Mason Publishing?”

  “That’s the question Eleanor has been asking since she found out about the deal. That’s why she asked for the background check on you. She was looking for anything that would help her understand her father’s actions.”

  “And did she find anything?” When Carl hesitated, Jake added, “I’m not asking you to be disloyal. I’m trying to understand the real situation here.”

  “No, she didn’t find anything. She still doesn’t know why her father wants this deal.”

  “So she’s not buying that he wants the money Mason Publishing has to offer?”

  Carl stood up. “You’ll have to ask her that. I’ve probably said too much as it is. Now let’s get out of here.”

  Jake eased up from his seat and followed Carl out of the dugout. Eleanor and a pretty, dark-skinned little girl with a head full of braids were the only people left in the park.

  “We’re waiting for Kia’s mother,” Eleanor said when they asked why she was still there.

  “How long will she be?” Jake asked solicitously.

  “Oh, it shouldn’t be long now. Don’t worry about us. You two go on.”

  Jake looked at Carl. “You go on, man. I’ll wait here with Eleanor and Kia.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” Eleanor protested. “I told you her mother will be along any minute now.”

  Jake dropped down on the bench next to her. “Then I guess I won’t have long to wait, now will I?” He smiled at the little girl. “Hi, Kia. Did you enjoy the game?”

  The little girl, who couldn’t have been more than seven, smiled a gap-tooth smile up at him and bowed her head up and down. “Do you want to play baseball when you’re older?”

  She smiled but this time she shook her head.

  “How about being a cheerleader?”

  This time she bowed her head up and down vigorously.

  “Can you do any cheers now?”

  She looked up at Eleanor.

  “You can talk to him. His name is Mr. Mason.”

  She looked back at Jake. “Miss Eleanor has been teaching me one, but I haven’t learned it yet.”

  Eleanor tousled the little girl’s braids. “You’re getting better each time we practice. Before you know it, you’ll be able to do all the cheers you want.”

  The little girl gave Eleanor a look of pure adoration and Jake’s heart turned over. He was about to say something more when the little girl jumped up.

  “Mommy, Mommy,” she called in the direction of a late model, well-worn blue Ford Escort.

  Eleanor stood and held the little girl’s hand as the child’s mother got out of her car and headed toward them. “Yes, it’s your mommy.”

  “Thanks, Eleanor,” the mother said, giving the little girl a hug. She was dressed in a brown plaid uniform so Jake assumed she was a waitress. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had a problem with the car.”

  Concern clouded Eleanor’s eyes. “Nothing serious, I hope.”

  The woman shook her head, then glanced at Jake. Eleanor introduced him. “Winifred Carlisle meet Jake Mason. Jake’s working at the paper for the summer.”

  “A summer job?” Winifred asked.

  Jake smiled at her. “Something like that.” He tugged at one of Kia’s braids. “You have a great little girl here.”

  Some of the fatigue left Winifred’s eyes as she smiled at her little girl. “The best. I’d better get her home. You’re probably tired, aren’t you, punkin’.”

  �
��Can we get ice cream, Mommy?”

  Winifred looked up at the adults. “I guess she’s not that tired. Thanks again, Eleanor. Nice meeting you, Mr. Mason.”

  “See you next week, Kia,” Eleanor said, waving goodbye to the little girl.

  “I didn’t know you were a cheerleading instructor,” Jake said as much to himself as to her. There were a lot of layers to Eleanor and he wanted to peel each one of them away.

  Eleanor turned back to him. “I’m not. Kia’s a little girl who needed a friend.”

  “And you’re a big sister.”

  She didn’t smile. “You make it sound as if I’m doing something extraordinary. I’m not.”

  “Just doing your part, huh?”

  She did smile then. “Something like that. How about you? When did you become a coach?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve always been involved in sports, but I guess you already know that.”

  She had the decency to blush, and to him, it made her look even cuter. “How would I know that?”

  He tugged on her arm and she plopped down next to him. “Give it up, Eleanor. Carl told me about his investigation.”

  “He had no right to do that. He’s my employee. I’ll speak to him tomorrow.”

  “You’ll do no such thing. We’re partners now and Carl will not be called on the carpet for telling me something I need to know.”

  “We’re not partners,” she muttered.

  Jake leaned closer. “What was that? I couldn’t hear you?”

  “I said, ‘We’re not partners.’ Yet.”

  “And you don’t want us to become partners, do you?”

  “How’d you guess?”

  “I’m not stupid. You’ve expressed your dislike from the first day we met, but I thought you were warming up to the idea of our business relationship. Was I wrong?”

  Eleanor stood up. “I thought you said we would talk about this on Monday. Let’s keep to that schedule. I have plans tonight, and if we get into this discussion, my evening will be ruined. Deal?”

  Jake stood up, resolved to wait until Monday to have their talk. “Deal.”

  Eleanor nodded and proceeded to walk to her car. He followed her. “So what are you doing tonight?” he asked casually. He really wanted to ask whom she was going out with. He didn’t think she was seeing anybody.

  She stopped walking and glared at him. “Going out.” She resumed walking.

  Okay, he could take a hint. Especially when it was as subtle as a sledgehammer. “Megan going with you?”

  “If you’re interested in Megan’s schedule, you should call her. I’m sure she gave you her number.”

  “What if it’s not Megan’s schedule I’m interested in?”

  She stopped again when she reached her two-seater sports car. After taking a deep breath, she said, “Don’t even think about it. I’m not interested. Definitely not interested.” She pulled the keys out of the pocket of her shorts, opened the door, and slid into the driver’s seat.

  When she reached to close the door, Jake held it open. “You can’t run from me, Eleanor.”

  She jerked on the door and he released it. “Watch me.” She turned on the ignition, quickly put the car in gear, and backed out of the graveled parking lot, kicking up dust as she left.

  Damn, Jake thought. There was nothing he liked better than a challenge. He knew pursuing Eleanor was a tricky move since he was there on business. Business with her. He also knew he was about to do something he’d regret. But he couldn’t stop himself. Eleanor drew him the way nectar drew bees.

  Eight

  Jake looked up from his desk when Eleanor walked in the office Monday morning. “Good morning,” he said with cheer.

  Eleanor nodded. “Good morning.”

  He studied her dark suit, sensible shoes, and high-cut blouse but still wondered why he hadn’t known the woman in the pool. Now that he knew who she was, it was obvious. When she removed her jacket and rose up on her toes to hang it on the coat stand, he noticed the way her blouse curved around her full breasts and the way her skirt clung to her generously rounded buttocks. It didn’t take much effort to remember how the rest of her looked. The swimsuit she’d worn that day had left little to the imagination.

  She turned around and glared at him. “Let’s not forget this is a place of business.”

  He deliberately let his gaze wander teasingly from her trim ankles to the head that sported the usual bun. “And I’ve got nothing but business on my mind.”

  She opened her mouth to respond, but apparently changed her mind. She closed her mouth instead and went to her chair, dropping her morning papers on her desk.

  Jake got up. “Want some coffee?”

  She eyed him suspiciously, but handed him her cup. “Thanks.”

  “No problem,” Jake said and left the office.

  Eleanor slumped down in her chair. This was going to be harder than she’d imagined. Jake Mason did things to her. She had to be strong.

  Jake returned to the office with her coffee. “Here you go.”

  When Eleanor took the cup, her fingers brushed against his and his gaze met hers. “Sorry,” she mumbled, not knowing which was hotter, the coffee or his hand.

  “No problem,” he said, looming over her.

  She turned around to her computer and pulled up the latest AP stories, hoping he’d take the hint and she wouldn’t have to tell him to get away from her.

  “What’s new this morning?” he asked, leaning over her shoulder, so close she could smell his cologne.

  She mumbled off the titles of the first few articles.

  He pointed his finger to an article on redistricting. “Open that one.”

  She wanted to tell him to go to his own terminal and look at it; instead, she hit the space bar twice and the file opened.

  “Those are some good quotes from your esteemed senators. Are you going to use them?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll let Carl decide. He’s doing a story on local response to redistricting. If he wants to incorporate the quotes, we’ll do that. If not, we’ll run them as a separate story.” She breathed her relief when Jake picked up his cup and moved away from her.

  “Are we still meeting after lunch?” he asked.

  She’d forgotten about the meeting. “Sure.”

  He nodded and went back to his desk and to work. She watched him covertly while she pretended to go through her morning ritual of reading the papers. If only he—

  “Eleanor,” Maxine’s voice on the intercom interrupted her thoughts, “they need you in composition. They’re having a problem with the layout.”

  ***

  Eleanor went to composition. After solving the problem there, she spoke with Carl about his story, then one thing led to another, until the paper was ready and sent to the press. When she was done, she wanted more than anything to go home and take a cool dip in the pool. Unfortunately, she had that meeting with Jake.

  “Lunch?”

  She jerked her head away from her terminal and her thoughts back to the present. “What are you doing here?”

  He grinned a wide mouth grin. “My office.”

  She rolled her eyes. “What are you doing back so soon? I thought you had an interview.”

  He flopped down in his chair. “I did. It didn’t take long. The coach is an easy guy to talk to. How do you guys keep him in Lamar?”

  She shook her head. “Really, Jake, you make it sound like he’s in a cage. He’s here because he wants to be.”

  “If you say so.”

  “It’s hard for you to believe people actually enjoy living here, isn’t it?”

  “Not people. The coach. I’m sure he could get a position in a bigger town, a bigger school, more prestige.”

  “Bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better. The man is living here because he likes living here.”

  “Are you here because you like living here, Eleanor?”

  Memories of the
night Jake had arrived in Lamar filled her mind. He’d shown his distaste for her decision to continue living at home then. “Yes, I’m here because I like it here.”

  “Maybe you’re here because you’re afraid to go anywhere else?” he murmured under his breath.

  “What did you say?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I heard you,” she accused. “What do you have against smalltown living, Jake? Have you ever considered that you’re the one who’s afraid? It’s much easier to hide in a big city than it is in a small town.”

  ***

  Jake was still thinking about Eleanor’s words when they met for their afternoon meeting. For some reason her accusation that he was hiding stuck with him. He wondered what signals she’d picked up to make her say that. When she entered the closet-size room they called a conference room, he had to force himself to discuss the scheduled topic when he really wanted to discuss her comments.

  “Have you thought much about this merger?” he asked, once they were settled across the conference table from each other.

  “I’ve done nothing but think about it since Dad mentioned the plans to me.”

  He lifted a brow in her direction. “I’ve got a feeling I’m going to have to listen to your little jabs all afternoon. Why don’t you get it all off your chest before we get started?”

  She leaned toward him. “Okay, let’s do that.”

  He tossed his pen on the table. “Shoot.”

  Eleanor picked up his pen and pointed it at him. “Number one. My father and I have prided ourselves on running this paper with no interference. We do what we want, when we want—”

  Jake lifted a finger. “Correction. You do what you want when you can get the money. I think that’s why I’m here.”

  She shot him a warning glance. “We don’t want to, will not, lose that autonomy.”

  She waited for him to interrupt again, but he only nodded. She took a deep breath. “Number two. We’re concerned that though Mason Publishing initially agrees with number one, somewhere down the road things will change.”