16 Lighthouse Road - Debbie Macomber [38]
Charlotte couldn’t help it; she blushed. Oh, that young man could melt a heart or two. Her own included. Now if only Olivia would wake up and realize what a catch he was. She did hope this was the man for her daughter. Charlotte had liked Jack the instant they met, and it wasn’t often she felt such complete rapport with a man. It seemed to be happening more and more these days. First Tom Harding and then Jack Griffin, both newcomers to the community.
“I saved you a place at my table,” Charlotte told Jack, eager for her friends to meet him.
“I’ve arranged a seat for Jack at the head table,” Mary countered, glaring at Charlotte.
“But Jack and I are friends,” Charlotte said, certain that he’d prefer her company to the stuffed shirts who ran the Senior Center.
“Why don’t we leave it up to Jack?” Mary offered and stepped back, crossing her arms. Her expression was confident, as if to suggest there was no contest.
Jack was smiling. “Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had two lovely women fighting over me.”
Mary cast Charlotte a saccharine-sweet smile, and it was all Charlotte could do not to throw up.
“Why don’t I sit with Charlotte and her friends for the buffet,” Jack suggested, “and join Mary and her friends for dessert?”
“An excellent suggestion,” Charlotte said, firmly taking his arm. Without giving anyone an opportunity to sidetrack him, she led Jack to the table where her friends were waiting.
Evelyn and Helen were dying to talk to Jack, Charlotte knew. They both had article ideas they wanted to discuss with him. Her friends felt that the community had long ignored the contribution of its senior citizens. With Jack as editor, Charlotte believed this was about to change.
Just as she knew he would, Jack won over her friends with little more than a smile. Since she’d talked his ear off the night of the community play, Charlotte was willing to share him now. The ladies gathered around him like deer at a salt lick, each one spouting her opinion of the local newspaper.
Evelyn and Helen spoke nonstop, outlining their ideas and making suggestions.
“Ladies, you’re right.”
Charlotte’s friends beamed at the praise.
“What the Cedar Cove Chronicle needs is a page specifically for seniors. Interviews, health news…”
“Recipes,” Charlotte inserted.
Jack pointed his index finger in her direction. “Recipes,” he agreed.
“I sometimes feel the young people don’t understand or appreciate the history of this town,” Laura added. “Did you know Cedar Cove has had three different names in the last hundred years?”
“Three?” Charlotte only knew of two.
“I’m more interested in why the name changed,” Jack said. “Laura, you seem to know. Write me an article for the next edition and I’ll print it.”
“But will people read it?” Laura asked, sounding doubtful.
“They’ll read it,” Jack said. “I’ll make sure of that.”
Charlotte chuckled, guessing at his strategy. Jack would come up with a misleading headline guaranteed to generate interest.
“I like your ideas,” he told the women. “Now, which one of you is willing to head up the senior page?”
Laura, Evelyn, Helen and Bess, who was the quietest member of the knitting group, all looked to Charlotte.
“Everyone knows if you want to get something done, you should ask Charlotte,” Bess said, blushing profusely. “She’s got more energy than the rest of us combined.”
Jack grinned as if to say he’d find it a distinct pleasure to work with her. “All right,” Charlotte muttered, thinking she needed her head examined for taking on another project. “I’ll do it, but I’ve got to have help.”
“We’ll all help,” Laura promised.
“Bring your ideas to me,” Jack said, “and we’ll work on them together.”
Those few words were all the incentive Charlotte required. She wanted to encourage Jack’s relationship with her daughter and she could think of no better opportunity to provide him with information about Olivia. Her daughter needed a little assistance. This wasn’t so different from the way things had been when Olivia was a shy