“Look, Erik, what am I supposed to think?” She gestured to the articles. “TheDahlia Weeklyis exactly like these other papers. And here you are, buying up ads, being all charming, asking me out—”
He reached out then and seized her hands, and she let out an involuntary gasp at the touch.
“Rebecca, that is not the reason I want to go out with you.”
She wanted to let go, needed to let go, but he was holding her hands tight, and his eyes were sincere.
“I like you. A lot,” he said. “I can’t defend my brother and dad, or their practices. I honestly don’t know what their intentions are, or if they’ve even approached your paper. Though I will say I’m pretty sure they would have bypassed you and gone straight to the paper’s owners.”
She mulled that over, knew he had a point. Slipping her hands out of his, she folded them in her lap.
“It’s still bullying, plain and simple.” Her voice was quiet.
He gave a slight nod.
“I hear you. But I will say the Tickersville paper today is strong. W Media saved them from annihilation from the inside out. Same with the one in Milltown.” His blue eyes had an edge now, but his tone was soothing. “Those communities still have their traditions, still have their connecting force, still have a fair public spotlight and First Amendment freedoms. And their employees still have jobs, which means a lot to those towns.” He leveled a gaze at her. “Whether you like what my brother and dad do or not, and their ways aside, think about it, Rebecca. It’s better than being gone entirely.”
“But—that one paper, where they started the competing publication.”
Erik chuckled. “That was downright dirty. I’ll give you that.”
“And yet you still sell ads for them.”
He shook his head. “Oh, no. I sell for the homes.”
“It’s one and the same.”
That hurt look again. “Not to me. And believe it or not, when they did that in Lark Run, I went to them. Told them I didn’t operate that way and didn’t want to be associated with a company that does business that way. Though, not to defend them, but that Lark Run paper had major problems before W Media came in. Nepotism, a major sexual harassment lawsuit costing the paper tens of thousands of dollars, even a brush with libel. Look it up. You’ll find it if you dig.”
She bit her lip. “But … this whole time you never mentioned once that your family had a media business.”
A puppy dog look, then a devilish grin. The guy must have taken charm lessons. She found she couldn’t even look away.
“Do you really think a guy wants to mention to the beautiful newspaper editor that he wants to buy ads and oh, by the way, his family just happens to own a company that buys up little newspapers like hers?”
She forced her lips not to curve, brought her hands up from her lap and curled them around her coffee cup. “Touché.”
He reached across the table again, gave her hand a gentle tap with his finger.
“And I’d still love to take you out on a date.”
Her cheeks flushed. No. “I can’t.”
“I know you think so. But maybe you have to let yourself try. Live a little.” He flashed a smile, dimples and all.
Peter sprang to mind, the way he’d courted her, the kicker beingthree-dozen red roses delivered to her office with a note: You only live once. Dinner tonight?
Live a little, indeed.
But no. No way. She pulled back, the wooden chair scraping on the floor, and stood. And, oddly, Josh Jamison flashed in her mind.
“I … have to get to the office. Erik—” She searched for the words, came up dry. “Thanks.”
He stood with her. As he did, she noticed two teenaged girls in line for coffee swivel, look him up and down. One of them whispered something to the other, giggling.
“Seriously, Rebecca. Look it up when you get to your computer.” His blue eyes were soft now, patient. “What happened in Lark Run, and me. I promise you’ll find I have nothing to do with that business in the least.”
She fled as quickly as she could, articles safely back in her leather bag, her lukewarm latte sloshing as she nudged open the door to leave. She held it for an older black-haired woman with a streak of white in her hair, who gave her a smile and a thanks. Josh’s Bible study leader, Rebecca remembered.
