“Jack,” he grinned.
“I see,” she nodded.
“Would you like a tour?”
“Oh, you give tours? Like theNew York Times?”
“Absolutely. We’re standing in the executive offices.” He pointed to another desk. “Over there is our circulation and advertising department.” He pointed to the printing press. “Our printing operation features equipment dating back to 1898.” He pointed to some shelves with an encyclopedia, a dictionary, and a few phone books, “The research department is over there.” He turned and pointed to the table in the corner with a hot plate, a tea kettle, and coffee mugs. “Staff lounge.”
She looked around. “I must say, it’s a first-class operation,” she kidded. She looked at Jack, then at Peter. “I’m surprised you boys are here. I would’ve thought one or both of you would be trying to interview Horace and Alice Mason.”
Peter casually slid his hands into his trouser pockets. “Yeah. I heard about that. There’s really no story there.”
“Alice has been sneaking around behind Horace’s back for some time,” Jack explained. “Benny Hudson was just the latest in a long line.”
“Pretty much everyone in town knows about Alice except Horace,” Peter continued. “So, the only thing a story would do is make Horace even angrier or feel more ashamed. Wouldn’t do Alice any good, either.”
“So, she really did cheat?” Goldie asked, needing verification.
“Let’s just say, they’re a couple with problems, and writing about them doesn’t help anyone solve anything,” Peter concluded.
Goldie thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Well, you should’ve at least seen how the sheriff handled Horace. It was pretty impressive.”
“Yeah. Heard about that, too.” Peter replied. “When my father first hired Eli, I wasn’t for it. I mean, the guy had zero experience in law enforcement and a bum leg. But, as time has gone on, I think I was wrong about him.”
She smiled, liking that he could admit to a mistake. She also liked that he chose not to profit from Horace and Alice Mason’s problems. She and Peter looked at one another, their smiles and sparkling eyes practically lighting up the room.
“I’ve got to run down to Miller’s,” Jack abruptly announced. “Collect the payments for this week’s ad.”
“Good idea,” Peter agreed. “Clancy’s hasn’t paid us for their ad, either.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Jack said, buttoning up his coat and slipping a fedora on his head. “Nice to meet you, Goldie.”
“Good meetin’ you, too, Jack,” she reciprocated.
She and Peter watched as Jack left the office, then they turned back to one another.
“Hey,” he noticed, taking and examining her left palm. “Your wrapping is off. How’s the hand doing?”
“Except for a little scabbing, good as new,” she informed.
He brought the injured palm to his lips and kissed it. Then, still holding her hand, pulled her close and kissed her on the mouth. Like the first time he kissed her in his car, she enjoyed it. But she also noticed that both times he didn’t use his tongue. She wondered if French kissing even existed in the 1940s. After the embrace, Peter smiled boyishly and ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair.
“I don’t know if I should apologize for kissing you or take you in my arms and kiss you again.”
“Well, when you make up your mind, let me know,” she smiled teasingly, then slipped out of his arms and stepped over to his typewriter to see what he was working on.
“Wow,” she said, reading. “‘Anna Paskins has a new ingredient in her eggnog that has her bridge club delighted but stymied.’”
“People read every day about crime, or someone’s son or brother dying far away overseas,” he explained. “What I write about is close to home, slice-of-life. After all, isn’t preserving that way of life what we’re fighting for?”
She turned and stepped over to the bookcase behind his desk. She tilted her head to the side and read some of the author’s names on the spines. “Pearl S. Buck, John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway… man, you reallydowant to be a novelist, don’t ya?”
“I’ve got a ways to go,” he said. “So, are you here to see where I work, or are youreallyhere to ask me to the dance this weekend?”
“Dance?”
“The Christmas dance at the community center Friday night. It’s another big area draw. There’s also a gingerbread house competition I believe you’re judging.”
