Having you on board will enhance our projects and productivity. You’d be free, of course, to pursue Ransom Architecture jobs as well. Diamond Dogs is open to salary negotiations to suit your skill and experience.
Best, Mac
Caleb shoved away from his desk. Really?Really?What a manipulative, brazen move.
Even worse, Calebwantedto consider it. It was an amazing offer. It’d set him up for the next ten-plus years of his career. Ransom Architecture would become a name.
But it was from Mac Diamond, who had an agenda to destroy the part of the town Caleb loved.
EMERY
The SundayGazetteprinted with every ad in place. Such a relief. She’d barely slept last night, waking up every hour, ready to run to the office alongside the paperboys.
She hugged Owen when she saw today’s beautiful, perfect edition. Too wired to go back to her cottage at the Sands, she popped into One More Cup for a latte and a hot cinnamon scone, then pored over the paper.
The headline was still the Main Street initiatives. Jane wrote a piece on tourism numbers if the East End added businesses. Rex’s new piece on young golfers naming Sea Blue Beach’s West End as their training home would probably add fuel to Mac Diamond’s case against the Org. Homestead. But there was nothing to do about it. TheGazettebelonged to the town and the truth.
For this edition, Emery published an article from the archives. In 1939, Earl and Inez Van Horn and Heddy Stenuf, famous roller skaters, put on a show at the Starlight. That same year, members of the Dixie Mafia vacationed at the Sands Motor Motel for a week.
“I think you’re doing a good thing.” Lupe, One More Cup’s owner, set another latte in front of her. “On the house.”
“Do you really think this little paper is making a difference?”
“I do. Even with missing ads.” She sat across from Emery. “My grandparents came to Sea Blue Beach from Mexico in the late fifties. They started a trucking business and never looked back. They’re gone now, and my parents moved to New Orleans for my dad’s career. I came back as soon as I could. Met my husband here.”
“Sea Blue Beach is a romantic town, isn’t it?”
Lupe sighed with contentment. “How could it not be? Immanuel lives here.”
“Immanuel,” Emery repeated softly. “God with us, right?” She’d never experienced any sort of God or supernatural moment, but as a journalist, she’d learned to listen as much as to question. What were people saying between the words?
Lupe went back to work, and Emery made a note to get her family’s story for the paper, then headed back to theGazetteoffice before Lupe offered her another latte. It was very generous, but after two rounds, Emery was wired.
At her desk, she made a list of things for the coming week.Ramp up online presence. Talk to Elliot(again)about an ad director. Create a student section(???)fromhigh school/middle school. Story on Org. Homestead. Pics ofAlderman’s refurbishments and reinvention of Doyle’s.
She glanced at her phone when it pinged. Ava had texted the QuinnFam.
Ava:
Wish you were here for the shower, Em. But I understand.
Elianna:
I’ll send pictures of everything, especially when she opens your present.
Emery:
I know it will be a lovely day, Ava. Thanks, Ellie.
She’d barely remembered to send a gift. Dad reminded her late last week, sending a link to Ava’s registry. She bought three since she didn’t have the expense of an airline ticket.
Blakely:
Em, can I come for spring break?
Joanna:
Blake, by yourself? What happened to Mad River Mountain with Sadie’s family?
