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We both laughed at that. I had to admit he had a point - a nationwide tour did seem grandiose.
“Okay, you win this round,” I conceded. “But we should at least visit a few local schools and libraries. Get the kids excited about reading!”
Alexander smiled warmly. “Now that sounds perfect.”
Our playful debate left me feeling giddy. Alexander had a way of engaging my creativity while still keeping me grounded. As we continued tossing ideas for another hour, I realized how much I enjoyed being with him and how easily we bounced thoughts and jokes off each other. I forgot my conflicted feelings for a moment, simply allowing myself to be present in this collaboration.
***
Another two hours of ideas rolled by. “I think we could both use a quick break,” Alexander said, stifling a yawn. “Why don’t we step outside for a few minutes to clear our heads?”
I felt a brief flutter in my chest at his consideration. “That sounds perfect,” I replied, trying not to seem overly eager.
We headed out of the office and into the sunny street, the fresh air already rejuvenating me. But just as I turned to Alexander to comment on the weather, we were confronted by a familiar face barreling towards us.
“Ah, Elizabeth! Alexander! Just the people I was hoping to see,” Mayor Jenkins bellowed as he hurried over, a bundle of papers clutched under one arm. I suppressed an eye roll as he butchered my name yet again.
“Morning, Mayor,” Alexander greeted him politely. “What can we do for you today?”
The mayor launched into one of his lengthy rambles, this time about some town ordinance he wanted to discuss, sprinkledliberally with anecdotes about Pebble Point’s many quirks. I tried to listen attentively, nodding politely whenever Mayor Jenkins paused for breath in his excited spiel, but my gaze drifted back to Alexander.
The warm morning sun brought out glints of silver in his artfully tousled hair, and I found myself admiring the distinguished sprinkle of gray at his temples. The way the sunlight illuminated his face made the delicate crinkles at the corners of his eyes seem to dance when he smiled. His blue eyes crinkled slightly in amusement as Mayor Jenkins gesticulated enthusiastically.
I had always thought Alexander had a friendly smile, but seeing it now, with the sun catching his expression, made my heart skip a beat. Get it together, I scolded myself, forcing my attention back to the Mayor’s rambling monologue about historic preservation and plans for a new covered bridge on the outskirts of town. But try as I might to focus, my eyes were continually drawn back to Alexander’s face like a magnet I couldn’t resist.
This encounter was the perfect example of Pebble Point’s charm - warm and friendly people but with a tendency to get easily sidetracked. As the mayor prattled on, I shared an amused look with Alexander, our wordless communication speaking volumes. I felt this “quick break” would become a much longer detour, but I didn’t mind. Any extra time with Alexander sounded good, even if it came with a healthy dose of small-town hijinks.
Before too long, we were rescued by an eagle-eyed Clara, so we made our excuses to the Mayor, and escaped back to the safety of the office and conference room beyond. I let out a small sigh of relief once we were behind closed doors, the cozy space a welcome respite from the Mayor’s rambling tales. Alexandergave me a knowing look, one eyebrow quirked in amusement. “Well, that was...informative,” he said wryly.
I chuckled. “That’s one word for it. I don’t think we’ll be getting much work done today with all these interruptions.”
Alexander smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “No matter. I’m sure we can find ways to occupy our time.” His voice dropped an octave lower on those last words, and I felt a spark of electricity jolt through me. Focus, I scolded myself, even as my traitorous heart skipped a beat.
I kept myself occupied by organizing the paperwork on the table, hoping that the rising blush on my cheeks had gone unnoticed by Alexander. Reminding myself that he was a consummate professional, I dismissed the idea that there might be any additional warmth in his tone. It had to be wishful thinking. With a concerted effort, I redirected my thoughts to the task at hand, determined to power through our agenda despite the charming distractions of the small town.
However, no matter how hard I tried to concentrate, my gaze was incessantly drawn back to Alexander’s face, like a magnetic force I couldn’t resist.
The sudden sound of a knock at the conference room door jolted me from my thoughts. I quickly busied myself shuffling papers as the door opened and Lucia entered.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said briskly, though I noticed a hint of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I just need Alexander to sign these publishing contracts before they go out today.”
Alexander nodded and reached for the papers, the consummate professional as always. But as Lucia handed them over, her gaze flicked between us, no doubt noticing the charged energy still lingering in the room. I felt my cheeks grow warm and busied myself organizing my notebook, avoiding eye contact.
Lucia let out a small, awkward cough. “Well, I’ll leave you two to it then,” she said after Alexander had scribbled his signature on the documents. As she turned to leave, I thought I saw the ghost of a knowing smile cross her face.
After she had gone, an awkward silence descended. I snuck a glance at Alexander, but his expression gave nothing away. I wondered if I had imagined the extra warmth in his tone earlier. Perhaps it was just wishful thinking brought on by too little sleep and too much small town charm.
I was grateful when Alexander smoothly picked up our previous conversation about marketing plans, breaking the tension. As we talked about business, I felt myself relax. This - discussing books and stories - was familiar ground. No matter what complications might linger beneath the surface, Alexander and I shared a passion for the written word. That was something I could hold on to.
The awkward moment had passed by the time we wrapped up our meeting. Alexander gave me a warm smile as we gathered our things. “I think that was a very productive session,” he said. “You have an instinct for this work, Etta. I’m glad you’re part of the team here.”
I smiled back, hoping my expression didn’t reveal the somersault my heart did at his praise. “Thanks, Alexander. That means a lot coming from you.”
I glanced at the clock, surprised to see it was nearly 8 pm. The day he had flown by in a blur of brainstorming and laughter. Alexander noticed the time, too, and leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m famished,” he said. “Why don’t we call it a day and get some dinner?”
My stomach rumbled in agreement. I’d been so focused I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.
