you’re around, that’s for sure.”
She studied him. Considering that Blake liked things predictable and well-planned, she figured that his comment was not a compliment. Which bothered her for some reason. But she shrugged it off and turned toward the office, waving the petitions at him. “I’m going to file these with the rest. Watch the desk, okay?” Without waiting for a response, she disappeared into the back room.
Blake watched her go, trying to remember what it had been like before the human tornado named A.J. had swept into his life. It had been much quieter, no question about it. And more orderly. Not to mention organized.
In other words, he realized with a jolt, it had been dull.
And to his surprise, dull wasn’t nearly as appealing as it once had been.
“Okay, so we know the proposal has been presented by MacKenzie to the Board of Aldermen and the public hearing is scheduled for February 10. Is everyone planning to be there?” A.J. looked at her fellow merchants. Everyone was nodding assent. “Great. Now, let’s talk about our plan for the meeting.”
“I think we need a spokesperson for our group,” Joe said.
“Good idea,” Rose concurred. “I vote for you, A.J.”
A.J. looked at her in surprise. “But I’m the new kid on the block. It might be better if one of you represented the group.”
“But you’re Jo’s great niece, and she was the first one to come here. Now another generation is taking over. So you can speak for her and for yourself. I think you’re the perfect choice,” Steve replied.
“Steve is right,” George agreed. “Jo would be our leader if she was here. So you should speak for us.”
A.J. looked at the rest of the group. “How does everyone else feel about that? Carlos, Alene?”
“I’m fine with that,” Carlos said.
“Me, too,” chimed in Alene.
A.J. turned to Blake. He was still in the back, but at least he was sitting with the group this time. “Blake?”
“I agree with the consensus. I think you’d be great. And it would be a nice tribute to Jo.”
“Well, if you’re all sure…” A.J. looked down at her notes. “I think we need to have some residents speak, too.”
“I already spoke to Mark Sanders, one of my regulars,” Rose said. “He’s an attorney, lives a couple of blocks away. He said he’d speak on our behalf.”
“And I talked to Ellen Levine about it, too,” Steve offered. “She grew up here, and she feels passionately about preserving the character of the area. And she’s very grateful to people like us, who helped revitalize Maplewood. So she’s willing to speak.”
“A lot of people are planning to attend, too,” Alene offered.
“Great. It sounds like everything’s under control. If everyone will get me their petitions before the meeting, I’ll present them when I speak. Anything else?” No one spoke, and A.J. nodded. “Okay. T minus twenty-one days and counting. Keep your fingers crossed!”
“Excuse me, miss. Could you tell me if Liam is working today?”
A.J. glanced up from the cash register and smiled at the woman with cobalt-blue eyes who was standing on the other side of the counter. There was something familiar about her, but A.J. couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She appeared to be in her early-to-mid-fifties, and her long brown hair was pulled back into a single braid. A man with a nicely groomed salt-and-pepper beard stood behind her. It looked as if he could stand to lose a few pounds, but it was hard to tell because of their bulky winter coats.
“I’m sorry, there’s no one here by that name,” A.J. said. “Are you sure you have the right shop?”
“Jan, he doesn’t use that name anymore, remember?” the man said.
The woman looked sheepish. “I know. But I always think of him that way. It’s hard to…Liam!”
At the delighted look on her face, A.J. turned to follow her gaze. Blake stood in the doorway to the office. Shock was the only word to describe the
She studied him. Considering that Blake liked things predictable and well-planned, she figured that his comment was not a compliment. Which bothered her for some reason. But she shrugged it off and turned toward the office, waving the petitions at him. “I’m going to file these with the rest. Watch the desk, okay?” Without waiting for a response, she disappeared into the back room.
Blake watched her go, trying to remember what it had been like before the human tornado named A.J. had swept into his life. It had been much quieter, no question about it. And more orderly. Not to mention organized.
In other words, he realized with a jolt, it had been dull.
And to his surprise, dull wasn’t nearly as appealing as it once had been.
“Okay, so we know the proposal has been presented by MacKenzie to the Board of Aldermen and the public hearing is scheduled for February 10. Is everyone planning to be there?” A.J. looked at her fellow merchants. Everyone was nodding assent. “Great. Now, let’s talk about our plan for the meeting.”
“I think we need a spokesperson for our group,” Joe said.
“Good idea,” Rose concurred. “I vote for you, A.J.”
A.J. looked at her in surprise. “But I’m the new kid on the block. It might be better if one of you represented the group.”
“But you’re Jo’s great niece, and she was the first one to come here. Now another generation is taking over. So you can speak for her and for yourself. I think you’re the perfect choice,” Steve replied.
“Steve is right,” George agreed. “Jo would be our leader if she was here. So you should speak for us.”
A.J. looked at the rest of the group. “How does everyone else feel about that? Carlos, Alene?”
“I’m fine with that,” Carlos said.
“Me, too,” chimed in Alene.
A.J. turned to Blake. He was still in the back, but at least he was sitting with the group this time. “Blake?”
“I agree with the consensus. I think you’d be great. And it would be a nice tribute to Jo.”
“Well, if you’re all sure…” A.J. looked down at her notes. “I think we need to have some residents speak, too.”
“I already spoke to Mark Sanders, one of my regulars,” Rose said. “He’s an attorney, lives a couple of blocks away. He said he’d speak on our behalf.”
“And I talked to Ellen Levine about it, too,” Steve offered. “She grew up here, and she feels passionately about preserving the character of the area. And she’s very grateful to people like us, who helped revitalize Maplewood. So she’s willing to speak.”
“A lot of people are planning to attend, too,” Alene offered.
“Great. It sounds like everything’s under control. If everyone will get me their petitions before the meeting, I’ll present them when I speak. Anything else?” No one spoke, and A.J. nodded. “Okay. T minus twenty-one days and counting. Keep your fingers crossed!”
“Excuse me, miss. Could you tell me if Liam is working today?”
A.J. glanced up from the cash register and smiled at the woman with cobalt-blue eyes who was standing on the other side of the counter. There was something familiar about her, but A.J. couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She appeared to be in her early-to-mid-fifties, and her long brown hair was pulled back into a single braid. A man with a nicely groomed salt-and-pepper beard stood behind her. It looked as if he could stand to lose a few pounds, but it was hard to tell because of their bulky winter coats.
“I’m sorry, there’s no one here by that name,” A.J. said. “Are you sure you have the right shop?”
“Jan, he doesn’t use that name anymore, remember?” the man said.
The woman looked sheepish. “I know. But I always think of him that way. It’s hard to…Liam!”
At the delighted look on her face, A.J. turned to follow her gaze. Blake stood in the doorway to the office. Shock was the only word to describe the
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