Read Online The Cherry Cola Book Club by Ashton Lee - Free Book Online

. . . maybe we should consider going with something original instead of copying somebody else.”
    â€œBut you were the one that told me all about The Music City Page Turners.”
    â€œYes, I know. But if you’ll bear with me. Something happened recently that I just have to share with y’all.” She took a moment to gather her thoughts, obviously amused by what she was about to reveal.
    â€œOur daughter, Lindy, has been visiting us from Memphis with our little granddaughter, Melissa. We told Lindy we weren’t quite ready for visitors yet, but she wanted to come anyway. She said, ‘Melissa misses her Gigi and Paw.’ That’s what the little angel calls my husband, Douglas, and me. Anyway, she’s just eight, and she still has trouble with certain words—like Cherico, for instance. So after a few days, she said, ‘Gigi and Paw, I just love visitin’ with y’all here in Cherry Cola, Mis-’sippi! ’ We just thought it was the cutest thing ever. So I was wondering if we might consider calling ourselves The Cherry Cola Book Club instead of The Cherico Page Turners? What do you think?”
    Subdued oohing, ahhing, and nodding rippled through the half-circle, and it was Miss Voncille who spoke up first. “I like it. It gets my vote. Locke, you’ll go along with it, won’t you?”
    â€œWhatever you ladies prefer is fine with me,” he said, patting her hand. “I’m only here because of Sadie Hawkins sitting next to me.”
    â€œBut you didn’t say no to me, Locke Linwood!” Miss Voncille exclaimed, looking smug.
    Becca then offered her approval, and finally Maura Beth chimed in. “It’s highly original, if nothing else. And since I haven’t had any logos printed up yet, I don’t see why we can’t change our minds. Ladies’ prerogative, as they say.”
    All the women were chuckling or rolling their eyes, but it was Maura Beth who truly offered up the exclamation point. “As they also say—out of the mouths of babes. So, many thanks to your precious granddaughter, Connie. Looks like we’re now officially The Cherry Cola Book Club. Maybe the name alone will intrigue people enough to join.”
    â€œAnd we could add the cherry cola part to the menus,” Becca suggested. “I mean, nothing spruces up a soft drink like dropping a few ice cubes and cherries into a tumbler and then giving it a shake or a stir with a swizzle stick. Add a twist of lime, and you’ve got a cola to remember—especially in the summer heat.”
    Connie gave Becca a gentle nudge and chuckled softly. “That sounds marvelously refreshing, of course, but did anyone ever tell you that you talk like a recipe?”
    â€œI’d be in trouble if I didn’t, considering the thousands of shows I’ve produced!” Becca exclaimed. “Oh, yes, my Stout Fella says all the time that I’m very fluent in listing ingredients!”
    â€œWhat I want to know is how you keep that cute little figure of yours while hanging around the kitchen so much?” Connie continued. “Mine blew up on me years ago. My figure, not my kitchen, of course.”
    Everyone present enjoyed a good laugh, and Becca said, “No big secret. I do all the cooking, but Stout Fella does all the eating around our house. He’s gained about forty-five pounds since we got married ten years ago. I really should put him on a diet for his own good. Last time he went to the doctor, his cholesterol was up in the stratosphere. If I could just stop him from ‘islanding’ his ice cream, for starters.”
    Connie’s brow furrowed dramatically. “Islanding? You mean scooping?”
    â€œNo, I only wish he would scoop. It’s when Stout Fella hovers over a half gallon of ice cream with his big spoon. He starts digging around the edges where it’s softer, and then he keeps going around and around and