Page 5 of Check You Out

“They benefit each other,” Mayor Harrington interrupts just as Johnny opens his mouth. “Like how you and Georgie benefit each other with your long-standing Chili Festival rivalry. People come from all over to eat at Johnny’s pizza and drink Little Bennett’s beer because they like to watch you two fight over who has the best chili. You’re helping each other generate business.”

Charlotte begins again, “Thank you, Mayor Harrington. As I was said before, Sunflower Books and the library benefit each other. We host author events, which boost sales and bring people into the library to sign up for cards. We host a monthly book club in this meeting room since there’s no other place in town that accommodates thirty plus people. The library also buys books from us at wholesale. The library and I work together to host those events, and I don’t have to pay to use this space. My profit margins are already very thin. I don’t think I can afford to find another space.”

Mayor Harrington nods. “This library is the de facto center of our town.”

Johnny bobs his head in earnest. “I’ll join this committee.” He holds up a fist. “For the Summer Reading Program.”

Nicole stands up beside Charlotte. “I’ll join too. Could be fun.”

Two gray-haired women, sitting in the middle of the chairs, stand. “We’re in!”

Charlotte looks around the room, her gaze traveling from person to person. “Anyone else want to join us? We could use all the help we can get.”

This is it. This is my opportunity to talk to her. To get to know her. Maybe I’ll finally get over my fear and ask her out on a date.

Mentally shelving my thoughts, I raise my hand, and squeak out, “I’ll join.” My elbow digs into Xander’s ribs, and he lets out a humph along with a low curse before raising his hand.

Charlotte’s face widens into a grin that radiates with warmth.

3

Charlotte

41 Days until the Council Meeting

“We’ve got a committee, now what?” Johnny asks.

The emergency town meeting ended only a few minutes after we formed the committee. We’ve arranged the chairs into a circle. I’m sitting next to the Lisas, the elderly couple, with Nicole is on my other side. Across from me in the circle is Aidan, flanked by Johnny and Xander. A notepad and pen rest on my lap that I borrowed from the librarians.

My gaze keeps shifting over to Aidan, trying to hide the obvious fact that I’m checking him out.

I groan inwardly at the thought of playing, “He loves me? He loves me not?” over the next six weeks. The last time I mentioned my crush to Nicole, she told me to, “grow a uterus and just ask him out already.”

Except how am I supposed to do that if I have no idea how he feels about me?

He’s polite, but based on my observations, he’s polite to everyone. He’s polite to the other customers, my employees, the baristas at Triple C.

Politeness doesn’t equal attraction.

I don’t want to make things awkward for the next six weeks, or risk losing a good customer.

I redirect my focus to Johnny. “You’re already on the Summerville Events Committee. With me.” My eyes narrow at him. “How do you not know what happens on a committee?”

He shrugs. “That’s been led by Mayor Harrinton, and she just tells me what to do.”

“Well, we need someone to tell us what to do,” says Nicole before gesturing toward me. “Why not you? You seem to know what you’re doing, and you’re on all the committees.”

I let out a low chuckle. “I’m not on all the committees.” Just the Chamber of Commerce and the Event Committee. Occasionally I go to the Beautification Committee. “I’ll do it if no one else does.”

No one volunteers.

Nicole raises her hand. “All those in favor of naming Charlotte as our fearless leader?”

“It’s called the Committee Chair,” corrects Lisa G.

“Whatever.” Everyone raises their hands. “First decision down,” Nicole declares with a grin.

Johnny crosses his arms again and his eyebrows form a deep groove. “So, we’ve got a committee and a chairperson. What do we do now?”