The Cherry Cola Book Club by Ashton Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

someone she thinks I might be interested in wanders into The Twinkle. She even takes pictures with her cell phone on the sly and sends them to me. The problem is, we don’t exactly have the same taste in men. After all, she’s almost forty, and I’ll be thirty in two years.”
    Miss Voncille arched her eyebrows and managed a wry smile. “You say that as if you don’t have most of your life ahead of you—although I will admit the pickings are slim here in Cherico.”
    Maura Beth felt the tension that had filled the room earlier quickly draining away now, and she decided to resume pursuit of her original mission. “Unfortunately, you’re right. By the way, I’d like to know what you thought of my Cherico Page Turners. Maybe you could join us? You’ve probably spotted the sign-up sheet by the front desk. I was thinking that with all these tempers flaring in ‘Who’s Who?’ maybe you could give genealogy a rest for a while and try something a little different while everyone cools off.”
    Miss Voncille closed her eyes for a brief second trying to remember. “Books and potluck? Was that the gist of it?”
    â€œEssentially. But we thought we would concentrate on Southern female writers in the beginning and maybe bond with each other in the process.”
    â€œI don’t know if that sort of gaggle would work out for me. I’m used to running the entire show.”
    â€œThen what about this?” Maura Beth continued, not willing to let her wiggle off the hook so easily. “Weren’t you intrigued by what Mr. Linwood said to you? I mean, the part about asking you out. I’m sure it took us both by surprise.”
    â€œAt last . . . we get around to that.” Miss Voncille let the statement just sit there for a while before moving on. “The truth is, I’m flattered. I had no idea he was thinking along those lines. He was always a man of few words, holding his wife’s hand the way he did and letting her do all the talking. As for myself, I’ve blocked out contemplating male companionship over the years. That’s what lack of closure will do for you.”
    â€œIt’s very fortuitous that you’ve brought up the concept of closure,” Maura Beth explained, deciding not to beat around the bush any longer. “Even if I mean closure in an entirely different context.” Then she told Miss Voncille everything she had also shared with Connie McShay about the disquieting ultimatum from the City Council. “I realize you have other options besides holding your meetings here, but I wanted you to know what could possibly happen in just a few short months. Does Cherico really want to be without a library?”
    Miss Voncille looked and sounded distressed. “I’ve never cared for the current crop over there at City Hall. Actually, the only one that matters is our very own banana republic hotshot, Durden Sparks. You’re originally from Louisiana, aren’t you?”
    Maura Beth said she was.
    â€œWell, Durden fits the Huey Long model of governance from down your way. Or maybe he’s more like Edwin Edwards was with those flashy good looks. I taught Durden in junior high, and he was so conceited and full of himself the way he’d stand up in front of his fellow history students and give an oral report that sounded like he was being nominated for President of the United States at a political convention. It was all I could do to keep from giving him an ‘A’ in Demagoguery. These days, of course, I can name you scores of silly women who vote for him time after time just because he makes them fantasize and swoon. Not me. My Frank wasn’t all that handsome, but he was brave and he stood for something. That’s my definition of a man.”
    â€œWell, then, there’s your incentive. Why don’t you sign up and show Councilman Sparks and his cronies that they just can’t do