“Well, if you want me to speak, I’m sure I can come up with something to say.” Ms. Helen looked from Darius to Peyton. “What time do you want me there?”
Peyton felt a thrill of excitement. With Ms. Helen agreeing to be the speaker, everything was coming together. “We’re hoping to reserve the community center for seven to ten p.m., Saturday, January tenth. We haven’t confirmed the times yet, though.”
Ms. Helen nodded. “Let me know when the times are confirmed and if there’s anything in particular you want me to say.”
“Terrific.” Darius shot his cover model grin. “Thanks, Ms. Helen.”
“You’re welcome, dear.” Ms. Helen searched Darius’s features. “How are things going with your parents on the committee?”
“Peyton’s keeping them in line.” Darius covered Peyton’s left hand where it rested on the kitchen table. “It must be her years of experience as a teacher.”
“That ability to keep people in line does come in handy in a lot of situations.” Ms. Helen’s gaze dropped to Darius’s and Peyton’s hands before meeting Peyton’s eyes. “Yes, everything’s falling into place.”
Peyton saw the approval in the older woman’s dark eyes. Her cheeks heated with a blush. She hoped things were coming together. She was falling in love with the sexy and sensitive newspaper reporter. But did she have what it takes to hold on to the town’s most eligible bachelor?
Darius glanced at his watch as Peyton began the second community center fund-raising committee meeting the Thursday before Christmas. They’d gathered in the same town hall conference room. Everyone had arrived on time and had taken their same seats. With a little more luck, they’d conclude the meeting within the hour. He was anxious to spend some time alone with Peyton before she left for New York on Saturday.
Peyton was speaking when Darius tuned back in to the meeting. “Vaughn and Olivia, I think the registration acknowledgment letter you drafted is perfect. Does anyone have any comments?”
“I do.” Simon raised a hand. “I think everyone’s name should appear on the letter, not just yours and Darius’s.”
“Typically, it’s only the committee cochairs who sign the thank-you letters,” CeCe pointed out.
“I don’t care,” Simon countered. “We’re all doing work for this event. We should all get the credit.”
“Usually, the committee members are listed on the event’s program guide,” Olivia explained. The biology professor was dressed in faded blue jeans and a Cleveland Browns NFL team sweatshirt. Her short, brown hair was pulled back with a clip.
The last time the committee had met, the university was still in session. All of the professors had arrived to the meeting in business-casual slacks and sweaters. Now TFU was on Christmas break. Vaughn looked as though he hadn’t shaved since winter commencement almost a week ago.
However, Peyton didn’t appear to understand the definition of dressing down. She looked ready for the classroom in a pale purple sweater, dark blue corduroy slacks, and low-heeled black boots. Her explosion of copper curls bounced around her face. Sapphire earrings hung inches above her narrow shoulders.
“Well, who’s in charge of the program guide?” Simon frowned around the large conference table at the seven other members in attendance.
“That would be us, Simon.” Ethel gave her project partner a sarcastic look.
“Us?” Simon’s jaw dropped. “How do you know that?”
“Peyton sent an e-mail to everyone with detailed assignments two weeks ago.” Darius struggled to keep his impatience in check. “Did you get it?”
Simon dropped his gaze. “I haven’t read that e-mail yet.”
“Well, that explains why you don’t know what you’re doing.” Ethel gave her estranged husband a disgusted look.
Darius took a calming breath. “Do you have any updates for us?”
Simon shrugged. “I didn’t know what I was supposed to do.”
Ethel kissed her teeth. “Then you should have contacted Peyton.” She turned a smug expression to Darius, seated on Peyton’s right. “I’ve booked Wesley Hayes to be our disc jockey for the evening. I asked him to do it for free as a donation to the center, but he agreed to give us a discount instead.”
“We can pay Wesley his usual rate as part of the cost for the event,” Peyton rushed to reassure the other woman.
CeCe leaned forward on her chair. “Can you provide us with a budget update for the project? I’d like to make sure we’re not exceeding the money we’re bringing in from the business donations.”
Darius made a note of CeCe’s request. “We can do that.”
“Thank you.” The council member sat back on her seat.
Stan looked from CeCe to Darius. “CeCe and I met with the community center director. She put the fund-raiser on their calendar from seven to ten p.m., Saturday, January tenth.”