Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) (11 page)

Jeff felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room. Had Robin told the others about his abominable behavior over the weekend? He felt everyone’s eyes scrutinizing his reaction. It suddenly seemed overly stuffy in the barber shop. He felt his face flushing.

“Uh, well, I’m just in town for a few weeks. I have no plans of settling here in Bonita Creek . . . I, uh . . . I need to get going now. I’ve got a lot to do today.”

All the men chuckled at his obvious discomfort. “Well, you could do a lot worse than Bonita Creek. Think about it, though. Miss Bennett definitely is an extraordinary lady,” the pastor replied.

Jeff stomped through the shop’s door as quickly as was physically possible and gasped for fresh air outside. He jogged back toward his house before he completely lost control of his emotions. Once inside the rental he pounded his fists on the arms of his recliner in frustration. His initial impression about Robin had been accurate. She was beloved in this town, and he’d scorned her to complete a routine job assignment. His self-esteem was at an all-time low.

Deep inside, he wanted to run to the librarian to apologize and beg for a second chance. He wanted the chance to get to know her and possibly build a future together. Suddenly he envisioned them living happily ever after as husband and wife.
Hold on a minute now. Where did that thought come from?

He imagined them starting a family of their own. Jeff felt a smile cross his face as this vision for the future unfolded in front of his eyes. They could live in her little cottage until their babies started coming along. Then they’d move to a large house in Bonita Creek with enough bedrooms for their brood.
Stop thinking like this right now!

His breathing was finally slowing down as he was beginning to feel human again after the scene at the barber shop. Just then his cell phone chimed, and when he answered it he heard Mr. Brownstein’s voice booming through the line.
What does
he
want?
There was a knock on the front door, and Jeff looked over to see Susan Stinson peering through the small door window.
What does
she
want?

He definitely didn’t want to deal with his obnoxious boss or his overbearing neighbor any longer. He’d had his fill of the both of them. Jeff felt as if he were losing complete control over his life and destiny. Essentially, he felt like he was losing what little he had left of his mind.

Chapter 13

Robin was met by several families and older couples who wanted to return books
and check out new ones when she arrived at the library Tuesday morning. The residents of Bonita Creek had missed having their library open during the past two weeks. “Hi, Miss Bennett,” said numerous voices of all ages. She smiled, and asked for about ten minutes to get things unlocked and set up for the library patrons.

“Anything we can do to help you, Miss Bennett?” asked Kay Peters, one of her most involved library volunteers.

“No thank you, Mrs. Peters. I’ll be out in a few minutes to let you all inside.”

Robin smiled to herself as she unlocked the front door and made her way to her office inside the library building. She locked away her purse and put her lunch in a small refrigerator. As she turned on the lights and computers in the library, Robin felt as if she had come home. She loved the library and its patrons and was dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of others. The town’s devotion made all of her sacrifices worthwhile.

By the time she returned to the front door even more patrons were lined up on the front walkway. She greeted each man, woman, and child by name as they filed into the library. One family was thoughtful enough to bring her a glass vase filled with fresh-cut spring flowers from their home garden. Another family gave her a box filled with small loaves of home baked bread. A recent widow to whom Robin had delivered a fresh-cut garden bouquet yesterday gave her a couple of jars of homemade strawberry jam.

The librarian was nearly overcome with emotion at this outpouring of affection. Her emotions were close to the surface after the disappointment of the past few days involving Jeff Clarke and her run-in with Susan Stimson, and she was close to tears by the time she returned to the reference desk. She shook her head sadly while thinking,
At least someone appreciates me.

~*~

Jeff asked his boss to hang on while he answered the front door. He quickly told Susan he was on the telephone and would be with her in a moment. He closed the door because he’d intended for her to wait on the porch until he was finished with his call. She had other ideas because she shoved her way into the living room without an invitation and eagerly approached Jeff. She was wearing an unbecoming pout which aged her about ten years.

Privacy was now impossible during his conversation with his boss. Jeff was so stressed he couldn’t think of a way out of this awkward situation.

“Mr. Brownstein, I’m back on the line. I apologize for the interruption. What can I do for you?”

“How are things going out there? I haven’t heard from you and wondered what was happening?” Mr. Brownstein asked in his usual impatient tone of voice.

“I called you yesterday afternoon, sir,” Jeff clipped.

“Oh, well, so you did, but I’m worried about the situation out there. Are you following my advice and romancing some information out of the librarian? I’m not sure I can count on you to deliver an accurate, unbiased report to the Bonita Creek City Council.”

Remembering Susan was present and most assuredly listening to his every word, Jeff tried to reassure his boss in vague terms all would be well. Susan made her way over to Jeff and encircled his waist from behind with her long, slender arms. It seemed inappropriate to Jeff she was hugging him like this after only one date.

Jeff felt smothered and tried to gently shake off the beauty, but his efforts only caused her to embrace him more snuggly. She began nuzzling his neck and whispering into his free ear.

He was so uncomfortable and distracted he couldn’t concentrate on Mr. Brownstein’s dialog. He finally stopped talking to his boss, covered the telephone with his hand, and asked Susan to release him. This time his annoyed tone of voice revealed his frustration at the situation, and she released him clumsily. Instead of leaving the room, she proceeded to stand nearby and serve up a frosty glare directed at Jeff. She folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot impatiently.

Jeff finally convinced Mr. Brownstein to cease conversation to allow Jeff to get back to the job assignment. The moment he disconnected the call Susan reached her arms around his waist to hug him again.

“I simply couldn’t bear waiting until the weekend to see you again, darling,” she said breathlessly. He tried in vain to pry her roaming hands from his torso.

He hesitated, and then spoke to her as patiently as possible, “Did you want to speak to me about something?”

“I just needed to see you again. A week is an awfully long time for a girl to go without seeing her beau.”

Beau.
Beau? 
He was astounded by her choice of terms, but he didn’t feel emotionally up to challenging the model on the issue. She was a persistent aggressor who seemed to enjoy a game of pursuit.

“Listen, I’m really busy with a problem at work right now. How about if I visit you at your home after dinner this evening? I’ll buy a dessert at the bakery and we can talk and get to know each other better.”

“I’m not really a homebody, sweetums. You’ll learn I like going out on the town. Why don’t we go dancing at the Rusty Star Saloon? They have live music on Tuesday nights along with delicious cocktails. Oh, right, you don’t drink. Well, come pick me up at seven o’clock sharp tonight anyways. We’ll have a blast.” She bounded out the front door before he could even compose a response.

He slunk down into his chair and shook his head. He wondered if he ever be able to jump off of this merry-go-round his life had recently become. He was not only pursuing a job assignment he didn’t want, but he was being suckered into dating an overtly aggressive woman for whom he felt no affection. Worst of all was the matter of his feelings for Robin. He had to figure out a way to set things right with the one innocent party in the nightmare his life had become.

~*~

Robin’s day was productive. The enthusiasm of the library’s faithful patrons and volunteers buoyed her spirits. As she approached her cottage after closing up the library for the evening, she realized even though she’d spoken to Penny the evening before she longed to be comforted by her best friend’s voice.

Robin had received a postcard announcing the Garden at the Coast’s annual plant sale on the upcoming Saturday and Sunday. She decided to call Penny to invite her to drive over to the coast and attend the plant sale. Later they could shop in their favorite shops and art galleries in Fort Bragg and Mendocino.

“Hi, Penny. It’s me. Would you like to go over to the coast with me on Sunday after the early service? The Garden at the Coast is having its annual plant sale, and I thought I’d pack us a picnic. We’ll picnic, shop, and enjoy some cool ocean breezes and great scenery.”

“Sounds fantastic. I’d definitely rather go with you than do my chores and errands here.” Both women laughed. “Want me to drive?”

“No, the entire day will be my treat. I’ll meet you right after the service out at my car. Are there any foods you are currently not eating or desiring? If not, I’ll pack a picnic with lots of garden foods and maybe a few sweet goodies.”

“You know me; I’ll look forward to each tasty morsel in your picnic basket. I haven’t been to the Garden in a couple of years. It’ll be great to spend some time with you over there. Thanks for the invite.”

As she hung up the telephone Robin thought, not for the first time, how much she’d like to be able to share this type of outing with a special man. She suspected the sweet romance novels her teen and lady library patrons devoured in huge volumes mirrored real life in one sense. Life did take on another dimension when there was someone you love sharing each day by your side. She sighed sullenly and decided to change clothes and work in her own garden for an hour or so before she ate her dinner.

As she worked, Robin reviewed her accomplishments for the day. Since she had secured commitments from each of the sponsors of the booths at the Storybook Fair, now she could begin advertising in earnest. She’d designed a flyer on the computer using some photo images from last year’s event and had dropped it off at the printer’s office. The print shop owner was printing the color flyers free of charge as his contribution to the event.

She’d also received written confirmation of the grants she’d successfully obtained and had typed up the formal proposal for the library board to approve. Once they tallied up the funds generated at this year’s fair, she hoped they would have enough money to order the equipment and coordinate the installation dates with Sam Baker. With global warming bearing down on Bonita Creek like the rest of the world, this summer was certain to include some sweltering afternoons and evenings. The new air-conditioning system at the library would make a positive difference in so many lives.

~*~

Jeff decided to talk to Susan about his feelings, or lack thereof,
immediately
. It was imperative he tell her he absolutely, positively, definitely wouldn’t be dating her again. He barely made it to her porch when she spotted him through her window and ran to throw open her door.

“You couldn’t bear to be apart from me until later, could you? Come on in here, you.” She yanked him inside and backed him up against the wall. Her slender arms felt like the powerful tentacles of an octopus encircling his torso and squeezing the life out of his body and soul.

As he literally struggled to breathe he said, “I came over here to talk to you about something serious.”

“What is it, handsome?” she purred as she trailed kisses along his chin and neck.

“I need to be brutally honest with you. I’m not interested in a relationship with you. We’re not cut out to be a couple. We have absolutely
nothing
in common. Stop it, Susan. You’re smothering me. Please release me.”

She began laughing uncontrollably, but still didn’t loosen her hold on him. “Please release me sounds like an old love song playing on the radio. I just love your sense of humor.”

She just doesn’t get it
, he thought. He spoke more firmly this time. “Listen to me, please. I’m
not
interested in you. I don’t want to waste anymore of your time or mine. Please let go of me so I can get out of here.”

At his terse words she instantly dropped her arms to her sides as a dark shadow passed over her face and eyes. She was showing an unattractive side of herself. He braced himself for the impending eruption.

“Fine, if you don’t appreciate my exceptional beauty and upscale physical appeal, then good luck finding someone to date in this stupid little one-horse town. There’s no one here who’s even half as pretty and famous as me.” She virtually shoved him out the door and proceeded to slam the door hard enough to rattle the front windows of the house.

He wasn’t a teenager any longer with a need to compare his dating record with other guys. He was a grown man who knew he was ready to settle down with one special woman to raise their children together. He wasn’t interested in playing the field for the sake of fun.

Back in his rental, it took him about twenty minutes to settle down enough to concentrate. He went to his desk and began reviewing the financial statements and his handwritten notes once again. A plan and the strategies necessary to accomplish it were beginning to form in his head.  He felt confident with a lot of hard work and a little luck he could successfully implement the plan.

His goals were threefold. The first two goals were professional. First, he wanted Robin to be given a substantial pay raise and medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage just like the other full-time city employees. Secondly, he wanted the library to be recognized for the vital institution it was in Bonita Creek. This goal entailed getting the city council to increase the funding for the library so that residents of the community wouldn’t be carrying the burden of keeping the library functioning on their hard-working backs. They already paid all types of taxes to operate the city.

His third goal was purely personal. He wanted the chance to show Robin the kind of man he truly was. He possessed integrity and ambition, and his recent experiences in Bonita Creek had taught him the value of humility. He’d witnessed the power of a community working toward improving its infrastructure for the benefit of all involved.

He turned on his laptop and began composing his report for the City Council. The city manager had requested him to give a multi-media presentation at the council’s meeting next Tuesday in addition to presenting the mayor and council members with a written report of his findings. He worked steadily on the report for several hours. Once he’d saved the document on his hard drive and backed it up on a portable storage unit, he ran his fingers through his hair and yawned deeply. His stomach rumbled, and he realized he hadn’t eaten since lunch nearly twelve hours ago. He warmed up a can of soup and toasted some bread for a quick snack before turning in for the night.