“Great.” She cleared her throat. “A-A-any idea what she wants to discuss with me?”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s nothing serious. You know how Genevieve is. She loves to check in with people from time to time.”
The mayor did like to do that. Sara exhaled. She’d worked herself up, probably over nothing.
Gentry eyed her speculatively. “Sara, dear, are you dating anyone? I have a friend with a grandson right around your age. He’s smart. Handsome. A firefighter.”
Oh, good night. Was she going to spend the rest of her life dodging well-meaning matchmakers? She was tempted to invent a fake boyfriend so they would all leave her alone.
She gave Gentry a tight smile. “It’s nice of you to think of me, but I’m not interested in dating anyone.”
Before the secretary could argue, Sara went over to the window. Dark clouds hung in the sky, threatening rain. The weather matched her mood.
Gentry’s question made Sara think of Grant, who was the last person she wanted to think about. After baseball practice yesterday, he barely said five words in a row. When Sara mentioned she could get a ride back to her car from Rachel, Grant had bolted from the field so fast he’d left scorch marks in the grass. How could he go from being so nice to being…well, not nice?
She snorted, thinking of Rachel’s comments. Spark, my foot. Grant didn’t see her as anything more than a friend. His late best friend’s wife.
Grant probably had a date to get to, and that’s why he’d said goodbye in such a rush. Maybe with Harmony, come to think of it. The woman had been cheering during baseball practice as though her life depended on it, and as Sara had loaded the kids in her sister’s car, she’d spotted Grant and Harmony talking.
So this ridiculous attraction—no, she wouldn’t even call it that. It was a momentary lapse in judgment, and it would pass as quickly as it came. Sara wasn’t interested in Grant. Not in the least.
Harmony Phillips could have him.
Sara had enough problems on her plate. This morning was a prime example. It’d started off in a frantic rush because she’d woken up late. As a result, Ben missed the bus. Sara forgot to grab his lunch and had to return home, fetch it, and then drive all the way back to the school. The faucet in her bathroom sink was leaking like a sieve, and the knocking in her car engine was getting louder.
Arriving at the library hadn’t improved things. Some teenagers had gone through the mystery paperbacks and completely disorganized it, requiring a reshelving of the whole section. The coffee maker in the break room broke, so the Coloring and Coffee event was a complete disaster. Sara had rummaged up some iced tea, but she could tell the patrons were disappointed.
The mayor’s inner office door opened. Genevieve Stewart appeared. Short and plump, her graying hair was tucked into a bun at the nape of her neck. Genevieve had a passion for Hidden Hollows and a love for any social function. She waved Sara into the inner office and gestured for her to take a seat.
“I’m sorry to call you in on such short notice, Sara, but I’ve been speaking with some of the city council members about your Celebration of Reading events. I’m trying to gauge how the wind is blowing regarding the funding vote coming up next month.”
Sara’s mouth went dry. The funding vote would make or break the library. “And?”
“Many of them aren’t convinced you’re doing enough to turn the library around.” Genevieve pulled out a copy of the Celebration of Reading events flyer. She tapped a finger on the party at the end of September. “You need to think bigger when it comes to the final event. I’m talking about food, entertainment, the whole shebang. Make a splash.”
Sara nodded hollowly. There was barely enough money in the library’s bank account to keep the lights on and pay her employee. How on earth was she going to get entertainment and catering?
“I also believe cancelling any events would be unwise,” Genevieve continued. “I received your email about the after-school program.”
“Th-th-the—” Sara took a deep breath and willed herself to stop stuttering. “The woman I hired canceled on me this morning, and my assistant librarian is eight months pregnant. There’s no one to run it.”
Sara could assist the person, but she couldn’t run the program herself. As head librarian, she had to be available to help additional patrons.
The mayor nodded sympathetically. “It’s a rotten set of circumstances, but you need to find someone.”
There was no one. Sara had tried to recruit teachers from the school, she’d put an ad in the paper, and posted signs on the library doors. The applicants had been slim, and her best—and really only—acceptable one had quit before she’d even begun.
Sara’s hands trembled. She pressed them into the chair. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll find someone to take over the after-school program.”
The mayor rose, indicating the meeting was over. Sara followed suit, and somehow, her legs kept her upright.
Genevieve escorted her to the door. “I have faith in you, Sara. Your grandmother’s legacy is in good hands, and I know you can save it. Keep all the events, make a big party at the end, and I’ll do my part to convince the city council to continue funding the library.”
Sara was sure she responded with pleasantries, but for the life of her, couldn’t remember what they were. She stumbled out of the mayor’s office and into the overcast afternoon. Her heart was pounding. Panic welled up, and tears pricked the back of her eyes.
It always seems impossible until it’s done.
Nana’s favorite quote rippled through Sara’s mind. She drew in a deep breath and tamped down on the emotions threatening to spiral out of
