Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) (10 page)

The past three fairs had generated enough funds to purchase six new computers and two new printers for the library. She’d discovered many of the citizens couldn’t afford to have a computer and printer at home, much less pay for the internet service they would need to be in touch with the outside world. The local internet service provider was a homegrown company owned by one of the patriarchs of the community. Mr. Jorgenson generously donated free internet service to the library on an annual basis.

Using last year’s proceeds, the library’s board of trustees had approved the purchase of some new tables and chairs for the children’s area of the library along with updating the library’s collection of books, music recordings, and movies. The large print fiction and non-fiction collections also benefited from the additional funds generated at the fair.

This year the library board had agreed to designate all of the money collected toward a new energy-efficient heating and air-conditioning system. The local HVAC contractor, Sam Baker, had approached Robin and offered to install the new system at no charge if the library could cover the wholesale cost of the equipment. After researching the issue in depth, Robin felt this updated system would save the city a lot of money on the monthly utility bills for electricity and gas.

Since many Bonita Creek residents couldn’t afford air-conditioning for their small homes, they used the library often on hot summer afternoons and evenings. She considered the library to be a sort of respite away from it all for the library’s patrons, and she was committed to making the library as comfortable as possible.

She spent many hours of her own time searching for ways to reduce the cost of the climate-control equipment. She’d applied for several grants through government programs, municipal utility energy-saving programs, and a national green energy foundation which acted as a benefactor of non-profit organizations who try to reduce energy usage in their facilities. With the money the library had been awarded through these endeavors, Robin had cut the estimated cost of the new equipment almost in half. Hopefully the community would come through with the rest of the funds needed to accomplish their goal.

The ‘gently’ used books collected at the ‘Town Books’ booth at the Storybook Fair were later organized by the Bonita Creek Library Boosters and sold through the quaint, well-organized bookstore they had set up in one of the small conference rooms in the library building. The funds raised through this venture were used to purchase books and media materials for the collection and to provide prizes for the summer reading program. The Boosters also hired local storytellers, puppeteers, and magicians to entertain the children at various gatherings throughout the summer months.

Soon Robin felt her thoughts detouring to her personal life. Her job was enriching, but she longed to have someone to share her empty days and nights. Her hopes of sharing them with Jeff Clarke were obviously not meant to be. She revisited the memory of his behavior at breakfast last Saturday morning, and she grew puzzled all over again. She scolded herself for overanalyzing other people, but it seemed like her guest had purposefully been a jerk to push her away.

What had accounted for this man’s sudden change in temperament? It baffled and dismayed Robin. Maybe she’d read too much into their initial interlude. Her old friend, self doubt, crept in and reminded her she probably just wasn’t attractive or sophisticated enough for his big city tastes. If he was dating Susan Stinson, he was looking for a certain level of physical attractiveness Robin admittedly would never attain. Realizing she wasn’t going to be able to get her mind back on the fundraiser for the time being, she closed up her folder and laptop and decided to spend time reading and praying before retiring for the night.

~*~

Since even simple fare such as scrambled eggs and bacon tested Jeff’s meager cooking skills, he resorted to heating up a frozen microwave dinner from the health food store. Although usually one of his favorites, tonight’s organic tangy Thai chicken with rice entrée was unsavory at vest. His bitterness toward his recent choices was palatable in each bite.

He’d been enjoying a variety of songs on the local ‘oldies’ radio station. Hearing a singer mention girls with broken hearts in the song currently playing, his head snapped up with realization. Without a touch of arrogance, he realized he was guilty of wounding Robin’s pride a few mornings ago. “She’s probably still ticked off at me.” He wondered if she was sitting home thinking about his bad behavior. “You give yourself too much credit, Clarke. Robin Bennett hasn’t spent another second of her time thinking about you.”

Had his rejection of her offer of friendship and kindness caused her pain? Disappointment in his actions washed over him yet again and destroyed what remained of his appetite. He dropped his fork onto his plate in disgust and sighed heavily.

Robin Bennett probably had lots of guys asking her out. He seriously doubted she’d have any room in her life for a loser like him. He searched his mind to accurately recall their first conversation on the front porch. He pictured the brunette’s expression when she confided in him she no longer accepted dates after a long string of unfulfilling relationships. He felt a stinging pang of guilt when he recalled how she had poignantly described her past relationships with men as ‘sorrowful and dead end.’

Surprisingly, she had confided to him about her ‘overabundance of tragic fate’ in her romantic relationships. Then he had unwittingly encouraged and supported her self-fulfilling prophecy by his rude manners and unkind efforts to turn her away.

He realized it would be impossible to get the pretty brunette out of his mind because he didn’t want to lose his connection to her. She seemed to have the traits he’d always admired in women. From what little he knew, she was kind, compassionate, loving, intelligent, talented, and pleasant.

He knew he wouldn’t want to live with himself if he didn’t attempt to correct his mistakes where Robin Bennett was concerned, and try to repair any damage he might’ve done.

The evening evolved into a time of reflection and goal-setting for Jeff. He returned to his den, turned off the stereo and dragged out the files Mr. Bauer had provided. With the tight deadline imposed by the City Manager, there was no use postponing his tasks. He began analyzing the financial records regarding the Bonita Creek Library and lost himself in numbers for more than three hours.

He was shocked to learn how little Robin was paid for working as a professional with a specialized and required Master’s Degree. Her salary was just a small portion of the annual operating budget for the library. Unless her insurance coverage was documented on another financial document, she had no health, dental, vision or life insurance coverage through the city.

Did she have to pay for her healthcare out of her pocket? This was a travesty in his opinion as he quickly jotted down a note to look into this matter further. There were no other payroll expenses listed on the statements. Was she running the entire operation by herself? He added this item to his list of things to investigate.

As he continued to study the financial statements, he learned the largest portion of the library’s budget was designated specifically for the repair and upkeep of the century-old library building. The recent renovation Robin had mentioned included a new roof and exterior paint job for which the costs were substantial. The property taxes on the building also made up a large percentage of the budget. The utilities were costly due to the ancient heating and air-conditioning system and energy-draining interior and exterior lighting for the building. The plumbing and electrical systems were probably century-old also.

The water bill expense seemed high, but antiquated plumbing would account for high water usage for the restrooms and landscape irrigation. Water was a valuable commodity in California. Jeff ticked off notes about these expenses for further investigation.

The janitorial services and landscape maintenance expenses were minuscule when compared to the other costs involved in the building’s operation. He noticed no expenses for the purchase of books, magazines, newspapers, or movies were itemized on the balance sheet. Why were people visiting the library if there was nothing new to read or borrow?

He assumed the library had internet service, but it wasn’t listed on the accounting sheets either.  It seemed strange to him there were no ‘miscellaneous’ expenses listed such as prizes for the children or programs for the families to attend. He was certain he’d seen an advertisement flyer hanging up somewhere in town announcing the library’s summer reading program including scheduled puppet shows, magicians, and storytellers. He added these inconsistencies to his list.

He vaguely remembered hearing the waitress at the La Reyna Café mention some sort of book fair to Susan. Jorie said the fair was a big annual fundraiser for the library. Was the community raising the majority of the funds for the library’s operations? He jotted down what he remembered about Jorie’s conversation for future reference.

After his first review of the financial records, it appeared the library was a low-budget operation. How were the areas of collection development, internet services, prizes, and programs being paid for if not by the city of Bonita Creek?  He realized the daunting task which lay in front of him because he wasn’t familiar with even the most basic facts regarding the library’s operation. Too bad he couldn’t discuss the matter with the one person who knew
everything
about the library—Robin. He smiled as he remembered how she seemed to enjoy telling him about her job and the role the library played in this community.

Jeff had a lot of investigating to do to uncover the information to properly prepare his report. He needed a strategy to obtain the facts and figures he needed without asking Robin directly. It occurred to him the barber shop may be a good place to put his finger directly on the pulse of this small community. His hair
was
a bit shaggy, so he would go for a haircut tomorrow and network with the men of Bonita Creek without being too obvious about his objectives. Perhaps he could gather some answers to aid him in his investigation. Plans made, he closed up the files and turned in early with the hope tonight he’d be able to get some sleep.

Chapter 12

Robin felt invigorated when she awoke on Tuesday morning
. “The library is reopening today!” She threw on a lightweight cotton robe and comfortable slippers and went out to the kitchen to brew some tea and eat a light breakfast. She noticed many birds flitting around in her back garden. They were chattering between their stops at her many bird feeders and dips in the birdbaths. Their songs and antics never failed to raise her spirits.

She chose to wear her most comfortable print top and denim skirt on this first day back at the library. She added a pair of pearl earrings set in gold she’d received as a college graduation gift. As she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, she was pleased to see a well-groomed, well-rested woman smiling back at her. She gathered her briefcase, laptop, and lunch bag and headed off to the library.

She enjoyed walking to work when the weather was cooperative. It gave her some much-needed exercise and allowed her to pause and enjoy nature before spending her day indoors. She locked her cottage door and began walking briskly toward her destination. Once again, she was struck by the beauty of this springtime morning. The air was crisp and cool with a vivid blue sky above. With a heartfelt sigh, she felt a sense of peace.

~*~

Jeff experienced yet another sleepless night because he’d been unable to clear his mind. The columns of expenses on the financial statements for the library simply didn’t make sense. Normally reviewing financial statements was a cinch for him. He’d always been a linear thinker and numbers and charts made complete sense to him. Even though he had a deep background of education and experience behind him, he had so many concerns about the Bonita Creek financial statements he hardly knew where to begin. To successfully accomplish this consulting assignment he needed to remove his personal feelings from the situation.

He stretched, drank some juice, and headed out into the beautiful spring morning for his daily run. He decided not to run on the trail in the hills today. Instead, he’d run around the neighborhood for forty-five minutes or so. The gardens were picture perfect, and there would be little traffic at this time. He headed up the street and picked up his pace as he rounded the corner to run up to the next block. His plan was to loop around each block until he had run for twenty to twenty-five minutes, and then he would turn around and retrace his steps.

As he turned the next corner, he discovered he was running straight toward Robin. Her expression turned from a smile to a frown when she saw him. She quickly looked down at the sidewalk as their paths crossed. His feelings of inadequacy came rushing to the surface.
You’re such a loser, Clarke!
He considered shouting a greeting or at least waving, but chose the safety and security of running past her in silence instead. His neck burned hotly at the memory of his cowardly actions and how he’d treated her on Saturday.

Jeff managed to finish his run and return home for a quick breakfast and shower before venturing to the town’s only barber shop for a trim and a healthy dose of local male gossip. He walked to the downtown square a few blocks away from his rental. Bernie’s Barber Shoppe appeared to have been built at least a century earlier, but the interior included new sinks, counters, mirrors and plenty of chairs. All of the waiting area chairs were filled with coffee-drinking locals, while the lone barber’s chair was vacant.

Bernie welcomed Jeff with a warm handshake as the two men exchanged names. It was apparent any conversations held in the barber shop were going to be shared with all present. The other men volunteered their names while greeting Jeff.

As he sat down in the barber’s chair, Bernie wrapped his neck with soft tissue paper before draping a cotton cape on his shoulders. “How much would you like me to trim off today?”

“About a quarter of an inch all around would be great.”

“You got it. So, how do you like our little town in the mountains?”

Attempting to sound enthusiastic, he replied, “The people are friendly and the scenery can’t be beat. I think I’m going to like Bonita Creek just fine, thanks.”

Bernie smiled broadly, “I’ve lived here my entire life, and I’ve never visited anyplace else which tempted me to leave my good old hometown. What prompted you to move here? Do you work here in town?”

The accountant could see his secretive job assignment may not be easily concealed from the locals, and Jeff most definitely didn’t want to lie. As he gazed into the large mirror facing the barber’s chair, he could see the rest of the men were listening in on his conversation.

He answered warily, “The boss sent me here to scout out the territory, if you know what I mean.”

The barber and the other guys nodded as if they knew
exactly
what he meant. After a couple of minutes of silence one of the other men piped up, “What kind of work do you do?”

“I work with numbers, spreadsheets, that sort of thing,” Jeff responded stiffly. He wasn’t used to being evasive about his work.

To his great relief, the declaration apparently satisfied his audience because they soon began discussing sports, politics, and local gossip about Bonita Creek and its citizens. His breathing finally relaxed and his pounding heartbeat settled down until he heard one of the guys mention the library.

An older man who had introduced himself earlier as Dale said, “I hear the librarian’s planning a really special Storybook Fair this year. My grandkids love her more than they love the library—if it’s possible.” He chuckled at his own joke. “Dale Anne, Patricia, and Teddy are counting down the days to the fair. I have to start saving my pennies now so I can buy tickets for every booth for the whole bunch of them. It’s become a family tradition we all attend the event together. This year I’m even going to put ten dollars in the can and request a song from the band. Then I’ll ask my lovely bride of forty-two years to dance with me.”

Another local, Brian, mentioned his little ones loved to dress up in costumes at the fair. “My little Jimmy wants to be Peter Rabbit this year, and Cheryl wants to be Cinderella. My wife is trying to come up with something cute for the baby to wear. I suggested the baby could be one of Cinderella’s magic mice even though he’s not at all quiet. I sure hope the band plays more rock ’n roll this year. I don’t really go in for country and rockabilly music much.”

Bruce, a short fellow in a well-worn baseball cap broke in, “Well, Brian, you’re talking to the right guy because I’m playing drums in the Lions Club band again this year. Give me a list of songs you want to hear, and I’ll see what I can do for you. Just remember, it’ll cost you ten dollars for each song you request.”

“Thanks, Bruce. Ten dollars is a steep price for a song, but it all goes for a great cause. My wife loves to read, and she takes the kids to all the events sponsored by the library. The fair is loads of fun for the kids and adults alike. We wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

Dale added, “Miss Bennett sure has done a lot for this town. We wouldn’t even have those computers and printers or any new books if it weren’t for her quick thinking and hard work. I don’t think any of us realize how much of her leisure time she sacrifices to make things better for this community.”

Each man present considered Dale’s observations and voiced their mutual agreement. Not surprisingly, it sounded as if Robin Bennett was the key to the library’s success, not the Bonita Creek city government. Jeff was struggling not to ask questions which would make the others suspect he had an unusual interest in the library’s operation. He didn’t want to divulge his mission, so he decided to sit back and let the conversation unfold. These men obviously loved lively conversation, and he hoped they wouldn’t disappoint him.

“It’s my turn to mow the lawn at the library this week,” Brian said. “I’d like to plant some spring flowers around the front sign. I wonder if the nursery would donate a few flats of orange and yellow marigolds again this year. Those flowers brighten up the entrance so much.”

Dale chimed in, “If the nursery won’t donate spring flowers, Donna and I’ll pick up some flats for you. Maybe someone else will donate the autumn flowers.”

“Shirley and I will cover the cost of some mums for the fall,” volunteered Bruce.

“Miss Bennett loves flowers, and I know we’d all like to show her how much we appreciate what she’s done for this town,” added Brian.

George, a middle-aged man in a business suit added, “Miss Bennett doesn’t welcome public praise and recognition for a job well done, but I agree with you about putting out the flowers by the library sign. It’ll give her pleasure to see those flowers as she comes and goes from the library.”

This support for the library by the residents astonished Jeff. He suspected the overwhelming majority of the families wouldn’t be considered wealthy since Bonita Creek was known to be a working-person’s town. Yet these people gave what they could to support the library, all the while showing their appreciation for their dedicated librarian’s efforts in their behalf by doing special things to please her.

He was so impressed he nearly volunteered to help with the yard work on Saturday.  He was jolted back to reality when he remembered he was playing a role for Mr. Brownstein. He wasn’t an ordinary resident of the town who could volunteer at workdays. Jeff forcefully silenced his inner voices and continued to listen to the banter in the barber shop.

The door opened with a jingle as a sharply-dressed Pastor Andrew C. White entered the shop and shook hands with each man. He sauntered over to the barber’s chair and shook Jeff’s hand with gusto and welcomed him to Bonita Creek.

“It would be a pleasure to see you in church next Sunday morning, young man.  Services begin at nine o’clock sharp. We’re on the corner of Church Lane and Main Street, of course.” The pastor had a bright twinkle in his eye that shone with God’s love and his own inner joy.

Jeff simply nodded his head and wished someone else would pick up the conversation again. A few moments later the pastor began sharing news from the Bonita Creek Library Board of Trustees meeting held the evening before.

“Our Miss Bennett is truly an amazing woman. Did you know she applied for three grants for the new heating and air-conditioning system and was granted funds equaling almost half the wholesale cost of the equipment? Sam Baker offered to install the system free of charge if the library board would cover the cost of the new equipment. If the funds generated by this Storybook Fair match last year’s, we’ll be able to begin installing the new system early this summer. What a difference having a cool refuge will make to the citizens of this town. If this global warming issue continues to heat up as the scientists are predicting, pardon the pun, we’ll all be looking for a cool place to go in the summers. Yes, siree, we are truly blessed to have Miss Bennett as our town’s librarian.”

The other men applauded spontaneously at the end of the pastor’s barber shop sermon. Jeff could barely focus. He was impressed by Robin’s leadership skills and the creative ideas she used for the good of the library. All of these improvements were apparently accomplished without depending upon any financial support from the city government. He made a mental note to mention she deserved a sizeable raise and some health insurance benefits when he presented his report to the City Council.

“She sure is a nice gal and pretty, too. I’d like to see her find a good Christian man to marry and settle down with before too much more time passes. After all, she gives to everyone else in this town. She certainly deserves to be loved and cherished by a devoted husband. Not like what happened to her before.” Brian spoke openly from his heart.

“I sure do remember how lonesome I was before I met Shirley all those years ago,” Bruce said softly.

What did Brian mean when he said “what happened to her before”? Once again, Jeff felt like an idiot because of the way he had carelessly dismissed Robin from his life in order to follow his boss’s edict. He was feeling uncomfortable by this time and was relieved when Bernie’s voice broke into his thoughts. “How do you like it?” 

The barber handed Jeff a mirror and after a quick glance he told Bernie it looked just fine. The barber removed the cape and tissue and brushed off the accountant’s collar as Jeff reached for his wallet.

As he was exiting the shop, Pastor White’s loud baritone could be heard, “Hey, Jeff. You’re young and single and clean cut—why don’t you get to know Miss Bennett? Maybe you two would make a good match.”