Robin's Reward (Bonita Creek Trilogy Book 1) (14 page)

Chapter 17

Robin slept soundly throughout the night on Sunday
and awakened feeling ready to conquer her immediate challenges. She had plenty on her mind with the City Council meeting the following evening and the Storybook Fair a few days later. She knew she needed to take some quiet time to prepare herself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually for Tuesday night’s meeting. She spent the better part of an hour praying and reflecting on her life. After eating a light breakfast, she stretched and took off on a thirty-minute brisk walk around town. The exercise helped to calm her nerves and gave her time to focus on the tasks at hand.

Monday and Tuesday flowed smoothly at the library. The children and their parents were eagerly anticipating the Storybook Fair and their enthusiasm was contagious. Robin chose not to discuss the city council meeting with anyone mostly because she remained genuinely bewildered by the entire matter.

Surprisingly, she was disciplined enough to hold her worry about the big meeting in abeyance until late Tuesday afternoon. By the time she closed the library and walked home, she was feeling the physical effects of her anxiety. Her neck muscles felt tense and she could feel her blood pressure was slightly elevated as it always was when she was under heavy stress and strain.

In an effort to calm her nerves, Robin audibly recited one of her favorite verses, “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” several times. This gentle reassurance brought her comfort. She ate a light dinner and changed into her most professional-looking suit in preparation for the public meeting.

~*~

When she arrived in the City Council chambers she was astonished to see the seating in the chambers was already filled to capacity. Many community members were standing around the edges of the room. Jorie and Penny waved to her from their seats in the middle of the room. Robin wondered once again how she would survive in life without these two loyal friends by her side during times of adversity. Many of the townspeople nodded and waved to her as she scanned the room. She was greeted warmly by church members and business people alike. Pastor White hugged her and whispered into her ear quietly, “We’re all praying for you, my dear.”

The city clerk, Sharilyn Phillips, quickly intercepted Robin and directed her to the front row of chairs in the spectator’s section of the chambers. Robin slid into a chair and stared uncomfortably at the front of the room. She was having a difficult time keeping her temper and emotions in check. Robin had appeared many times in front of the town’s city council, but never before had she felt this tense.

~*~

Promptly at seven o’clock, the mayor and the city council members filed into the room and took their assigned seats behind the podium up front. The meeting was called to order and the crowd rose for the Pledge of Allegiance.

At the podium, the city manager, Ben Bauer, began. “Our first call of business tonight regards the status of the Bonita Creek Public Library. We hired an independent consulting firm from back East to perform an unbiased, in-depth investigation and prepare a report regarding the library’s financial health. I’d like to introduce the consultant to you at this time. Representing Brownstein & Associates, I present Mr. Jeffery Clarke.”

As Jeff walked toward the front of the room there was an audible gasp from the audience.
So no one else knew about Jeff’s secret mission either.
Robin felt as if she was going to be physically ill, and she had difficulty catching her breath.
So that’s why the scumbag has been hanging around my cottage and the library since he moved to town
.
He was snooping on me, gathering information to use against me in front of the entire town. What can he possibly gain from besmirching my name in public? Lord, please calm my raging heart.

As he made his way to the front of the room, the tension in the room was palpable.

A man’s voice called out, “Jeff, what’s this all about? Why didn’t you tell us who you were and why you moved to Bonita Creek? Why all the secrecy and subterfuge? We trusted you.”

Apparently she wasn’t the only Bonita Creek citizen who felt jilted by the newcomer’s deception. Jeff didn’t respond or react to the inquisitor, but continued in silence as he walked up to the podium. He was dressed in navy blue wool dress slacks, a starched white shirt, blue and red necktie and charcoal gray jacket. He looked stylish and professional for this public speaking engagement.

Once he arrived at the microphone, Jeff cleared his throat and began speaking succinctly about the library’s financial records, volunteer programs, used bookstore, and other fundraising efforts. His voice was strong and confident, as if he’d spent many hours in front of an audience in the past. He’d prepared a well-documented and organized multi-media program with graphs and charts illustrating the Bonita Creek Library’s revenues and expenses. He paused to ask if anyone on the council had any questions about the first portion of the presentation.

“I have a comment I’d like to put on the record,” stated Denise Williams, a veteran school teacher and dedicated City Council member. “I am appalled to learn that our librarian is being paid such a paltry wage while receiving no insurance benefits whatsoever. This is a travesty and one which I hope my colleagues will rectify immediately.” Spontaneous applause from the audience lasted for a full two minutes before the mayor banged his gavel in a feeble effort to regain control of the meeting.

“Now listen here, people,” said the mayor as he scanned the room full of agitated people in front of him. “Let’s not put the cart in front of the horse, all right? Mr. Clarke has not yet finished his presentation. I think we owe it to him and Miss Bennett to hear the rest of his findings and recommendations. After he finishes his report, we will open up the floor to comments, questions, and suggestions from you good citizens of Bonita Creek.” The mayor turned toward the podium and said, “Please proceed, Mr. Clarke.”

Jeff began sharing with the council and audience about how the city didn’t support the maintenance and upkeep of the library building. He talked about the community member’s regular involvement in cleaning the interior of the building and maintaining the landscaping on the exterior. Remaining detached, he shared about the biannual workday, and he gave anecdotal evidence of other ways in which the community basically supported the mission of the library without funding from the city.

“I can’t speak for any of my fellow council members or our mayor, but I am seriously dismayed about the way our library is being treated by the city manager and his department. Something needs to be done about this situation immediately.” Denise Williams received a standing ovation from the spectators after her declaration.

Once things quieted down, Jeff swiftly moved on to the recommendations portion of his presentation. He presented a comparison of the salary packages other public librarians in the state were being paid. He informed the crowd he’d calculated Robin was being paid only about half as much as other public librarians with comparable education and experience working in the State of California.

Furthermore, he pointed out for all intents and purposes Robin was a library director because she was responsible for the full administration of the library and its programs. In his comparison of the salary and benefits packages of library administrators throughout the state, she was being paid a mere one-third for a comparable position. The crowd was quite verbal at this revelation, voicing their disappointment and shock by sighing, grumbling, and even booing out loud.

Jeff quickly recommended she be given a substantial pay raise to bring her pay up to the level of the other library directors in the state. Secondly, he suggested a benefit package for Robin which was comparable to the one received by every other Bonita Creek city employee. Next, he recommended the city council increase the city’s funding of the library’s expenses. He elaborated it should be the city government’s responsibility to fund the library’s mission in the community, not necessarily the library’s responsibility to fund itself.

He presented visual proof the town’s budget was tight, but showed how the town could afford to make these positive improvements to arguably the most important public institution in Bonita Creek next to its hospitals and schools. He summarized by saying the parks and recreation department had a huge surplus of funds sitting in a reserve account. The reserve account was so large it would take decades to deplete it if the money was used solely for the operation of the town’s few parks. He suggested a large portion of this reserve account be moved over to the library’s operating expenses account making better use of the town’s money.

~*~

At the close of the presentation there was rousing applause from the audience which evolved into another standing ovation and chanting “Save our library!” and “Fund our library!” At last, the meeting was called to order by the mayor. After a short discussion, Denise Williams moved to approve all elements of Jeff’s proposal as presented. Following a unanimous vote of the other council members, pandemonium broke out among the audience. Robin sat in her seat and choked back tears of joy and relief. Jorie and Penny quickly joined her and gave her warm hugs and offered words of congratulations.

The Bonita Creek residents in attendance were congratulating their librarian and shaking her hand for the next twenty minutes. Even the mayor had the good sense to step down to the main floor and tell Robin how sorry he was she’d been mistreated. Apparently, the mayor and the city council were as astonished as she to learn she was being compensated well below her value.

The city manager, Ben Bauer, remained seated up front. He looked strangely defeated and immensely disappointed. The mayor spoke briefly to Mr. Bauer before they stormed out of the chambers together.

During all of the commotion after the meeting was adjourned, Robin searched vigilantly for Jeff. She’d hoped to speak to him in an effort to clear the air between them. His previously strange behavior had become clear to her during his presentation. Now she understood why he’d given her the cold shoulder once she’d revealed to him she was the town’s librarian. Jeff was in Bonita Creek for a job and couldn’t be distracted from his task. He felt the need to distance himself from her. Now she knew the facts, she’d easily forgive him. To her dismay, the consultant was nowhere to be seen after the vote.

~*~

When she arrived at her cottage it was late. She was emotionally drained and physically exhausted after the meeting and all of its surprising revelations. She drank a pot of hot tea then took a warm bath. When she finally climbed into her bed, it was a couple of hours past her usual bedtime.

She lay wide awake, unable to sleep because her mind was busy trying to process what had happened this spring. Her thoughts floated back to earlier in the evening when she realized why Jeff had pushed her away upon learning she was the town’s librarian. It made so much sense now. He didn’t want their relationship to cause a conflict of interest with his job assignment. Did this mean they still had a chance to find love and happiness with each other?

She wanted a chance to be involved in this man’s life. She’d seen this evening just what kind of man he truly was, and she liked what she saw. He was honest, intelligent, hard-working, dedicated, and loyal and so much more. She giggled aloud when she admitted to herself she found him attractive.

Robin finally drifted off into a fitful sleep with many dark, dreary dreams. The next morning arrived all too soon and she arose to prepare for her busy day at the library. With a dull headache pounding at her temples, she completed her morning routine quickly and walked to the library. Since the City Council meeting had passed, she had to focus on finalizing the plans for one of the town’s premiere events this weekend. The Storybook Fair was only a few days away now.

As she approached the library she saw a colorful banner hanging from the front doors. “YOU ROCK, MISS BENNETT!” It had been signed by all of her teen volunteers. Two bouquets of colorful balloons were tied to the railings on either side of the staircase leading to the front doors. Tears of joy flooded Robin’s eyes as gratitude surged through her veins. She felt so blessed to have this dream job in her beloved hometown.

Chapter 18

The morning of the Storybook Fair was clear
with temperatures slightly warmer than usual. It held the promise of being a perfect day for more than one reason. Jeff was finished with his dreadful job assignment. He’d received rare praise and sincere appreciation from Mr. Brownstein. The firm’s owner was ecstatic when he learned the Bonita Creek City Council had unanimously approved Jeff’s recommendations.

He shook his head once more in surprise at the positive outcome of his investigation, report, and recommendations. Most importantly, though, today was the day he’d begin pursuing Robin in earnest. He hadn’t spoken to her since the meeting Tuesday evening, and he was anxious to share his feelings with her about exploring a possible future together. Spending time with Robin Bennett was the main reason he’d asked Mr. Brownstein for some vacation time before he flew back to Illinois. He needed some down time, and he wanted to spend it in Bonita Creek getting to know Robin better.

He’d committed to becoming immersed in this town and its culture, so he’d decided to dress up for the fair. He’d been an avid reader since childhood, and his all-time favorite storybook character had always been Tom Sawyer. Considered to be quite a rascal himself by his parents and teachers, Jeff had always admired Tom’s adventurous spirit and kindness toward others.

For his costume, Jeff purchased a pair of used denim overalls and a plaid cotton shirt at the local thrift shop. He found a straw hat and an inexpensive fishing rod at the local hardware store. A string of small rubber toy fishes tied to one of the loops on the leg of his overalls served as a humorous prop. Not wanting to walk around barefooted all day, he wore his hiking boots with thick wool socks.

He arrived early at the park to help set up for the fair. Unsure of how the townspeople would treat him after his presentation on Tuesday night, he was a bit nervous about joining in with the other volunteers. He needn’t have worried. When he arrived, he was surrounded by many volunteers and was greeted warmly with handshakes and slaps on his back. Those people he didn’t already know introduced themselves.

Some of the guys from the barber shop told him he had done a fine thing on Tuesday night, adding they were honored to have him as friend and maybe a permanent resident of the tight-knit community in the future. He pitched in where needed setting up tables, unloading supplies, and decorating booths. Later he was free to have some lunch and enjoy the fair for himself.

Although he’d searched for her when he arrived, he didn’t spot Robin until late morning. She was the homespun beauty wearing the pioneer dress complete with a pocketed apron and sun bonnet, which somehow seemed more appropriate on her than her normal modern dress. As he observed her speaking with children and adults throughout the day, he was once again admired her inner and outer beauty. Jeff didn’t connect with Robin during the fair by choice. He was committed to sticking to his plan. Slow and easy was his motto when it came to conquering Robin Bennett’s heart.

~*~

The fair was an overwhelming success judging by the attendance and the sounds of laughter floating through the park. The Lion’s Club band was actually quite good, and Jeff found himself requesting song after song until his one hundred dollars in cash were stuffed inside the donation can. No dance floor was set up, but several couples danced together in the grass fronting the stage.

He longed to share a casual dance with Robin, but he knew the time wasn’t right just yet. He had one more thing he wanted to do before his plan would unfold entirely. He’d wait patiently until the right time to speak to Robin. He felt the conversation should be held in private.

Jeff got a kick out of watching the youngsters run to and fro, excited about each booth and activity. The children’s costumes were varied and creative. He saw rabbits, princesses, cowboys, and even a red dog. Some of the older boys dressed as Robin Hood or the characters from another of Jeff’s old favorites,
Swiss Family Robinson
. There were a few pirates and even a little Tinkerbell accompanying a big brother dressed as Peter Pan. A few of the adults dressed up. He received compliments and comments on his costume. Most people guessed he was the main character of Mark Twain’s nineteenth century
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
. He chuckled at the memory of some of the children asking him if the fishes were real.

The crowd thinned when the band stopped playing, and he noticed many families stayed to clean up. While children of all ages gathered up trash, the merchants tore down their booths. Other volunteers, including Jeff, helped to load tables and chairs in a large trailer for delivery back to the library’s storage shed. Robin was busy gathering the cash boxes for storage in the library’s safe. Bruce and his wife escorted her back to the library to guarantee her safe arrival with the hard-earned funds.

When Jeff was certain his assistance was no longer needed, he walked home. It’d been such an enjoyable, relaxing day. His heart rate picked up as he thought of his plans for the rest of the evening. He hoped Robin was going straight home,
alone
, after her duties were finished for the evening. He had some unique chores he needed to complete before revealing the next step of his plan later on in the evening.

~*~

Robin was elated with the success of the Storybook Fair. Judging from the turnout, she felt certain enough funds had been raised to purchase the new heating and air-conditioning equipment. Most importantly, everyone seemed to have a grand time. She and the treasurer of the library board would count the money and prepare a full accounting on Monday morning. The City Council’s approval of the new budget was a true blessing, but it wouldn’t be put into place until the new fiscal year began in a few weeks on July first. It was possible they could have the new air-conditioning system installed as early as next week if they could pay their contractor in full for the equipment.

Her cheeks were aglow with excitement, and her heart felt the joy and satisfaction that came with the accomplishment of a major goal. She’d worn her Laura Ingalls Wilder outfit again this year. Her cousin made the entire ensemble for Robin a few years ago when the Storybook Fair began. Penny could envision, design, and sew anything when she set her mind to it. The blue and red calico dress and white cotton pocketed apron with matching sun bonnet were well-made. Robin felt like a true-life pioneer girl whenever she wore the outfit.

As she walked home after locking the cash boxes in the library’s safe, her mind wandered back to the happenings of the day. The children and their parents had gone all out on their costumes again this year. Although she hadn’t had a chance to speak to him in person, she’d caught sight of Jeff Clarke wearing his clever Tom Sawyer. Other volunteers had raved about his willingness to help them set up. Apparently, the community of Bonita Creek was as charmed by Jeff Clarke as she’d been.

As she entered her cottage, she loosened her sun bonnet’s tie strings. She set down her purse and bonnet on the dining room table. Then she took off her lace-up leather boots and thick wool socks and wandered barefooted into the kitchen. The cool tile floor felt so refreshing under her feet after being trapped in those boots all day long.

After pouring a tall glass of iced tea with lemon and mint for herself, she was just beginning to relax in her favorite living room chair when she heard a soft knock on her front door. The sunset had dimmed the natural light in the little mountain town. Not expecting anyone, she didn’t open the door until first checking to see who was there. As she peeked through the entryway’s window, she was startled to discover Jeff Clarke standing on her front porch. He was still dressed as Tom Sawyer.
What is he doing here?