Page 13 of Librarian for the Jock

Chapter Thirteen

PAIGE

It had been a slow library day, like most Mondays, so I was shocked to see Brandon and Jenny rush in after school and head straight to the computers, excitedly chattering. I had to shush them as a few patrons looked up from their tasks.

Brandon and Jenny rarely shared common interests these days, so my curiosity got the best of me. I headed over to them to see what they were up to. They were hovering over one computer, clearly excited about something. As I got closer, I saw Chet’s picture on the screen. What were they doing? My steps quickened.

“Why are you looking up stuff about Chet?” I asked.

Brandon shook his head, and Jenny chimed in, “It’s not rude, Mommy. He’s famous, so he’s already on the web. Plus, Chet told us last night at dinner what we would find, "We want to see the paparazzi pictures ourselves.”

Now I was curious and wanted to see too.

"Let’s look up that time Chet tried to walk his dog incognito first," Brandon suggested, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. “What was the title of that article?”

Jenny whispered, “I think it was something like, ‘Football Star’s Failed Disguise.’”

The three of us grew quiet as Brandon typed in the search bar. Up popped a picture of Chet wearing a fake mustache and sunglasses, trying to walk a tiny dog. The headline read, "Football Star’s Hilarious Disguise Fails to Fool Anyone." We all started laughing softly.

Ms. Smith, shelving books nearby, came over, curious to know what was so funny.

“Oh my gosh, look at that mustache!” Jenny exclaimed, giggling. “It looks like something from a costume store. It’s so ugly and fake!”

I laughed, gasping to catch my breath and trying to keep my voice down. "He really went all out, didn’t he? I can’t believe he thought that would work!"

Ms. Smith, adjusting her reading glasses, moved in closer for a better look. “Is that my dear Chet? I have fond memories of him coming in every summer with his grandmother. I don’t understand—what is he doing?”

Brandon chuckled. “Yup! It’s Chet. He should’ve known better. With a body like that, that mustache wasn’t fooling anyone. He looks huge next to that dog. Whose dog was it anyway?”

“I think he said it was his neighbor’s dog. True, he should have known better,” I said, still smiling. “But you have to give him credit for trying. I bet he was just desperate for a bit of peace and quiet.”

I turned to Ms. Smith and explained, “Chet told us the main reason he came back to our little town was to get away from the paparazzi. I didn’t realize it was this bad until now.”

We found a few more pictures of Chet in that terrible mustache. It was so bad. We laughed at every picture.

Jenny was still giggling. “I gotta ask him why he chose that mustache instead of a more real-looking one.”

She clicked on another link, finding a video clip of Chet being swarmed by paparazzi while trying to leave a coffee shop. Chet was polite but clearly frustrated as he navigated through the crowd.

“Look at him, he’s so patient,” Jenny observed. “I would be so annoyed if I had to deal with that every day.”

“It takes a lot of composure to handle that kind of attention,” I agreed. “It’s a tough part of his job.”

“I can only imagine. You know me—I rarely left the library before, and even after retirement, I prefer to be here where it’s quiet. I’ve never liked attention or crowds,” Ms. Smith said softly, then shuddered.

“I get why he wanted to come here for some peace,” Brandon added. “No one in Hawthorn is going to chase him around with cameras.”

“Exactly,” I said. “It’s nice for him to have a place where he can relax and be himself without all the pressure.”

Jenny found another article, this one about a charity event where Chet dressed up as a superhero to visit a children’s hospital. This costume was appropriate, and he looked amazing in it. You could see the definition of all his muscles. I couldn’t help but admire how good he looked, though I kept my thoughts to myself. We watched another video clip of Chet in a cape and mask entertaining the kids and bringing smiles to their faces.

“Wow, Chet is really sweet,” Jenny said, her voice filled with admiration. “Look at how happy those kids are.”

“He does have a good heart,” I said, feeling a warm sense of pride. “It’s nice to see that side of him, beyond the football star image.”

“Yeah, he’s definitely more than just a celebrity,” Brandon agreed. “I hope we get to see more of him while he’s here.”

“Me too,” I said softly. “He seems to enjoy being here, and it’s good for all of us to reconnect. Plus, it’s fun hearing all these stories and seeing this side of him.”

Ms. Smith took another look at the screen. “That’s the little boy I remember! He was such a good, kind little one. Anyway, I better get back to shelving—these books won’t shelve themselves,” she said as she slowly walked back to her book cart.

We explored more stories and videos about Chet for a few more minutes. I found myself feeling a deeper appreciation for Chet growing within me. It was nice to see my children in awe of a man not just for his career but for being a good person. I had almost forgotten that I was still at work, so I hurried back to the circulation desk.

Just as I reached to grab a stack of books to check back in, April sashayed into the library and came straight up to me. She seemed especially excited today, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and mischief.

She leaned onto the counter. “Hi, my beautiful librarian friend.”

April always knew how to make me smile. “Hi, my gorgeous friend. What’s the latest news in Hawthorn Hideaway?”

“Guess who I just finished interviewing?”

I picked up the top book on the stack and glanced at April, raising an eyebrow. “Hmm, let me guess—the mayor?”

April shook her head, grinning. “Nope, even better. Chet Bennett—the professional football player and your new neighbor.”

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Chet. She had my full attention now, though I tried to sound uninterested. “Really? What did you talk about?”

April knew me too well and wasn’t about to fall for my fake disinterest. “I knew this news would perk you up. Oh my goodness, Paige, he is such a nice guy! You wouldn’t even know how famous he is just by chatting with him. He’s so down-to-earth and easy to talk to.”

Was she talking about the same guy I knew? Chet always seemed to be at a loss for words when it was just the two of us.

“We talked about everything—his career, what it’s like playing football at that level, and why he’s back in our little town.”

I finally found my voice. “Yeah, he told us at dinner last night that he was here for some peace and quiet. He wanted to get away from the paparazzi and all the craziness that comes with fame.”

“Oh! Dinner with Chet is news to me! Tell me more!”

I quickly filled her in about dinner with my family the night before. “Okay, now back to your interview.”

“Girl, sounds like some good stuff is cooking in your love life.”

“Stop it. What else did you guys talk about?” I asked, going back to scanning books since she was happily dragging out this conversation and I needed to get things done.

“Yes, he also told me that he needed a break from the craziness of his life, but that’s not the interesting part,” she said, leaning in as if sharing a secret.

“What’s the interesting part?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

April’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “He mentioned something about reconnecting with old friends and making amends for some childhood mishaps. Apparently, he’s on a bit of a personal mission while he’s here.”

My mind raced, trying to piece together what Chet might be up to. Could he be talking about the jewelry he and Brad lost when we were kids? The idea seemed far-fetched, but with Chet, maybe it was possible.

April continued, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “And here’s the real kicker—he’s been learning how to use a metal detector. He said he wants to help someone find something important that they lost a long time ago. Sounds like he’s really committed to this mission of his.”

I looked at her sharply and blinked in surprise, my heart pounding. “A metal detector? Really?”

April nodded, clearly enjoying my reaction. “Yep. He didn’t go into too much detail, but it sounds like he’s determined to make something right. Do you know what he could be looking for?”

I could hardly believe it. Could Chet really be thinking about finding my lost jewelry after all these years? The thought sent a rush of mixed emotions through me—hope, excitement, and a little bit of nervousness.

“I might have an idea, but I don’t want to assume anything,” I said slowly, trying to keep my voice steady.

April gave me a curious look but didn’t push. She knew better than to pry information from me. “Well, whatever it is, it sounds like he’s serious about it. I have a strong suspicion it has to do with you, and I’m looking forward to the full story when he finds whatever he’s looking for. I’m going to hold off on publishing his interview until the end of summer to keep the paparazzi from realizing he’s here in Hawthorn with us.” She winked and walked away toward the computers.

I took a deep breath.My head was spinning. Could Chet really be looking for Grandma’s necklace? It had been so long now that I could hardly remember what her necklace even looked like. Would I recognize it if I saw it? I didn’t want to get my hopes up, so I did my best to forget my conversation with April and got back to work.