Page 16 of Librarian for the Jock

Chapter Sixteen

CHET

I woke up the next morning to the sound of birds chirping outside my window. I stretched and took a moment to appreciate the peacefulness of Hawthorn Hideaway. I loved how this small town had a way of making everything feel simple and uncomplicated, a stark contrast to my usual high-octane life. The more time I spent away from the craziness of the city, the more I felt like I had always been a small-town kind of guy.

Eventually, I climbed out of bed and threw on my running clothes. I smiled as I thought about yesterday’s picnic with Paige and the kids. It was one for the books. The plan to blend in as a family and keep Rigs from recognizing me worked perfectly. I still couldn’t believe how well it had all come together. I felt like a normal person for the first time in years. I had forgotten what that felt like and really enjoyed being normal.

Ready to start my day, I stepped outside onto the porch, breathing in the fresh, cool air and admiring the beautiful morning sky. As I ran through the quiet streets, I noticed the townspeople going about their daily routines. Everyone knew everyone here, and the friendly nods and waves I received as I ran made me feel like I was truly becoming part of the community. Brandon joined me for a portion of my jog. He had been doing great with getting more active, improving every day. I was proud of him!

Early morning jogs had always been my favorite because I rarely had to deal with any paparazzi. They seemed to prefer the wildness of late-night shenanigans to getting up early to chase after guys like me.

After my jog, I worked in the garden for a while, which was in dire need of some attention. My grandparents had been avid gardeners, and I had been trying to keep the garden going in their honor. I found it therapeutic, and it kept my mind off Rigs and his relentless pursuit.

The garden had been so overgrown when I arrived in the spring that I decided to start most of it from scratch. I knew I had to keep the rose bushes, my Baba’s favorite. Baba had rose bushes all along her front fence and a bunch more scattered around her yard. I did my best to trim each bush using instructions I found in a video online.

Each rose bush was a bit of a battle, and I always walked away with fresh wounds, scratches up and down my arms, usually bleeding. No wonder Baba always wore long sleeves out here in the garden.

Why had my Baba chosen roses with thorns for her garden? All the roses I had ever bought for women didn’t have any thorns. Maybe Baba was trying to teach me a lesson, even from her grave.

I moved on to the section I had cleared last week so I could add some new plants and flowers. I was pretty sure none of these flowers had thorns, but suddenly I thought I’d better check. I had done my best to choose flowers I remembered from Baba’s garden, but I had to admit, I hadn’t paid much attention back then, so I’d done a lot of guessing.

Satisfied with what I’d accomplished in the garden, I took a quick shower before heading into town. I had a few errands to run, and being in town was always a good excuse to blend in with the locals.

My first stop was the hardware store. I needed a few supplies to fix a leaky faucet. As I browsed the aisles, Mr. Parker, the store owner, walked up to me with a knowing smile.

“Morning, Chet. How’s it going? Need any help finding something?” he asked.

“Morning, Mr. Parker. Just grabbing a few things for some home repairs,” I replied.

He nodded, his eyes twinkling. “Well, if you need any advice, just holler. And don’t worry about that pesky photographer. The town’s got your back.”

I smiled, grateful for the support. “Thanks, Mr. Parker. I appreciate it.”

I was really impressed that Paige, her kids, and April had already gotten the word out to the townsfolk. Rigs hadn’t been on my tail since I let them know, and I was grateful. I was hoping that at some point he’d give up and go home when he couldn’t find me again.

With my supplies in hand, I made my way to the next stop—the local bakery. They had the best pastries, a special treat Grandpa Joe and I used to pick up to surprise Baba, who loved their treats.

Baba would always act surprised when we brought her treats from the bakery, especially her favorite Danish custard pastry. Grandpa Joe and Baba always looked so sweet together, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes, always kissing and laughing. Even as a little boy, I knew I wanted that kind of love someday. I smiled at the memory as I looked into the bakery window now.

I felt like I deserved a special treat today after all my work in the garden, so I decided to go inside. As I entered, the warm aroma of freshly baked goods greeted me, making my mouth water in anticipation and my stomach grumble. Had I not eaten all day?

“Hey there, Chet!” Mrs. Lawson, the bakery owner, called out from behind the counter. “What can I get for you today?”

“Morning, Mrs. Lawson. Everything looks so delicious! This is my reward for spending so many hours in Baba’s garden this morning, and I haven’t eaten yet today. I’ll take two of those apple turnovers, two blueberry muffins, two Parmesan pretzels, two pepperoni calzones, one glazed donut, one chocolate cake donut, two chocolate milks, and a lemonade, please,” I said, my mouth already watering.

“My poor boy, you must be starving! Your grandmother’s garden was always so beautiful. I used to purposely take my walks past your grandparent’s home just to enjoy your grandmother’s beautiful flowers. Thank you for working on that. I really miss it. I’ll give you an old-fashioned chocolate donut from me. I remember how much you loved those when you were little.”

“Wow, you remember that?! I was trying to be grown-up and try different things. You’ve just made my day. Thank you, Mrs. Lawson, for the extra special treat!”

I suddenly thought I should get something for Paige and her kids too. “Mrs. Lawson, do you happen to know what Paige and her kids enjoy? I want to get them something to thank them for all their help.”

“Of course! I know what everyone in this town enjoys.” She winked at me. “Paige loves my butter croissants, but when she wants a special treat, she gets a Long John. Brandon always goes for the chocolate donut, and sweet Jenny still loves her pink-frosted donuts with sprinkles.”

“I’ll get one of each of their favorites, please.”

As she packed up my order, she leaned in and whispered, “We’ve got little surprises planned for our unwelcome guest. Just enjoy your day and leave him to us.”

I chuckled, shaking my head. “You guys are incredible. Thanks, Mrs. Lawson.”

After Mr. Parker and Mrs. Lawson’s comforting whispers, I was definitely curious about what they had planned for our friend, Rigs. I chuckled. I was positive that I was going to enjoy every minute of what was to come.

With my treats in hand, I decided to take a leisurely walk through the park as I headed to the library to surprise my fun pretend family. I looked at the time and realized the kids were still in school, so I decided to hang out in the park for a bit and enjoy my delicious bakery feast. I found a bench facing the lake and set up my meal next to me. My stomach was growling loudly, upset at me for taking so long to feed it.

As I sat there, savoring the peacefulness, I noticed a group of kids, too young for school, playing nearby under the watchful eye of parents and nannies. I recognized Lexi right away by her bouncing pigtails, and then I saw her mom, Olivia, who waved when she noticed me. I waved back. Everyone looked so happy and relaxed—it really was a beautiful day.

The kids’ laughter and energy were infectious, and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed spending time with Paige and her kids. They’d become a significant part of my life here, and I was grateful for their presence.

Just as I was about to lose myself in my thoughts, I spotted Rigs out of the corner of my eye. He was trying to be inconspicuous, but his attempt at blending in was laughable. He was crouched behind a park bench, his camera aimed right at me. I had no idea why anyone would be interested in seeing me sitting at the park eating pastries. Why couldn’t he just leave me alone?

Just then, I noticed Olivia pointing out Rigs to all the children. They spotted him, and, being their naturally curious selves, all headed over to him to see what he was doing. Two children went behind the bench and squatted next to him, trying to figure out what he was looking at. The other three children scrambled up onto the bench, standing over Rigs and peering down at him, blocking his perfect view of me. Then, they all started asking him questions in their loud, childish voices.

“What are you doing?”

“Are you playing hide and seek? Who are you hiding from? Can I play?”

“Why are you hiding behind a bench? You look funny.”

“Is that a camera? Can I try?”

“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before.”

Rigs, surprised and obviously not a kid guy, lost his composure first and then his balance, falling backward while cradling his camera to keep it safe.

“Oh! The man fell down!”

“Ha, ha, ha, ha! You fell down!”

“Be nice! You don’t like falling down!”

“Why did you fall down? You’re a grown-up, and grown-ups don’t fall down.”

“We should ask him if he’s okay.”

“What if he’s a bad guy? Then we don’t care if he’s okay.”

“We should always be nice to everyone. Plus, our mommies are watching us, so we’re safe from bad guys.”

They all turned to make sure their moms were still watching, which they were. They were smiling and laughing amongst themselves. I, too, couldn’t help but laugh aloud as I watched everything going on. This was the most entertainment I’d had in a long time. Boy, I loved these kids.

“Hey, Mr. With the Camera, are you okay?”

“Do you have an owie?”

“My mom has princess Band-Aids. Do you need one?”

“Can I try your camera? It’s so big! Why does it have a big nose?”

“Do you want to play with us?”

They had all gathered around him in a circle, staring at him as they continued to bombard him with questions. Rigs had a terrified look on his face as he hugged his camera close to him, trying to keep the children’s grubby little fingers off his precious camera. He scrambled to his feet, still at a loss for words, then quickly turned and jogged away.

The children chased after him, but only briefly.

“Where are you going?”

“Are we playing tag now?”

“Hey, come back! You’re too fast!”

“Maybe we can play next time you come to the park! We’ll be here waiting for you!”

“Bye, bye, Mr. Camera Guy!”

Laughing and laughing, the moms called their children back to them to head home. They all waved at me and smiled. I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing as I waved back. “Thank you! You guys are great!”

I didn’t think Rigs would be coming to the park too often after this.

I finished up the rest of my meal in peace and enjoyed every bit of it. Then, I gathered up the rubbish, grabbed the treats for Paige and her kids, and headed toward the library. I couldn’t wait to tell Paige what had just happened.