Page 21 of Librarian for the Jock

Chapter Twenty-One

PAIGE

When the doorbell rang, it cut sharply through the quiet of the early evening. I was in the kitchen, finishing dinner, and the kids were upstairs working on their homework. I glanced at the clock—who would be stopping by at this time of day?

I walked over to the door, wiping my wet hands on my jeans, and pulled it open. My heart did a little flip when I saw who was standing there. It was Chet, grinning like a kid who’d just found a secret stash of candy.

“Hey, Paige,” he said, his voice shy, warm, and slightly breathless, like he’d been running. “Got a minute?”

I blinked, trying to play it cool, even though my pulse had quickened at the sight of him. “Of course. What’s up?”

He was holding something behind his back, and I could see the gleam in his eyes—a mixture of excitement and maybe a little mischief. He shifted slightly, and I caught a glimpse of a dirt-stained tin box peeking out from behind him.

“What’s that?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, trying to peek around him.

Chet grinned wider and stepped forward, bringing the box into full view. “I’ve got a bit of a surprise,” he said, sounding almost giddy. “Mind if I come in?”

I stepped aside, holding the door open, curiosity getting the better of me. “Sure, come on in.”

He walked past me into the living room, and I followed him, my mind racing with possibilities. Chet set the tin box down on the coffee table, and I couldn’t help but notice the dirt and rust clinging to the edges. He looked at me with a playful grin and tapped the lid.

“Remember the jewelry Brad and I borrowed from you… oh, twenty years ago?” he asked, his tone light, but his eyes watching my reaction carefully.

I crossed my arms, solemness coming over me. “You mean the jewelry you stole from me? The jewelry that the two of you buried and lost?”

Chet laughed nervously, a deep, genuine sound that made my stomach flutter. “Yeah, that’s the stuff. Well, Brad and I went on a little treasure hunt today with an old map I found in my *Treasure Island* book, and…” He lifted the lid of the tin box with a flourish, like a magician revealing his trick. Inside, I saw the familiar glint of gold and silver, wrapped in a faded, dirt-stained bandana.

I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth. “Oh my gosh… is that…?”

“It’s all there,” he said softly, his smile becoming softer, more sincere. “The necklace, the earrings… everything. We found it.”

“I can’t believe you found it,” I whispered, looking up at him. “I’d given up hope decades ago.”

Chet shrugged, but his eyes were shining with excitement. “Honestly, so had I. But then I found this old map, and it led us to the spot where Brad and I buried it… near our old hideout in the woods.”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Of course it was in the woods. You two spent most of your summers out there.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, we did. I’m just glad we finally remembered where we hid it. I’ve been feeling like a terrible pirate all these years.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “Well, you’re certainly making up for it now. I… I don’t know what to say, Chet. Thank you.”

As I stood there, staring at the familiar jewelry in Chet's hands, my breath caught in my throat. I reached out and gently picked up the gold necklace, the chain delicate and thin, the small pendant gleaming faintly in the light. For a moment, I was transported to another time.

I was seven years old, sitting on my grandmother's floral-patterned couch, my feet not quite touching the floor. The room smelled of lavender and old books, a scent that had always felt like a warm hug. Grandma sat beside me, her hands wrinkled but still so gentle as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, velvet pouch.

“Paige,” she said softly, her eyes twinkling with that familiar mix of mischief and wisdom. “I have something special for you.”

I leaned in closer, my heart fluttering with curiosity. “What is it, Grandma?”

She smiled, pulling out the gold necklace, the pendant catching the sunlight streaming in through the window. “This belonged to my mother,” she said, her voice warm and full of emotion. “And now, I want you to have it.”

I remembered the way I gasped, my young fingers reaching out tentatively to touch the delicate piece of jewelry. “It’s so pretty,” I whispered, my eyes wide with awe.

Grandma chuckled softly. “It is, isn’t it? But it’s not just about how it looks, Paige. This necklace has been passed down through the women in our family for generations. It’s a symbol of strength, love, and the connection we all share, even when we’re far apart. Whenever you wear it, I want you to remember that you’re never alone. You’re a part of something bigger, something beautiful.”

I remembered the way she gently clasped the necklace around my neck, her fingers soft against my skin. She kissed the top of my head and whispered, “Always know that you are loved, Paige. Always.”

I blinked, and just like that, I was back in my living room, the sound of Chet’s soft breathing bringing me back to the present. I realized I was holding the necklace so tightly my knuckles had turned white. There was a sting in my eyes, and I felt a tear slipping down my cheek before I could stop it.

“Paige?” Chet’s voice was gentle, concerned. “Are you okay?”

I swallowed hard, trying to regain my composure, but the flood of emotions made it difficult. “I’m fine,” I managed, though my voice was thick with tears. “I just… I thought I’d never see this again. Grandma gave this to me to remind me that I am always loved. I had forgotten.”

Chet’s expression softened even more, impossibly soft now, and he took a small step closer, his voice quiet. “I didn’t know it meant so much to you. I’m so sorry for taking it back then… for everything.”

I shook my head, brushing away another tear with the back of my hand. “You didn’t know. We were just kids. But this… this necklace, it was my grandmother’s. She gave it to me just before she passed. It was like… like her way of keeping us connected, even after she was gone.”

I saw a flicker of something deep in his eyes—understanding, maybe. Compassion. “I wish I’d known. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been, losing something that meant so much.”

I nodded, still staring at the necklace, remembering the way it felt around my neck, the way Grandma’s voice sounded so full of love. “It was… it was like losing a piece of her all over again.”

Chet reached out, his hand hovering near mine as if he wanted to touch me but wasn’t quite sure whether I’d allow it. “I’m so glad we found it, Paige. I can’t make up for all those years, but… I hope this brings some comfort.”

I looked up at him, my vision blurred with tears, and managed a small smile. “It does, Chet. More than you know.”

There was a moment of silence, a thick, emotional pause where everything felt both heavy and light at the same time. Then, with a deep breath, I unclasped the necklace and, for the first time in so many years, placed it around my neck. The weight of it was comforting, familiar, like a warm hug from the past.

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice steadier now. “Thank you for finding this, for bringing it back to me.”

Chet smiled, a mixture of relief and something else—something warmer, deeper. “I’m just glad I could help, Paige. And… I’m glad it’s back where it belongs.”

I touched the pendant lightly, feeling the cool metal against my skin, and felt a rush of emotions—grief for what I lost, gratitude for what I’d regained, and a strange, fluttering sense of hope for what might still be.

“And maybe…” He hesitated for a moment, searching for the right words. “Maybe this shows you that I’m not the same kid who stole your jewelry all those years ago.”

There was something in his voice, a vulnerability that tugged at my heart. I met his eyes, feeling a strange mix of emotions—gratitude, affection, and something more that I couldn’t quite name.

“I think you’ve more than proved that, Chet,” I said softly, setting the other jewelry back in the box. “You’ve done more than enough.”

He smiled, relief washing over his face. “Good. Because I was worried you might still hold a grudge.”

I laughed again, the tension melting away. I stepped toward him, inches away, looked up, grabbed his shirt to pull him in close, and gave him a long kiss, smack on his lips. “Well, I might… if you don’t stay for dinner. The kids would love to hear all about your pirate adventures.”

Chet grinned, wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in closer, and kissed me back. His eyes were bright. “Dinner sounds great. But only if I get to tell them about the time Brad and I tried to dig a tunnel to China.”

I rolled my eyes playfully, kissing him again. “Oh, they’d love that. Come on, let’s go. I’ll set an extra place at the table.”

We headed to the kitchen, and I couldn’t help but feel a little lighter, a little more at ease. The past felt a bit closer, but in a good way—like a bridge between who we were and who we are now. And as Chet followed me, smiling like he’d just won the lottery, I realized that maybe this was the beginning of something new, something I hadn’t even known I was looking for.