Page 23 of Librarian for the Jock

Chapter Twenty-Three

PAIGE

I was behind the circulation desk, checking in a stack of newly returned books, when the library door swung open with a burst of energy that made me look up. It was Chet, and he was practically bouncing as he came in, his face lit up with a grin so wide it could have powered the town’s Christmas lights.

“Hey, Paige!” he called out, not bothering to keep his voice down in the usual hushed library tones. I couldn’t help but smile back; his enthusiasm was infectious.

“Hey, Chet,” I replied, a little flustered at seeing him this excited. “What’s going on? You look like you just won the lottery.”

He laughed, running a hand through his hair. “Better. Much better. Rigs is gone! He packed up and left town this morning!”

The whole library cheered, and I didn’t bother shushing anyone because this was a community win. In good spirits, everyone went back to what they were working on.

I felt a rush of relief so strong it almost knocked me off my feet. “Are you serious?”

“Completely serious,” he said, nodding. “The whole town banded together today, and I guess he finally realized he wasn’t going to get the photos he wanted. Mrs. Jenkins overheard him muttering about how ‘this place is a freakin’ circus’ and that he should’ve stayed in New York where people mind their own business.”

I burst out laughing, unable to help myself. “He really said that?”

Chet nodded, chuckling. “Yep. He was convinced we’re all in on some ‘big, weird secret.’”

I shook my head, still smiling. “Well, maybe we are. Maybe the secret is that we actually care about each other around here.”

His grin softened into something warmer, and he looked at me in that way he did, like he was seeing right into me. “I think you might be right, Paige. And I’m glad I get to be part of it.”

I felt a blush creep up my neck, grateful for the cover of the desk between us. “I’m glad too, Chet. Really.”

There was a pause, a comfortable silence between us that felt charged with something unspoken. He was still leaning against the counter, looking at me with that mix of humor and sincerity that always made my heart do a little flip. Oh, I wanted to kiss him! But I was at work, and I had my professional hat on.

“So,” he said finally, breaking the silence but keeping his tone light, “what’s next on your list for today? Any plans after you finish conquering the world of books?”

I laughed, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, noticing that I’d been letting my hair down more lately. “Oh, you know, the usual. Processing books, shelving, making sure no one sneaks in and tries to hold a rock concert in the reading room.”

He grinned. “Sounds like a tough job, but I think you’re up to the challenge.”

I bit my lip, feeling that familiar flutter of nerves and excitement. “Well, it helps when I have people who’ve got my back.”

He leaned in a little closer, his voice softening. “Always, Paige. You know that.”

There was a moment where everything felt suspended, like the world was holding its breath. My heart beat a little faster, my palms suddenly clammy. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but there was an energy in the air, something between us that had been building for weeks.

And then, before I could second-guess myself, I heard my own voice. “Do you… maybe want to grab dinner or something? To celebrate?”

He looked right at me and gave me that smile that made my knees go weak. “I would love to celebrate with you with a dinner date.” He winked.

I was so grateful the circulation desk was holding me up!

Then Chet’s grin widened. “But before our special celebration,” I saw a spark of excitement in his eyes. “I think we should throw a party, tonight, for the whole town. I’ve never before been able to shake Rigs or any paparazzi off my tail. My gratitude is greater than I can express in just words.”

The idea was so spontaneous, so wonderfully ridiculous, that I found myself nodding before I even thought about it. “You know, that’s actually not a bad idea. The whole town worked together to get rid of that guy. It seems only fair to celebrate it together.”

Chet clapped his hands together, looking like a kid on Christmas morning. “Alright, then. Let’s make it happen! We can have it right here, in the library!”

I blinked, taken aback. “In the library?”

He nodded enthusiastically. “Why not? It’s the perfect spot. You’re always saying this place is about bringing the community together, right? Let’s do it—music, food, the whole thing.”

I glanced around at the rows of books and the reading nooks, imagining them transformed into a lively party space. It was crazy, but the more I thought about it, the more it felt… perfect.

“Alright,” I said, feeling a surge of excitement. “Let’s do it. I’ll make some calls, and we’ll get this thing rolling.”

Chet grinned, pulling out his phone. “I’ll spread the word. This is going to be the best party Hawthorn Hideaway has ever seen.”

**Later That Evening…**

The library was buzzing with energy like it had never had before. The quiet rule had been happily lifted for this special occasion. Mr. Thompson and Mr. Parker helped string lights crisscross overhead, giving the place a warm, festive glow. Mrs. Carter brought flowers that filled the library with a lovely scent. Our small local band set up in the children’s corner, playing an upbeat tune, and the sound of laughter filled the library. The only thing that still made it feel like a library was the comfortable feeling that anyone belonged here. I loved it!

Tables were piled high by the circulation desk, away from the book stacks, with homemade cookies, cakes, and food from every genre you could imagine. Just glancing at the food, I saw fried chicken, bacon-wrapped hotdogs, baked spaghetti, casserole, lasagna, ham pinwheels, fruit and veggie salads, and so much more. Mrs. Lawson really went all out with her yummy treats. There was something to eat for everyone! Happiness truly was sharing good food with good friends.

People started pouring in—my family, my mom, Brad, Olivia, Lexi, Mr. Saavedra, Ms. Smith, Mr. Ramirez, Mrs. Jenkins, Timmy and his bike gang, everyone with their families, and so many more. April arrived with her camera, all ready to capture the good news for the local newspaper. Even Sheriff Daniels, in his dress uniform, looked more relaxed than I had ever seen him. The whole town seemed to be there, chatting, laughing, and enjoying themselves.

I couldn’t believe how quickly everyone got on board. Within hours of the idea, word had spread like wildfire. People showed up with dishes, decorations, and smiles, as if they had been waiting for an excuse to throw a party all along.

Chet appeared by my side, holding two glasses of lemonade. “Look at this place, Paige,” he said, handing me a glass. “It’s like a whole new world in here.”

I smiled, feeling a rush of pride and happiness. “It is. I’ve never seen the library like this. It’s… perfect. I always imagined something like this but didn’t know exactly how to do it, and you helped me pull it off. Thank you.”

He raised his glass. “To the best librarian in town, who knows how to throw one heck of a party.”

I laughed, clinking my glass against his. “And to the guy who inspired it. Thank you, Chet. This was a brilliant idea.”

Just then, Jenny and Brandon ran up, their faces flushed with excitement. “Mom! They’re setting up a karaoke machine!”

Jenny squealed. “You have to sing with us!”

I laughed, shaking my head. “Oh, no, I don’t think so…”

But Chet jumped in, grinning. “Come on, Paige, you’ve got to! It’s part of the celebration!”

The kids started chanting, “Sing, sing, sing!” and soon, others joined in, clapping and calling out. I couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a little embarrassed but also exhilarated by the atmosphere.

“Alright, alright,” I said, throwing my hands up in surrender. “But only if Chet sings with me!”

The crowd cheered louder, and Chet’s grin widened. “You’re on,” he said. “But don’t blame me if I clear the room.”

We made our way to the makeshift stage, the room buzzing with anticipation. The music started, and we dove into a cheesy duet that had everyone laughing and clapping along. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this free, this alive.

As the song ended, the crowd erupted into applause, and I couldn’t stop smiling. I glanced over at Chet, who looked as happy as I felt, and suddenly I knew—this was where I was supposed to be. Right here, in this moment, surrounded by my community, my friends… and maybe something more.

We stepped out of the karaoke spotlight and let the next singer take the stage. Chet leaned in, his voice warm in my ear. “You’ve got a pretty good voice, Paige.”

I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder. “You’re not so bad yourself, Chet.”

He grinned, pulling me in close. “The night is still young, you know.”

I nodded, feeling a surge of excitement. I did my best to not let my thoughts stray too far from the party. “Yes, it is. I forgot to tell you that Brandon and Jenny were put in charge of a party game. I wonder what they came up with?”

We looked at each other and grinned, knowing we were in for a big treat soon.

The party was in full swing, and the library was buzzing with life. Everywhere I looked, people were chatting, laughing, and dancing. I noticed something going on over by the biography section.

Jenny and Brandon were huddled together, their heads close as they whispered conspiratorially. That look on their faces… I knew it well. It was the same one they got right before they were up to some kind of mischief. I raised an eyebrow, knowing it was going to happen any moment now.

Seconds later, Jenny jumped up and announced loudly, “Everyone! Attention, please!” She stood on a chair, waving her arms dramatically. Brandon was beside her, trying to look serious but failing miserably—he was clearly excited about whatever they had cooked up. I was amazed how much Jenny had come out of her shell this spring with Chet here. Mommy pride swelled in my chest.

The room quieted down, curious about what was going on. Chet looked at me, amused, and I shrugged, just as clueless as everyone else.

Jenny continued, grinning like she had the greatest idea in the world. “We’ve decided that since this is a celebration, and everyone’s here, it’s the perfect time for a dance-off!”

The crowd murmured, a mix of surprise and intrigue. A dance-off? In the library?

Brandon jumped in, clearly delighted. “Yeah! But this isn’t just any dance-off. It’s a freestyle, no-holds-barred, anything-goes dance-off. And the prize is…” He paused for dramatic effect, making sure everyone was hanging on his words. “The grand title of Hawthorn Hideaway’s Ultimate Dance Champion!”

A ripple of laughter and cheers spread through the room, and I couldn’t help but grin. Leave it to my kids to create the first-ever Hawthorn Hideaway full-blown dance competition.

Jenny clapped her hands, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We’ll pick people randomly, and you’ve got to dance for ten seconds to whatever music comes on. No backing out!”

Chet leaned over to me, his voice low and amused. “Your kids are pretty brave, setting up a dance-off in front of all these people.”

I chuckled. “Brave or reckless. Maybe a bit of both. But they sure know how to get a crowd going.”

Before I could say more, Jenny pointed at the first “contestant”—none other than Sheriff Daniels. The crowd erupted into applause and laughter as the usually stern-faced sheriff looked around, a bit bewildered but clearly amused.

“Come on, Sheriff!” Jenny cheered. “Show us your moves!”

He shook his head, but he was smiling. “Alright, alright. But don’t say I didn’t warn you—I haven’t danced since the ’80s.”

The music kicked in—a classic rock tune with a heavy beat—and to everyone’s surprise, Sheriff Daniels broke out into a surprisingly decent moonwalk, complete with some dramatic air-guitar moves. Hidden talent we all didn’t know about! The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping.

Next up was Mrs. Lawson, who was surprisingly nimble for her age and threw in a few twists and turns, followed by Mr. Parker, who gave a goofy but enthusiastic rendition of some kind of interpretive dance that involved a lot of spinning and waving his arms.

The laughter was contagious, and soon everyone was chanting and cheering as each person took their turn. When Chet got called up, he gave me a mock look of horror before grinning and jumping into a goofy version of the robot dance, which only made the crowd cheer louder. I was pretty sure that was his touchdown dance that he always did. I didn’t think he knew how to do anything else.

I was laughing so hard by now that my sides hurt, watching the usually calm and collected Chet loosen up and play along. And then, of course, it was my turn. Jenny and Brandon gave me pleading looks, and the crowd started chanting my name, so I had no choice but to jump in.

The music changed to a funky disco beat, and I did my best attempt at a disco point while shaking my hips like a Tahitian girl. I knew I looked ridiculous, but I was laughing, the kids were laughing, and Chet was clapping and cheering like I was on stage at a sold-out concert. I knew everyone was enjoying seeing their reserved librarian step out of her box for once and let down her hair. So I literally took the bobby pins out of my bun and shook my hair down as I danced. The cheers got louder. It felt amazing.

By the end of the dance-off, everyone was breathless and grinning, the room filled with applause and joy. Jenny and Brandon huddled together for a “deliberation,” and finally, they announced the winner—the one and only Sheriff Daniels, who took a dramatic bow and pretended to wipe away a tear, thanking everyone for their support.

The room burst into laughter, and Jenny shouted, “Congratulations, Sheriff! You’re the Ultimate Dance Champion of Hawthorn Hideaway!” She handed him a cardboard trophy enhanced with duct tape and the name of the competition clearly written on it.

Sheriff Daniels proudly took his trophy, bowing to his supportive, cheering crowd. “This trophy will get an upgrade and be passed on next year! Everyone better start practicing their dance moves. You have one year!”

The cheering was almost deafening, and I loved that there was so much joy in one place. My heart felt like it wanted to burst.

Chet came over and nudged me with his shoulder, then put his left arm around me. “Your kids really know how to throw a party.”

I smiled, watching Jenny and Brandon high-five each other, both of them clearly thrilled with how things turned out. “Yeah,” I said, feeling a warm glow in my chest. “They really do.”

And as I looked around at all the happy faces, I realized that this party was exactly what we all needed—an excuse to come together, to laugh, to let loose, and to just enjoy the wonderful, quirky spirit of this town.