Page 26 of Librarian for the Jock

Chapter Twenty-Six

CHET

I was coming up the path from my early morning jog, still feeling the cool breeze on my skin, the rhythm of my heartbeat steady and strong. The sun was just starting to rise over Hawthorn Hideaway, casting long, golden shadows across the ground, and I felt a quiet sense of peace settle over me. That morning jog had become my favorite part of the day—a chance to clear my mind and take in the beauty of the little town.

But as I rounded the corner to my grandparents’ house, I was surprised to see two young figures standing on the porch, practically bouncing on their toes. It took me a second to realize it was Jenny and Brandon, both of them looking like they had been up for hours.

“Hey, you two!” I called out, a smile spreading across my face. “What are you doing here so early? Shouldn’t you be getting ready for school?”

Jenny waved excitedly. “We’ve been waiting for you! We have an idea! And, NO school on Saturdays!” She started laughing at me.

Brandon nodded, looking just as enthusiastic. “A really good idea!”

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh yeah? What kind of idea?”

They glanced at each other, clearly bursting with excitement, before Jenny blurted out, “We think you should take Mommy on a special date night!”

I stopped short, surprised by their directness. “A date night?” I repeated, trying to hide my grin. She did owe me a date. “You mean, like… a real date?”

Brandon rolled his eyes, like I was the one being slow. “Yes! A real date, with dinner and fun stuff. You know, to make her feel special and show how much you like her! We all know you like our mom more than just friends.”

I chuckled, feeling a warmth spread in my chest. “Alright, I’m listening. What do you have in mind?”

Jenny stepped forward, her face serious, as if she was about to reveal the plan for a top-secret mission. “We were thinking… you could surprise her with something really nice. Something that shows you care about her. Like… a fancy dinner! At sunset!”

“That’s very specific, at sunset, but did we have a day in mind?”

“TONIGHT!” they both laughed and shouted at me.

Then Jenny looked around, making sure no one else was listening, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a top-secret mission. “We think you should take Mommy out for a real fancy dinner! Like a real, grown-up date, with candles and music and everything.”

I grinned, liking the sound of it already. “A fancy dinner, huh? And where exactly am I supposed to find a fancy restaurant around here? This is a pretty small town, you know.”

Brandon grinned, clearly prepared for this question. “We know! That’s the fun part. We can make one ourselves! You could set it up in a cool place, like the gazebo in the park, or even in the town square. We could help decorate it with candles and flowers and stuff. Make it feel like a real restaurant!”

Jenny nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Yeah, and we could ask Mrs. Jenkins to help with the food. She makes the best lasagna in the world. Did you know she used to run the town diner? Mrs. Lawson can help with dessert and garlic bread. And Mr. Parker could bring over some of those extra fancy string lights he’s always talking about.”

I chuckled, genuinely impressed by their creativity. “You two have really thought this through, haven’t you?”

They nodded, looking pleased with themselves. “We just want it to be special,” Jenny said earnestly. “Mommy doesn’t get to go on fancy dates. She’s always taking care of us, and we want her to feel like a queen for a night.”

My heart melted a little at that. They really did care about their mom, and they wanted this to be perfect for her. “Alright,” I said slowly, a grin spreading across my face. “I’m in. A fancy dinner, right here in town. Let’s make it happen.”

The kids cheered, and we all huddled together on the porch steps to start planning.

“We could set it up in the town square,” Brandon suggested. “It’s got that big oak tree, and the fairy lights would look awesome there.”

Jenny added, “And we could ask April to take pictures! Fancy restaurants have photographers to make the day memorable, right? She’d love to help. Maybe she could write up a special story about the date too! If Mommy agrees… I think April could convince her.”

I nodded, considering their ideas. “Alright, so we’ve got a location and a photographer. Yes, some restaurants have photographers. What about music?”

Jenny’s face lit up. “Did you know that Mr. Thompson plays the violin? I bet he’d do it. He’s always talking about how he misses playing for an audience. Oh, this is so exciting!” Jenny was bouncing around with excitement.

I laughed. “Okay, violin it is. So many hidden talents in this amazing little town! And what about the decorations?”

Brandon jumped in, “We could get flowers from Mrs. Carter’s shop. She loves Mom and would totally help out. Maybe some white roses and sunflowers. Mom loves sunflowers. She says they are happy flowers.”

I nodded, feeling the excitement build. “Sounds like a plan. And for food, we’ll talk to Mrs. Jenkins about the lasagna and Mrs. Larson about the garlic bread. And maybe she can make chocolate truffles or something like that for dessert?”

Jenny clapped her hands together. “Yes! Perfect! Mommy loves those.”

I couldn’t help but smile, feeling the joy radiating off these two kids. “Alright, team, we’ve got our plan. Now, we just need to make it happen. Think you’re up for the challenge? Get this all done by 5 p.m. tonight?”

They both nodded enthusiastically. “Yes!” they shouted in unison.

I laughed, loving how involved they were. “Great,” I said, giving them each a high-five. “I’ll start making some calls and pulling everything together. You two keep this under wraps, okay? We want it to be a surprise.”

Jenny nodded eagerly. “Right! We’ll keep it a secret! Pinky promise. Mommy won’t know a thing.”

She held out her pinky, and I hooked mine around hers, sealing the pact. Brandon followed suit, and we were all locked in. “Pinky promise,” I said, feeling a rush of excitement. “Now, let’s make sure we do this right.”

As we talked, I realized how much this meant to them—to see their mom happy, to feel like they were part of something special. And it meant more to me than I expected to be the one to make it happen.

When we had our plan set, Jenny and Brandon gave me a quick hug, their faces beaming with excitement. “Thanks, Chet,” Jenny said, her voice soft. “We know Mommy will love it.”

I smiled, feeling my heart swell with a mixture of anticipation and hope. “I hope so,” I said. “Because she deserves the best.”

As they headed back home, I stood there on the porch, watching them go. I couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement and a sense of purpose I hadn’t felt in a long time. I was nervous, sure. But more than that, I was excited.

Because this wasn’t just any date. This was a chance to show Paige that she was special, that she deserved to be cherished. And I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she realized just how much I cared. With the whole town involved, I knew it was going to be a night to remember.

I started making mental notes of what I needed to do, who I needed to talk to. The gazebo in the park would be a great backup, but I liked the idea of the town square, under the big oak tree with all those twinkling lights. I could already picture Paige’s face when she saw it, when she realized that all of this was for her.

And as I headed inside to shower and start my day, I couldn’t help but feel that familiar flutter in my chest. This might be one of the most important dates of my life, and I was going to make sure it was perfect. Not just for Paige, but for the kids too. For all of us.