Chapter 19
nineteen
GEORGIE
Monday is busier than normal and for every familiar face I see come through the library’s doors, I see four unfamiliar ones.
The tourists have been in taking advantage of the craft sessions Marnie has set up in the big conference room we rarely use. When she suggested doing kids crafts with a heavy lean into educational play, I was a little nervous to let her but I shouldn’t have been.
I think we’ve found where she excels. Because her decorating skills have nothing on her ability to teach children. She’s so good at it and the sessions have been so successful that I’m going to keep the program running.
If I can get some extra funding, I’ll offer to put Marnie through some courses to strengthen her skills.
“Hey, Georgie.”
Turning to see who’s come in for a visit, I’m surprised to find my tenant and his daughter in front of me. “Oh, hey. How are things going? Enjoying Evergreen Lake?”
“Yes. It’s a beautiful town. Although I expect it isn’t as busy at other times of the year.”
“You’re right. And this year the festival has been more successful than usual. We’ve not seen this many tourists here at once before.”
“I hope you don’t mind the invasion.”
“Oh no. I love seeing people discover the town. Now, what brings you two in here? Looking for a book to read?”
“Actually, we bumped into a woman earlier who said you ran some craft programs for kids. Lily was keen on the jewelry making session she mentioned.”
“You’re just in time. Marnie is wrapping up with a group of six-year-olds. They’re making Christmas decorations out of pasta. I think you’ve got five minutes if you need to use the restroom.”
“Which way?”
“Down that hall to the end. You can’t miss them.”
“Thanks. I might hang out here with a book while Lily’s occupied. Do you have anything you’d recommend in the romantic suspense genre?”
“ Romantic suspense?”
“I find them more satisfying than a straight suspense novel.”
“Of course. I have a whole section I can show you after Lily gets settled.”
“Thanks.” He points toward the back hall. “Straight down there to the end, yeah?”
“Yes. Restrooms are at the end and the craft room is halfway along.”
“Thanks. See you in a few.”
Haynes leads Lily away and I get busy tidying up although there isn’t much to do. The visitors who’ve spent the morning here have all been good at putting away their books when they’re done. I’ve directed a few of them to Between the Wines for purchasing too.
There haven’t been many borrows today. One or two. A couple more returns though. Our busiest section is definitely Marnie’s kids’ activities.
Speaking of, she’s rushing toward me, her face flushed, and I step around the checkout desk to meet her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s fine. I just…” she glances over her shoulder. “Who was that hot silver fox?”
“Ah…”
“The one you were talking to, with the cute daughter.”
“Oh. Haynes and Lily. They’re renting Granny’s house for three weeks.”
She tips her head to the side. “You’re renting your house out?”
“Yes.”
“Huh.” She looks back again before returning her focus to me. “He caught me in the hallway. Told me you directed him my way.”
“I did. Lily is interested in the jewelry making session.”
“I’m tempted to make it a father daughter session.”
I laugh. “I had no idea you have a thing for older men.”
“I don’t. But for him I’d make an exception.”
“He’s only here for a few weeks. He’s from Chicago. But he is looking at a job in Eagle Ridge.”
“That’s only an hour away.”
I nod.
“Hmm…” She brings her hand to her mouth and nibbles on her thumbnail.
“I thought you’d stopped that.”
“Oh, shi—oot!” She smiles sheepishly. “Sorry.”
“Don’t say sorry to me. I’m not the one trying to break a habit.”
With a sigh she clenches her hand and bangs it on her leg. “I still do it when I’m nervous.”
“And you’re nervous now?”
“Yes!” She leans closer. “I can’t explain it! He makes me nervous. In a good way.”
“Okay.” I put a hand on her arm when she begins to turn. “Wait. While I’ve got you, I want to say this idea of yours was brilliant and you’re doing a fantastic job with it. I’m going to try for some extra funding to maybe get you into some courses to?—”
“Can I tell you a secret?” she blurts.
“Of course.”
“You can’t tell anyone.”
“When have you known me to gossip?”
“Right. Okay, well.” She sends a furtive look around us then leans in so close I can feel her breath on my face. “I’ve been doing some college courses online. I’m a few months from graduating with a teaching degree.”
I don’t know what to say. I had no idea. At all. Just the other week I was bemoaning the fact she’s never done anything with her life.
“Oh my gosh!” I throw my arms around her and surprise us both. “I’m so excited for you. So proud!”
“T-thanks.” She gives me a quick squeeze then pulls away. “I don’t want to tell anyone until I’ve got my degree.”
“I won’t tell a soul.”
“Thank you. As for the funding, can you get it for supplies? I know you used petty cash for today and I brought some of my own things from home.”
“You did? Marnie, I told you to let me know what you needed and I’d get it.”
“I know but it wouldn’t have gotten here in time and I really wanted to do this. It’s part of my final project. Would you be okay with filling out a report for my college?”
“Of course.”
“Okay, well, I better get back there.”
“We’ll talk before I leave today.”
With a nod, Marnie heads back to the conference room. I can’t wait to tell?—
No. I can’t tell anyone. This is Marnie’s news to share and if what Ann said is true, I think she’s going to need my support when she tells her parents.
Once she lets the cat out of the bag, I’ll make sure she does whatever it is she wants to do with her degree. Even if that means she stops working here. I’d already decided to hire another part-time helper. This just confirms that decision was the right one.
“Excuse me.”
I put on a smile and turn. “Hi. Can I help you?”
“Yes. I know this is a library and I’m not local so can’t borrow, but is it possible to read a book here?”
“Of course. There’s a quiet area behind the shelves over there or you can pull up a seat anywhere here.”
“Next question. Romance. Do you have any?”
“Yes. They’re shelved on the third row down on the right side of the aisle.” I point to the aisle that leads to the quiet reading area.
“Thank you. The only thing missing is wine.” She laughs.
“Well, if you’re interested in wine and reading, you could head over to Between the Wines. It’s straight up Main Street on the right.”
“If I buy another book on this trip I think my hubby would divorce me. And while wine would be nice, I’m happy to wait a few hours for that. I’ll just find a book and that quiet spot until my hubby calls to tell me our truck is fixed.”
“Let me know if I can help with anything else.”
“Thank you.”
When she’s gone, I turn back to the checkout desk to find Haynes waiting.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
“You were busy. Now about that book?”
“Georgie!”
Startled by the anger in Drew’s voice I take a step back. “Drew?”
“What the hell are you doing here?” Drew wraps his hand around my elbow and pulls me slightly behind him, but his words aren’t directed at me. They’re aimed at Haynes.
“Westwood.” Haynes nods.
“Answer the question.”
I’ve never heard the tone in Drew’s voice before. I’ve seen him mad and grumpy, but this is next-level angry.
“I’m here for a holiday.”
“He’s staying in my house.”
Haynes and I talk over each other and Drew’s head swings back and forth between us before settling on me.
“This is your tenant?”
“Yes. I told you about him.”
“You didn’t tell me his name!” he accuses.
“Why would I?”
His left eye twitches and his jaw pulses like he’s grinding his teeth.
“I’ll go?—”
“Yes. Go. Get out of here.”
“Drew!” I try to pull from his hold. “Why are you being like this? He’s done nothing wrong.”
“Nothing wrong?” A bark of laughter burst from him. “Nothing wrong?”
“Look, I’ll leave but I have to go get my daughter.”
At the mention of Lily, Drew snaps straight, his finger tightening on my arm before he lets go and steps away.
“I have to go.”
Before I can stop him, he’s charging across the room to the door.
“Drew!” I don’t normally raise my voice in the library but I have to stop him, have to get him to explain?—
“Let him go. I’ll wait for Lily to finish then we’ll head to your house and pack our things.”
“What?” I turn back to Haynes. “Why? What the hell was that about? What am I missing?”
“It’s not my story to tell.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Well, maybe some of it.”
“Then tell me the some of it.”
“I was married to Jen.”
I shake my head. “Should I know who that is?”
“Drew’s ex-wife.”
“Oh.” I still don’t understand what the problem is.
“She left him for me.”
“Oh no!” My hand covers my mouth and I take a step toward the door.
“Leave him for now. Wait until I’m gone.”
“Are you really going to leave Evergreen Lake? I thought you were here to…that was a lie.”
“No. Not really. We are checking out the area. I do have a job opportunity in Eagle Ridge. But it’s not the only reason I’m here.”
“Tell me.” I need to know what we’re dealing with. What I need to do to help Drew deal with it.
“This isn’t really the place to talk about it and I can’t discuss it in front of Lily.”
“Then this is the perfect place. She’s occupied, and I’ve got an office back here we can talk privately in. Just let me find my assistant to let her know she’s the only one out here for the next little while.”
I find Ann quickly, let her know I’ll be in my office if she needs me but not to disturb me if she doesn’t have to. I also let her know to point Lily my way when she’s finished Marnie’s jewelry making session if we’re not out by then.
When I head back to Haynes and lead him to my office, it feels like a betrayal.
Should I be talking to this man if he’s an enemy of Drew’s?
Are they even enemies or is it this Jen who’s the bad guy?
I have no idea. I only know I need all the information I can get so I can help Drew through whatever Haynes is here for.
Offering him the seat in front of my desk, I walk around to my chair. I don’t even have my butt in the seat when I say, “Talk.”
“Short or long version?”
“The version that has to do with Drew.”
He nods. “I met Jen at the station. Drew and I worked in the same precinct but different departments. I had no idea who her husband was, just that they were separated and he was being difficult.”
“How could you not know?—”
He holds up a hand. “She used a different last name and wouldn’t tell me who her husband was. In fact, she gave me the impression she was in the station to report him, not to see him. But that’s beside the point. Everything she told me was a lie. Lies I didn’t discover until after Lily was born and I’d married her.”
“Wait. If they were still married, how did you and her…?”
“We were married after Lily was born, the day their divorce was final. And I’d already started to suspect I’d made a mistake but we had a child. At least I thought we did.”
“Whoa, whoa.” I slap my hands on the desk. “Are you suggesting Lily could be Drew’s?”
“It’s possible.”
“How? Are you sure?”
“Yes. The long story that doesn’t involve Drew is me discovering Lily is not my biological child. But I’ve raised her. More than her mother ever did. She’s mine in every way that counts but her mother’s dead and if she has another parent who’s alive I want her to have that.”
“Does Lily know?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “With all her mother put her through I didn’t want to tell her I wasn’t her real dad.”
“But you said it yourself, she’s yours no matter the biology. You are her real dad.”
“I wanted to see where Drew had landed. If it was a good place for Lily if I decided to tell them?—”
“You can’t not tell him now. He has a right to know if she’s his and I can tell you right now he’s going to want to be in her life if she is.”
“I know. It’s why I’m looking at taking a job with the Eagle Ridge PD. It wouldn’t be as far away as Chicago if we shared custody.”
“He could go to court and take her from you if the DNA proves he’s her father.”
“Yes. He could. I’ve thought of that. But I asked around about him once I found out Jen lied. I know he didn’t treat my ex the way she said he did. I also know he’s a decent guy and would be a good role model for Lily. I don’t think he’d take her from me. He’d want to do what was right for her.”
Haynes has done his homework. Drew would never rip her away from the only father she’s ever known—the only parent who’s ever cared—but he will want to be involved.
“You need to tell him. The two of you need to talk, work this out, or you have to do what you said and leave. Except I can’t keep this from him. If you leave, I’ll tell him what you’ve just told me.”
“I can’t talk to him with Lily around.” He shakes his head when I open my mouth to speak. “And you can’t watch her for me because I’ll need you with Drew when I tell him Jen lied and he could be Lily’s father.”
There’s knock on the door and Marnie pokes her head in. “There you are.” She pushes the door open and Lily appears beside her. “We’ve been looking for you, Dad.”
Haynes smiles and gets to his feet. “Hey, Ladybug, you finished already?”
“Yes. Can we go back to the house now? I want to call Grandma and show her my bracelets.” She holds up her arm, three sparkly bracelets jingling together.
“Wow. You made those?” Haynes drops to a crouch. “All by yourself?”
“Marnie helped me. She’s really clever at it. She said if I practiced, I would be too.”
“Then we should get some stuff to practice with.”
“Can I have a jewelry kit for Christmas? I don’t need anything else.”
He ruffles her hair. “How about we go find something now?”
“I have a starter kit I can give her,” Marnie offers. “There isn’t anywhere here that sells them. You’d have to go to the next town.”
Getting to his feet, Haynes smiles at Marnie and I can all but see her bones melt. “I’ll pay you for it.”
“Nonsense. Consider it a Christmas gift.” She holds out a hand to Lily. “Come on. It’s back in the room. We can go get it while Dad finishes talking to Georgie.”
Once Lily and Marnie are out of earshot, I say, “Give me your number. I think I know a way you can talk to Drew without Lily around.”
He glances over his shoulder. “Her?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
After a quick exchange of numbers Haynes leaves and I waste no time gathering my things.
I need to find Drew.