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“Nice to meet you, Annie,” Eli said as he reached for her hand and shook it. “Thanks for bringing all your knowledge about books to our little town.”
Annie turned toward Zachariah, who studied her with a wary expression. He barely grunted a hello.
“Don’t mind him,” Jasper said in a loud whisper as he leaned in to her. “He got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
“Just this morning?” Eli asked with a guffaw.
“I’ve been itching to show off our new library, since they both missed the ribbon-cutting ceremony,” Jasper explained.
“Cilla was home with a bad cold,” Eli said. “I didn’t have the heart to leave her alone.”
Cilla. The name immediately drew Annie’s attention. Gram had written about her. She had been one of her closest friends.
Jasper clapped Eli on the back. “Can’t say as I blame you. That’s what makes you such a great husband, Eli. You’re as devoted as they come.”
Annie thought she heard a snort from Zachariah.
“Welcome to the Free Library of Love, gentlemen. Is there anything I can help you find in our catalog? Or are you just getting the grand tour?” Annie asked. It was incredibly sweet that Jasper had brought his two dearest friends to get a glimpse of Love’s new and improved library. It was wonderful that the town mayor was as proud of it as she was.
“Let’s start with a tour of the place,” Jasper suggested. “Then I’d love to find a few of my favorite authors in the catalog.”
“I wish that I was a more proficient reader like Jasper here,” Eli said mournfully as he looked all around him. There was a wistful expression in his eyes. “I would love to take some books out and get a library card with my name on it.”
“Me, too,” Zachariah said with a frown.
“Both of you are eligible for a library card,” Annie informed them. “Even if you’re not strong readers, you can still fill out the form and get your own card.”
“Oh, Annie, that’s great. I’d love to bring some books home for my wife,” Eli said, his face lit up with happiness. “Cilla loves to read.”
Zachariah still seemed caught up in the past. “Back in our day, if you fell behind, the teacher didn’t have the time or the resources to help you catch up.”
“That’s true,” Eli asserted. “So we just limped along.”
“And ended up being pitiful readers,” Zachariah said with a rueful shake of his head.
“But not for lack of trying,” Eli said with a little sigh. “We really wanted to excel at it.”
Annie turned toward Jasper and discreetly pulled him aside while the other two men continued their discussion. “Maybe we can have some literacy programs for adults at the library. It could help strengthen skills and foster a love of books. And it might provide some incentive to add some more hours to the schedule.”
“It’s a good idea,” Jasper said. “I just wonder if folks in town would be too proud to come seeking help.”
“There’s nothing to be ashamed of. Plenty of adults struggle with reading and don’t become fully functional readers till later on in life.”
Jasper reached for her hand. “I like the way you think, Annie. Let’s make it happen. If you can do a little research and draft a proposal, I’ll have the town council discuss it. We do have a special fund for education that we might be able to tap into.”
“Excellent. I’ll get right on it. Shall we tour the library?” Annie asked.
Jasper held out his arm and waited for Annie to loop her arm through his. “Lead the way, milady,” he said with a nod of his head. “We can’t wait to see all the progress you and your team have made.”
“We’re still getting things settled, but during the days the library is closed—Fridays and weekends—we’ll be putting on the finishing touches,” Annie said.
As Annie walked arm in arm with Jasper, trailed by Eli and Zachariah, she felt a burst of pride in this wonderful, charming place. A library was a treasured building, filled with books and educational materials that could transform lives. If she lived to be one hundred, she didn’t think she would ever forget the look of awe on Eli’s and Zachariah’s faces as they went from room to room. She couldn’t help but wonder if their own lives might have been different if there had been a fully functioning library in this town when they were growing up. By her calculations, they had been adults when the first library had opened in town. Sadly the library had closed its doors after only a few short years due to financial issues and lack of interest from the townsfolk.
The enormity of it washed over her. In traveling all the way to Love, she had been determined to see this library make a difference in the residents’ lives. And little by little, she was discovering that her presence here in town really could make an impact.
Yes, indeed. She was exactly where she needed to be.
Chapter Nine
