Page 54 of Summer Ever After
“Well”—Mayor Barnes looks around the room—“I think that’s everything. Good work, everyone.”
He stands, gathering his papers, and that’s when I pounce.
“Mayor, there is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Follow and talk.” He gestures for me to come with him.
My footsteps are small and quick as I try to keep up. For a short, heavyset man, Randall Barnes is surprisingly fast.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about the funds for the community pool.”
“Jane, you know as well as I do that the city council voted against our last-ditch efforts to allocate the funds for the pool. We’ll have to table it until next year. Maybe after the reelection in the fall, we’ll have a better chance at getting it to pass.”
He walks into his office, taking a seat in the plush leather chair in front of the oak desk.
I stand across from him, deciding not to sit. “What if we didn’t rely on city funds for the pool? What if we raised our own money to make it happen?”
It’s something I’ve been thinking about since last Friday night when I lied to Walker and said the Summer of Jane Hayes was about me trying to help earn money for the pool. Yes, lies are bad, but in this case, it was good. It’s actually a great idea.
“And just how are we going to raise that much money?”
This is the part that’s tricky, but I’m confident in my persuasive skills, and I think I can make it happen.
“What if we held a golf fundraiser? People would come to the island to play on the Belacourt course with none other than PGA golf pro Walker Collins.”
I haven’t actually asked Walker if he’d be willing to do this, and I don’t know how long we have until he leaves again.That’sthe tricky part. I’ve brainstormed all weekend, and I think we could earn a ton of money. Actually, I’ve thought a lot aboutWalkerall weekend, but that’s not relevant, so I don’t know why I brought it up.
“That could work.” Mayor Barnes smiles. “There are so many wealthy people, not just on our island but on the mainland, that would pay a pretty penny to golf with Walker Collins. Maybe he could even get some of his pro friends to come to the event as well.”
“Maybe.” I nod, even though I know it’s a stretch.
“Have you already talked to Walker about this, and he’s on board?”
“Of course.” I get way too animated when I lie, but the mayor doesn’t know that. “Walkerlovesthe idea!”
“Really? I always took Walker as the type of guy that doesn’t want to be too involved in things.”
“No, he’s a big community guy. Wants to help out Sunset Harbor however he can.”
“Let’s put it on the calendar, then.”
“Great.” I take a step toward the door. “I’ll talk with Walker about a date that works with his schedule and let you know.”
By the time I escape his office, I’m in a deep sweat.
I just promised Walker Collins to my boss.
How the heck am I going to deliver?
Jane
This evening’s target:Briggs Dalton, aka the owner of the bookstore on the island. Actually, his mom owns it, but I’m not picky about those details.
Briggs has been back on Sunset Harbor for a month. We’ve talked and been friendly whenever we’ve seen each other. It’s not a huge stretch that I would show up unannounced at the bookstore.
I push my reading glasses farther up on the bridge of my nose—they’re fake, by the way, a nice touch for a man with his job. I’m like the sexy librarian version of myself. The glasses are a little much, but when you’re desperate, you do desperate things. Plus, who doesn’t love playing dress-up?
With the right look in place, I swing open the front door to The Book Isle. A little bell rings above me, announcing my entrance.
