Page 42 of The Library of Second Chances
Had she let Logan charm her just like he’d charmed the investor’s daughter and probably countless others across the country? Hadn’t she suspected all along that was how he did business?
She remembered the line Gatsby’s Ghosthad underlined in the Mel Robbins book. “Your feelings don’t matter. The only thing that matters is what you DO.”
What was she going to do?
Lucy found herself wondering whatGatsby’s Ghostwould say in this situation.He had solved her problem and helped her get back to writing, or at least the book he’d left her had.
She couldn’t help but feel a connection to Annie through him. Annie had always given her the right advice—or the right book—to help her navigate obstacles. She didn’t tell her what to do, she just gave her the tools to build a solution. Gatsby’s Ghost had done the same. If he hadn’t left her the last book, she might not be working on a new manuscript. Maybe he could help herfigure out her Logan problem too. She couldn’t just stand by while he sweet-talked Mildred and the others into signing off on his plans, and she couldn’t sit around and wait, hoping Gatsby’s Ghost magically delivered another book that steered her in the right direction.
She had another idea.
Maybe they could meet.
But that was crazy. They’d been sharing book suggestions. He didn’t want to be her therapist or her business coach or whatever she was asking him to be when it came to the waterfront development. It wasn’t like he’d even known about her writing career being in a shambles when he suggestedThe 5 Second Rule.
But it had been the exact book she’d needed at the exact moment she needed it. And if she’d learned anything from the book, it was to push aside her hesitations and go with her gut. And her gut said it was time for them to meet.
This time, she wouldn’t leave him a book. Just a note in an envelope addressed to him.
Dear Gatsby’s Ghost,
I’m sorry I have no book recommendation today. I’ve been busy, and I have you to thank for that. Your last book suggestion was so antithetical to my nature that I questioned your wisdom. Thankfully, however, the author made a compelling argument, and I found myself doing things boldly, without hesitation. Things I never would have done just a few weeks ago. One of those things even lead to a major breakthrough for my writing career.
I’d like to thank you in person. But I have to admit I have selfish motives. It’s just that you’ve given such good advice, and I find myself in need of more than I can ask for in a note like this.
Meet me on the benches by the marina on Thursday at 5:00 p.m.? I’ll be the one holding your copy of The 5 Second Rule.
I hope you’ll be there,
Island Girl
Before she could change her mind, Lucy nearly sprinted across the square to the Little Free Library. Propping up the envelope on the top shelf where it would be at eye level, she shut the door and forced herself to walk away, even while her heart pounded and a voice in her head yelled at her to take the envelope back.
No more hesitation. No more standing in her own way. It was time for her to stand in someone else’s way. And that someone else was over at city hall getting ready to make his pitch to her community. There was no time to waste.
Sixteen
Logan
In an effort to keep himself from thinking about the community forum that started in just a couple hours, Logan grabbed the baseball book Island Girl had left him a few days earlier and headed to the coffee shop for an iced coffee to go. Once he had his drink in hand, he walked west toward the water, settling on the first bench he came to adjacent to the marina. Reading was the only thing that kept his brain from continually running over his talking points for the meeting. He needed the distraction—from that and to keep from obsessing about Boston and the future of his career.
The book was an easy read, a fun look at what would happen if two data-driven nerds were allowed to make all the decisions for a baseball team. The tension in his shoulders eased as he laughed at the colorful general manager and inhaled the fresh salt air.
Pausing to watch a pelican diving repeatedly into the water in front of him, no doubt hunting its meal, Logan couldn’t stopthinking about who Island Girl could be. Lucy had mentioned a friend named Taylor he hadn’t met yet. What if Lucy’s best friend was his pen pal? No, he did not want that. Nothing about that felt right.
He’d wondered before if it might be Lucy, since she obviously loved books, but she’d said the last book she read was a thriller. Plus, he’d seen her several times with the stack of advance reader copies she was working through, none of which were anything like the books he’d been trading with Island Girl. Besides, he was still pretty sure Island Girlwas in a bad marriage based on some of her comments.
Missy, Pam, Jessica from the Parks and Rec department… None of the women he’d met fit the profile. The town was small, but he obviously hadn’t met everyone, and there were the tourists who’d already started pouring in for the warmer weather. She could be anyone.
He tried to get back into the book, but thinking of Lucy only made his mind race in circles. Grabbing his phone, he decided to call his sister and take a walk. She’d always been the calm, reasonable one in his family. She’d talk him off the ledge.
“So you do remember my phone number,” Carly teased him, in lieu of an actual hello when she picked up on the first ring.
“We’ve texted almost every day since I got here.” He sipped his iced coffee, already feeling calmer just hearing her voice.
“Not the same. I can’t tell what you’re hiding when you text.”
“Hiding? Why do you always think I’m hiding something?”
