Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 50006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50006 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“No torturing your brother before he has something to eat,” Sara said with twinkling eyes.
“Exactly!” Ivan said.
“Essie is waiting for you in her office. She has a visitor,” Sara said. “That handsome library director is here.”
“Zander? Are you joining us today? I’m feeling distinctly outnumbered by females,” Ivan called as he walked inside.
Tiffanie smiled at the portrait of Edmund and Esther Ferguson that dominated the entryway. Why did these two always catch her attention? They seemed to greet everyone who entered the mansion.
As she walked into Essie’s office, her gaze met deep green eyes that danced with laughter. “Phineas?”
“I kept you awake last night, hmm? Should I apologize?” Phineas asked.
Not sure whether she should be embarrassed or amused, Tiffanie stared at him. Even though her mind whirled a million miles an hour, she absorbed how handsome he was in shorts and a snug T-shirt. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “Wow. You look different.”
“Phineas came to join us on his day off. How dedicated is that?” Essie said. A quick glance her way told Tiffanie that the event planner had noticed the tension in the air.
“Hey, Phineas. Glad to see you. I bet you’d help me unload the truck after our meeting,” Ivan said, stepping around Tiffanie to shake the library director’s hand.
Tiffanie rolled her eyes. Her brother never could read a room.
“Of course. I’d be glad to tote and carry,” Phineas said immediately.
“Grab some coffee and something to eat and come join us, you two. We’ve got plans to make,” Essie said.
Needing more caffeine, Tiffanie poured herself to a cup. One peek into the warming tray revealed breakfast sandwiches and pastries. She shuddered at the idea of eggs. Her stomach had rebelled at the thought of them on chemo.
A second sniff made her stomach growl. Perhaps without the medicine in her system, her body would react differently. Tiffanie selected one with bacon and carried her choice to an armchair next to Essie, where she would need to turn sideways to see Phineas. Maybe that would keep her focused on someone other than their visitor.
The moment she settled on the cushioned seat, Marmalade appeared and rubbed back and forth on her legs. “Hey, kitty. Ready to cause some havoc today?” Tiffanie asked.
As if that were an invitation, the large orange tabby jumped into her lap. He sniffed Tiffanie’s shirt before stretching out next to her. He set his head on her thigh and promptly closed his eyes as Tiffanie lifted her plate and cup into the air to avoid him bumping into them.
“Push him off if he bothers you, Tiffanie,” Essie told her.
“Oh, he’s okay.” Tiffanie set her cup on a coaster on the small table next to her. As Ivan helped himself to the food, Tiffanie took a small bite of the sandwich as a test. Could she eat eggs now?
Yum! Flavor burst over her tongue as she enjoyed the meal. Taking a break from the chemo definitely had its positives. She crossed her fingers that pausing the medication wouldn’t also come with serious negative consequences as well.
“Phineas would like to plan a library event and would like our assistance,” Essie explained.
“What do you have in mind, Phineas?” Ivan asked.
“A local artists’ expo paired with instructional resources from the library. I’d like to remind the town that the library isn’t only for fiction books. I’m envisioning displays of crafts like paintings, sculptures, quilts, as well as fun activities like an origami table, a bake-off, maybe some demos.”
Possible ideas exploded in Tiffanie’s head. Before she could say anything, Ivan spoke up. “I found a great book on wood carvings that taught me a lot. I bet most people aren’t aware of all the resources hidden in the nonfiction stacks.”
“Wood carvings?” Essie echoed. “What do you make?”
Sheepishly, Ivan thrust a hand into his pocket and pulled out a small project. “This isn’t done, of course. I always carry something around to do instead of doomscrolling on my phone as I’m waiting for a part or seal to set so I can get to the next step of a project.” He handed the small bear cub to Essie as Tiffanie grinned with pride in her brother’s artistry.
She turned his creation around in her hands, examining the creature from all angles. “You learned to do this from a book in the library? This is so cute.”
“Well, my granddad actually taught me about whittling. The idea of adding a bit of whimsy into carvings and techniques on how to accomplish that came from the library’s reference,” Ivan explained.
“Let me see that,” Phineas said.
Essie handed the bear cub to Tiffanie, who passed the carved wood piece to Phineas. She tried not to notice that her body reacted to the quick brush of his warm hand against hers. Quickly, she stroked her hand over Marmalade’s fur to replace the thrilling sensation with a soft one.