“Are you serious?”
“Serious as a heart attack.”
There was an awkward pause after Jacqueline’s words. A wave of grief eclipsed Ava’s excitement. Followed by a flash of guilt at being excited in the first place. The emotions were brief, but intense, before she could push them down.
“I’m so sorry, Ava. That was in poor taste. I wasn’t even thinking,” Jacqueline rushed to apologize for her faux pas.
“It’s fine. You did nothing wrong. It’s a common phrase,” Ava assured her. Time to redirect the conversation so she didn’t have to talk about her dad. The one who died of a sudden heart attack. “What’s the bad news you have for me?”
“The other person shortlisted is Austin Whitlock. It’s between the two of you.”
Annoyance battled her excitement. She found herself caught in a whirlwind of emotions during their conversation, emotions she hadn’t prepared to deal with that morning. “You’ve got to be kidding me. That asshole? He doesn’t have nearly as much experience as me.”
She pressed the heel of her palm into her forehead, considering what this meant for her chances.
“Trust me, I know. I’m not the guy’s biggest fan either, but his dad is already on the Board of Directors, so it was a given this would happen. The board’s focus is bringing on someone younger to balance things out. Experience doesn’t matter as much as having good ideas and being aware of the latest hospitality trends,” her boss explained.
“Right. OK. I got this. So, what’s the next step in the selection process?”
Ava’s mind immediately shifted to problem-solving mode. Competing against nepotism for the position wasn’t ideal, but Ava was competent. Her track record spoke for itself. She’d worked her way up from an intern to Hotel Manager over the last decade. The only position higher than hers at the hotel was her boss, Jacqueline, theOperations Manager, and the Board of Directors. They’d nominated her for this position for a reason.
“In August, you and Austin will present to the board your proposed vision for the Grand Bohemian. The email from Emily Peterson has more details. I need to run to a meeting but read the email and let’s jump on a video conference this afternoon to talk strategy. I’ve got some intel on the members. We can go over how to best prepare you. And Ava?”
“Yes?”
“You’ve got this.”
Jacqueline’s confidence in her boosted her own. “Thanks. I’ve got some ideas already and can do some prep before we meet later. I appreciate your help. There’s no way I would’ve made it this far in the process without you.”
Jacqueline laughed. “You’re more than welcome. Besides, I have my own motivations. It benefits me to have a Board Member on my side. I need to go. Talk later.”
The line went silent. Ava allowed herself a quick happy dance then opened the awaiting email and meeting invite. She scanned the contents for the next steps of the selection process and the specifics of the presentation.
August 15th.
She had just over eight weeks until her presentation. Plenty of time to finish the cabin and prepare to cinch her spot on the board. Right?
Now that Summer had forced Ava into town twice, the idea didn’t seem so daunting. So what if she spent a little extra time putting on makeup and wore her hair down instead of its usual top knot. It wasn’t on the off chance she’d see a certainsinglecafé owner. She had a video call with her boss and needed to look presentable. At least that’s what she told herself as she checked her lipstick in the visor mirror when she paused at a stop sign.
She turned onto Pond Road and neared the café, denying the impulse to look to her right and peek to see if Owen was working. Instead, she cast a glance to the left, surprised by the small group gathered in front of the Agatha Building. They held clipboards and gathered around a woman with striking red hair.
What’s happening at the Agatha Building?
She pushed the concern from her mind as she approached the library perched on a hill just outside of downtown. At first glance, you wouldn’t expect the building to be the town’s library. It wasn’t a typical dreary municipal building with fluorescent lighting and metal shelves, but a former private residence converted and memorialized.
Landscaped gardens surrounded the building, the colors of the flowers even more vibrant against the white stucco. Ava drove up the driveway to the top of the hill and right into an empty parking lot. Granted, there were only five parking spots in the limited space, but all of them were vacant.
She pulled into the spot right in front of the entrance. A sinking sensation took place in her stomach as she approached the doors to find the library hours.
Summer Hours (June - August)
Monday: 2 - 6 PM
Wednesday: 3 - 7 PM
Saturday: 9 AM - 3 PM
The library wouldn’t be open for another three hours. That was two hours too late for her video call. She was spoiled from years of living in Manhattan with its endless all-hours bars and cafés.
