I thought Cormac was.”

“Troy replaced Cormac over the summer. There was no way Cormac could care for Daisy and continue with working and holding volunteer positions on all the various non-profits, so he let most the volunteer work go.”

“Wait. I’m getting confused. Daisy isn’t Cormac’s daughter?”

“Daisy was the daughter of Cormac’s best friends, Daryl and April Wilde. Daryl and April died in that big accident on the Las Vegas strip last June. I’m sure you heard about it. The accident was all over the news. Now Cormac is raising their baby.”

“Wow. I didn’t know all that. And I definitely wasn’t aware that Troy had been part of the hiring committee.”

“He was one of the ones that recommended you.”

“There were some who didn’t want me?”

“There were some who thought the library should replace Margaret with someone older, and more mature.”

“Like Judge McCorkle, maybe?” Taylor muttered.

Jane’s eyebrows shot up. “How did you know?”

Taylor’s jaw dropped. “He wasn’t part of the hiring committee!”

“He was. Along with Annabeth Collier, Chelsea’s mom, Sharla Dickinson, the principal at Marietta High, and Samuel Emerson of Emerson Ranch.”

“Ella’s dad.”

Jane nodded.

“How do you know all this?” Taylor asked.

“Committee meeting notes are always saved in a city Dropbox folder I have access to as Director for the Chamber of Commerce.”

“So you know Marietta’s dirt.”

Jane grinned. “I do.”

“People should be nicer to you.”

Jane laughed as she reached for her coat and purse. “Yes. Yes, they should.” She slipped her coat on. “What time is Troy picking you up tomorrow night?”

“Five forty-five, so we can be there at six, since that’s the start of the cocktail hour.”

“I’m planning on being at the hotel by five thirty. Just to be on the safe side. Mitch is going to meet me there since I’m going so early.”

“That’s no fun.”

“It’s okay. I don’t think Mitch and I have all that much in common anyway. He’s a sports nut and I like the arts.”

“He is a high school football coach.”

“Exactly. Good looking, hunky as heck, but once again, not the right guy for me.”

That evening at home, instead of curling up with a book, Taylor gave herself a manicure and pedicure as she sat in the living room with Kara. The TV was on but Kara was reading through a huge stack of legal briefs and Taylor wasn’t really paying attention to the television program.

“What color did you decide for your nails?” Kara asked, without looking up from her paperwork.

“Red.”

“Good choice. So you’ve decided to wear the Lily Jewel gown?”

“No. Can’t wear it.” Taylor frowned at the smudge in her little toenail and debated redoing the nail, and then figured it was fine. No one would be looking that closely at her feet. “It’s too… everything… for me. And I’d be terrified I’d tear it or spill something on it.”

“She’s giving it to you.”

“Well, I’m giving it back. She should have someone rich and famous wear that dress. Not a boring librarian like me.” Taylor screwed the cap on the nail polish, and stretched, relaxed, and happy.