Twice Before Bedtime

Chapter Five

The next day when she returned to Oklahoma, she hadn't seen Jenkins at all. Her personal clippings book remained silent and from her phone it seemed like the main clippings book was as well. This was not unusual. During her time with Flynn, there had been stretches of months sometimes with no urgent cases. The two of them always found things to do, however. The appointment book, the general list, working with her gift and for Flynn lectures and presentations. Not to mention general Library work, sword fighting lessons with Cal and a hundred and one other little things. In this case, Cassandra was filling her time helping the Stones.

The day went by, the only word from the Library being some teasing texts from Ezekiel about why she was helping Jacob soon eclipsed by boastful texts about how well his treasure hunt was going.

Meanwhile, Cassandra found herself that day out of Jacob's office and walking the store, visualizing better placement of items. Jacob had no way of knowing that while she looked simply lost in thought, her brain was supplying her with marketing data, sales and store flow. Over the past five years, she and Flynn had worked extensively with her gift, now she could use it without getting overwhelmed and she had strict control over the thought transference aspect. She only used that in dire emergencies and only with other Library staff who knew what was going on. She'd never used her gift before for a retail application and it was actually fun juggling what ifs.

Jacob was impressed with her knowledge but it was she who was impressed when he sketched out her ideas on paper.

"You're really talented!" she exclaimed as they poured over the diagram in his office.

"Yeah, well . . . ." he came very close to blushing, then shrugged it off. "It's a hobby."

"Right," Cassandra sensed his discomfort, though she couldn't figure out for the life of her why he would be. "Anyway, what do you think?"

He nodded. "It helped to have a visual of what you were saying. I like it, some of it reminds me of how it looked when I was a kid."

"I did take some cues from the photos," Cassandra pointed to a few hung on the walls. "I thought about how it would work today. Oddly enough, most of it did."

He grinned at her. "Nice. Funny ain't it?"

"What?"

"Well usually in these kinds of things, the modern way of doin' stuff is better. And I was following stuff I learned in an online course on store flow. But I think I cluttered it up tryin' everything and anything in here. Turns out, old way's best."

She chuckled. "Well, not entirely. Old way with a new spin. You weren't completely off track either. But nostalgia sells and in any era simplicity is the key."

"That's Cassandra Cillian for keep it simple stupid, ain't it?"

She laughed, "I didn't say that. But maybe."

"It's okay, Cassie, I like you because you've told it to me straight from the start."

"Well, I've hoped I had better news, but I'm really hoping all of this will help."

"Which reminds me, I asked my granddad and in turns out, the old shop opened this month in 1918. The lady at the historical society said it looks like it was around the 15th."

"So in two weeks give or take."

"Can you stay that long?"

Cassandra sighed. "Probably not. But if we can throw this together in a week . . . ."

"That's a tall order, Cassie."

"We can do this, Jacob. I know we can. The people who come in here seem to love you and this store. We can get as many of them to help as we can. Just a bit of faith and some elbow grease and we can do this."