Bookends

Arlene Hill

Willow Conley inherited her grandmother's bookstore, Bookends, and is feeling somewhat overwhelmed with the responsibility. She's always loved the store and has spent many happy hours there, helping her grandmother, but isn't sure she is ready to be in charge. On her very first day a man shows up, waving a want ad: WANTED Jack of all trades for renovation. Contact Willow Conley. Does not have to have the name Jack. Willow claims she hadn't placed the ad in the newspaper. "Did you write this?" the man asked. "Yes, but I never sent it to the paper; it was just a joke. And I don't need a handyman." "Is it okay if I do some browsing among the books?" Later when asked if he got the job, the man, whose name was not Jack, admitted that he hadn't been hired, "I'll just take my tools and keep working until she admits that she needs me. Besides, she's just a bitty little thing,...