Passionate Pleasures Read Free Page B

gossips had given up trying to match her.
    She hadn’t even bothered an attempt at catching the bride’s bouquet at her brother’s wedding, although Debora pitched the flowers directly at her. The delicate roses and stephanotis had ended up in the hands of a squealing teenage relation on the bride’s side, who shrieked gleefully as she elbowed Kathryn aside to get to the flowers.
    No, Kathryn St. John needed no one. She sipped her coffee slowly, and considered the day ahead. She had her weekly staff meeting at eleven this morning.
    It was time to discuss the Christmas Book Fair, which meant getting in touch with all the contacts she had made over the years for new-book donations. And she had to decide on the new Web site for the library. Kathryn smiled to herself. Great-aunt Lucretia would have been very taken aback by how complicated the business of running a library had become.
    Libraries were no longer just in the business of loaning out books. The Egret Pointe Library had published a vision statement several years back. In it they set out the ways in which they would and could serve their community. The library sponsored a series of concerts on the village green each summer. They had wonderful programs for children from toddlers on up. Their summer-reading contest for ’tweens would shortly be coming to an end, and the winners announced. They would get the treat of their choice at Walt’s ice-cream shop. Each Friday evening in February at seven P.M. the library had what they called Family Movie Night. It was a very popular program with family-oriented films being shown. And the library was far more accessible on a snowy winter’s night than the local cineplex at the mall several miles away.
    One of the most popular programs, however, was the computer classes that were given for seniors. Many of Egret Pointe’s older citizens had children and grandchildren living far away now. Becoming computer literate let them stay in touch. Yes, indeed, Great-aunt Lucretia would have been very surprised by what the library was doing today. And not just books were available for loan now. There were DVDs and videotapes too. This new technology demanded they do more and more to remain relevant. Kathy wondered if it would be possible to loan out Kindle readers. Could libraries get subscriptions to download books for their readers? How would publishers charge for it? A onetime fee? Would there be a discount? She would have to keep an eye on it for the future.
    Mavis stuck her head in the door. “Time for the staff meeting,” she said.
    Kathryn St. John rose from her desk, gathering up a small pile of papers to take with her. The meeting would be held as it always was in the library boardroom. Her staff of six was already there and waiting when she hurried in with Mavis. “Good morning, everyone!” she greeted them.
    “Good morning, Miss Kathy,” the staff chorused back.
    “Anyone have any old or new business?” she asked, knowing the answer but asking anyway. “No? All right then, let’s get to the preplanning of our annual Christmas Book Fair. Caroline, I’d like you to continue to deal with the paperback houses.”
    “No problem,” Caroline said.
    “Does anyone have an idea of what the Merchants Association is doing this year for Christmas windows?” Kathryn asked.
    “Dickens,” Mavis answered. “A Dickens Christmas.”
    “Then I think it would be fun if the volunteers dressed in the appropriate costumes for the fair this year,” Kathryn said. “What does everyone think?”
    “Once we know who’s volunteering to work the fair, I can get the costumes,” Peter Potter, the only man on the library staff, said. “I have friends in the city who can help us with that.”
    “That would be wonderful! Thank you, Peter,” Kathryn replied. “Let’s put out the call for volunteers right after Labor Day.”
    There were murmurs of assent.
    “We should do something special for the kids,” Marcia Merryman, the