by Amy Marie
“Then you should know that I have every reason to be evasive. Every reason to be skeptical of why any of the chosen ones would want to speak to me.”
“Chosen ones?” Is that what we were called? I had been popular, but I wasn’t an asshole about it like some of my friends were. Like Rosanna, for example. In retrospect, I still didn’t know what I’d seen in that girl.
Grace rolled her eyes. “I don’t have time to talk.” She turned around and began to walk away again.
“Wait, Grace.” She sighed but turned around. “There’s a fundraiser for the Gaston Library.”
“Yeah.”
“Go with me.”
She laughed. She actually laughed in my face. “No,” she said simply. Then she was gone.
What the hell was that, Jonah? I asked myself. I hadn’t been planning to ask her to the fundraiser, but I panicked. I needed her attention for one more minute and that’s what came out of my mouth. I could practically hear Allison laughing at me. “That’s the best you could do?” she’d ask. I was much smoother when I’d met Allison in college.
Funny thing was...she’d said no to me, too.
Chapter 7
Grace
The audacity of that man. Asking me to the fundraiser. I’d already planned on going to the event because the cause was near and dear to my heart. But I wasn’t going to go with a date. I didn’t need a date. I hadn’t needed one for prom, I didn’t need one for the fundraiser.
We all know how prom went for you, a little niggling voice said, maybe you could use a date.
“Shut up,” I said.
“Huh?”
I looked down at the student standing across the desk. Shit. When had he gotten there?
“Sorry, I was thinking out loud. Need to shut this drawer,” I said, closing the drawer that was mercifully left open beside me.
The boy looked at me like I was crazy, which I probably was. He left quickly after I checked out his books. I was sure he’d go tell his friends about the nutty librarian. Oh well, I’d dealt with worse than a few elementary school kids.
I picked up a small pile of books that had been returned during the last hour and wandered off into the stacks to reshelf them. The school day was almost over, and it had been a long one. The entire week had been long, particularly since I spent most of it dodging Jonah Bell. I didn’t believe he was stalking me; it was just one of the hazards of living in a small town. Want to go out to dinner? A third of the town will be at one restaurant, another third at the other, and the rest were eating at home. Need coffee in the morning? Gas? So does everyone else. I’d ducked behind more shelves, people, and merchandise displays than I cared to admit. All because he asked me on a date to the fundraiser.
The final bell rang, letting students know it was time to pack up for the end of the day. I finished shelving returns and then spent a few minutes straightening the displays and then my desk. Just as I was reviewing my agenda for Monday, the library doors swung open. I looked up to see Nannette, the receptionist from the front office.
“What can I do for you, Nan?” I asked.
“Well, it seems this young lady is looking for you.” She stepped to the side and revealed Abigail Bell standing behind her.
I walked around the desk and crouched down in front of Abby. “Why aren’t you waiting outside for your dad?” I’d seen her and Jonah walking home from school a few times, so I knew that was their routine.
“He’s running late,” Abby said.
“He called in, and Miss Abigail has been sitting in the office with me, but she asked if she could come to the library instead. Said she needed to talk to the library princess.”
“Princess Librarian,” Abby corrected.
I smiled at the sweet girl. “You can wait here for your dad,” I told Abby, and she smiled from ear to ear. “Is that alright with you, Nannette?”
“Sure,” Nannette said. “As long as it’s not too much trouble for you.”
“No trouble at all,” I assured her. I had been wanting to go home, but I could spare some time for Abby. “Just give me a call when Mr. Bell arrives, and I’ll send her down.”
Nannette nodded, and with a light pat to Abby’s shoulder she left the library.
“So, what would you like to do?” I asked Abby.
“When I was here with my class this week, there were a few books I wanted to check out, but I had to choose only one. I want to read the others, too.”
Mrs. Murphy’s rule was stupid. Why put a limit on a child’s reading? We should be fostering their desire to read, not hampering it.
“Go ahead,” I said, scooting her to the children’s section. Each class was allowed thirty minutes to browse during their assigned time and Mrs. Murphy gave her class maybe half of that. I should report her to the administration. It wasn’t right. Unfortunately, the arts tended to rank low on most administrators’ priority lists, so my efforts probably would have been futile.
I returned to my computer and started working on a flyer for an upcoming book fair that had been on my agenda for Monday since I had nothing else to organize or clean while Abby waited for her dad.
Twenty minutes passed, and I wondered just how late Jonah was going to be. I adjusted my glasses--I needed them when working on the computer--and continued to work on the flyer. The previous librarian had told me that the school book fairs weren’t well attended by the students and parents. I planned to change that, and this flyer was the first step. When I was finished, I planned to speak with the principal, Jefferson Lawrence, about developing a way to incentivize participation. A simple token economy could be an effective and inexpensive way to get kids interested in reading. It might also solve the problem with Mrs. Murphy’s class. The next item on my agenda was to work on a pitch for the token economy.
“You’re really pretty when you’re concentrating.”
“Jesus!” I jumped, knocking over my pencil cup and sending pens and pencils across my desk. “Can you ever just announce yourself like a normal person?” I asked, my breath heavy. “You scared the hell out of me.”
“Sorry, I’ve been standing in the doorway for a few minutes. I thought the squeak would have alerted you to my presence.”
“I’m used to the damn squeak,” I said. The first few days of school it had driven me crazy, but now I didn’t even hear it.
“Sorry,” he said again. He picked up a pencil off the floor and placed it in the cup.
“I’ve got it,” I barked at him. “Abby is in the back,” I said, gesturing with my chin to the aisle she’d disappeared down as I placed the pens and pencils back in the cup.
“Thanks for letting her spend some time here. She loves to read and spending time in the library is probably like paradise to her. I’m sorry I was so late…”
He trailed off as I refused to look at him, still placing each writing utensil back in the cup, one at a time. Anything to occupy my time until he left again. I would not give him the opportunity to ask me on a date again.
“I don’t know why you hate me so much,” he finally said. I scoffed, whatever. “I always liked you in high school.” His words caught my attention, but I still wouldn’t look at him. “Liked isn’t the right word...I admired you.”
My eyes shot up to his. “You what?”
“I admired you, Grace. We went to school with a bunch of idiots. The things they said to you...did to you. It wasn’t right. You handled it all with such grace, though. Like you didn’t care at all. It drove them crazy, I’ll tell you that. Your lack of reaction to their taunts made them insane. Looking back, I’m ashamed I was even friends with some of them.”
I looked at him in shock. He’d admired me? He thought I’d handled my bullies with grace? He thought I drove them crazy? I felt dizzy with this information...disoriented even. Was that why they’d pulled the ultimate prank on me at prom? Because I’d pissed them off by not reacting to their barbs?
“That’s why I want to talk to you. That’s why I’m trying to be your
friend. I don’t know many people around here anymore. In fact, I have no friends in town at all. Plus, Abby likes you, so you’ve got to be good people. When I saw you in the old room at the library, you had this look of utter peace on your face. I thought the fundraiser would be a way for us to hang out and maybe get to know one another. That’s all. I just want to get to know you, Grace. I don’t have ill intentions, okay?”
I didn’t know what to say. My mouth was dry, and my heart thudded in my chest. Bump. Bump. Bump. I stood there looking at him but not really seeing him.
“I’d better get Abs and head home. I’m sorry for bothering you. I won’t do it anymore, if that’s what you want.”
Jonah walked down the aisle I’d gestured to and came back a minute later with Abby.
“I put the books back where I got them, Miss Grace,” Abby told me.
Realizing I had to respond to her, I smiled. “I didn’t doubt you would.” I hadn’t told her my name, so I’d bet Jonah did. Hearing her small, sweet voice say my name melted my heart a little bit.
“Say good night, Abs,” Jonah said.
“Good night, Miss Grace. Thanks for letting me stay.”
“Good night, Abby. You are welcome any time.”
She beamed up at me, before walking through the door Jonah was holding open for her.
“I’ll go with you,” I called out, surprising myself as much as I surprised Jonah. “To the fundraiser. I’ll go with you.”
He smiled and nodded, then left. That smile! It sent tingles throughout my entire body.
I groaned, collapsing across my desk.
What was I getting myself into?
I could very easily fall for those two, and I wasn’t sure just how hard I’d land.
Chapter 8
Grace
I’d had to go about twenty miles past Gaston to Charming to find a costume shop that had the appropriate period attire for the historical themed fundraiser. Really, any decade would have been fine. There were ladies dressed like they’d walked off the set of The Great Gatsby and men competing to be the next James Dean. Most of the decades were represented, but I’d gone for another century altogether.
I wore an antique gown made of a heavy, blush fabric. There was cream colored lacing on the bodice and around the neckline. Creamy lace sleeves flowed down to my wrists. My hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, my long curls mostly draping down my back.
The best part of the costume?
Jonah matched me.
He wore a suit made from a similar fabric, only a darker shade of blush. There was cream thread embroidered throughout the velour fabric. The laced ends of the shirt he wore came out from beneath his jacket sleeves. He wore his long hair down, and he looked wild and sexy.
Together, we looked like we’d stepped right off the set of Interview with a Vampire. It hadn’t been the look I was going for, but it was perfect in its own way.
I’d let him bite me; my cheeks heated at the thought.
We’d met at the event. While he had melted some of my shell with his speech in my library, I wasn’t quite ready for him to pick me up at home. I wasn’t ready for my mother to ask questions and I wasn’t ready for this to be more of a date than it already was. Until recently, I’d thought Jonah--J.T.--had been my nemesis.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this new development...after believing something that wasn’t true for so long.
He said he’d always wanted to be my friend in high school, and I’d always wanted to be his...something...too. What if we’d actually done something about it back then? What if we’d talked? What if we’d been friends? Would we still be friends now? If he’d wanted to talk to me back then, why hadn’t he? I had so many questions.
“What’s going on in there?” Jonah asked, sending one of his sexy smiles my way. I flushed, feeling like I was caught thinking about him. He couldn’t possibly know what was going on in my head, but it probably showed on my face. We stood side-by-side along the perimeter of the room. We’d made our way around when we arrived, looking at the various exhibits from the library and bidding on a few silent auction items. I had my heart set on a three-day trip to Disney, but I’d probably be outbid before the night was through. The organizers boasted that ninety-five percent of all donations would go towards the renovation of the preservation room and the acquisition of new volumes. I hadn’t personally made it through all the books in the room yet, but the thought of new books still excited me.
“I’m sorry, just lost in thought about books,” I said, smiling shyly. It wasn’t entirely a lie; I had been thinking about the books a little bit.
“Hazard of the job?” He asked, and I nodded. “Would you like something to drink? It looks like they’re passing around champagne.”
“I’d love some,” I said. I didn’t like champagne that much, but I could sip it for a little while.
Jonah took two champagne flutes off a passing tray and handed one to me. “To new friends,” he said, holding the glass up to me.
I smiled. “To new friends,” I said, clinking my glass against his. I took a sip, the bitter taste causing me to wince.
He let out an amused laugh. “You don’t like champagne?”
“Is it that obvious?” I laughed softly.
He took the flute from me and placed it on the empty tray of another passing server. “They have a punch bowl set up over there, I’ll go get you something. Then we can dance.”
I gawked as he walked away. He wanted to dance? I had two left feet. Dancing was not going to end well.
“If it isn’t Leatherface,” someone said, and the blood drained from my face. After ten years, I still recognized that voice. I’d never forget it.
I turned and looked directly into Rosanna’s eyes. She was still as pretty as she’d been in high school. Petite with glowing skin and sparkly white teeth that shone beneath her sneer. She was one of the Gatsby flappers with a gold sequin dress hugged tightly to her slim figure.
Figures she’d still be beautiful...and ugly at the same time.
“You look good,” she said, eyeing me up and down.
My jaw hurt from clenching it so tightly. I didn’t know what she wanted with me, but high school was over a long time ago. Surely, she had better things to do.
She was looking at something--someone--across the room. I followed her gaze. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me he was taking you to the event. I told him it was cruel, but he didn’t care.”
That dizzying feeling was back, made worse by the corset I had to wear to properly fit into my dress. I tried to take a deep breath, but I couldn’t. It was like something was pressing against my chest. The music seemed to quiet and suddenly all I could hear was Rosanna in the big room.
“He was always interested in the charity cases. That’s all you are to him, Grace. A charity case. First when you were Scarface, and now as the nerdy librarian at the elementary school.”
She kept talking, but I stopped hearing her.
I wouldn’t cry. Not this time. I wasn’t even upset.
I was angry.
I was spitting mad.
Blinded by my anger, I took a few steps towards Jonah as he approached me, smiling with our drinks.
I shoved him.
The drinks fell to the floor, splashing at our feet. The clear plastic cups bounced and rolled away. Jonah looked shocked; his eyes wide. When he looked past me, his eyes narrowed at Rosanna.
I didn’t care that he seemed angry to see her. I ignored him altogether.
I turned and walked out of the gym.
Out of the school.
With my head held high this time.
I knew it was too good to be true.
I couldn’t trust him...I couldn’t trust anyone.
Chapter 9
Jonah
“What did you say to her?” I spit, getting right in Rosanna’s face. She had been a narcissistic bitch in high school, and it was evident that hadn’t changed.
She shrugge
d, a smirk spreading across her face. “Nothing she didn’t already know.”
“Why are you such a bitch?”
Her smile froze and she looked around us to see if anyone was within earshot. A few people were. “Jonah,” she said, smiling awkwardly at the onlookers.
“We are not friends, Rosanna. We haven’t been friends for years. To be honest, I don’t know why I considered you a friend back then. You are not a nice person. I don’t know what you said to Grace, but you should be ashamed of yourself. You’re a grown woman, stop being a bully.”
“Jonah,” she called. “Jonah, wait.”
I heard the clack clack clack of her heels on the gym floor as she followed behind me, but I didn’t stop. I needed to find Grace before Rosanna did more damage than she’d done at our senior prom.
“Grace,” I called, throwing a pebble at what I guessed was her bedroom window. I’d had to ask around town to find out where she lived and almost two hours had passed since she left the event. Turned out she was on the next block over from me, staying at her mother’s place because she was sick. Grace was a saint, all the more reason she didn’t deserve whatever Rosanna said.
“Young man,” someone called, and I turned towards the voice. It was a woman who must have been Grace’s mother since she looked so much like her. She looked tired through, and she wore a pink bandana around her head.
“I’m sorry, ma’am,” I said. “I’m looking for Grace.”
“She’s not here,” she said.
“Oh.” My shoulders sagged in defeat.
“She went for ice cream. She should be back any minute.”
I let out a breath. “Thank you, Mrs. Adams.”
“It’s Ms. Adams, and don’t make me regret it. Grace has had a little pep in her step the past week and I can only assume you put it there.”
I smiled, knowing I’d made her happy despite how standoffish she’d been. “I don’t want to hurt her, Ms. Adams.”
