Page 32 of Honey Bee Library
“Thanks,” she said as she pushed her chair out and stood. “How was your first day? Did you like it?”
I nodded as I straightened. She joined me at the door, and I waited for her to pass by before I followed behind her.
“I’m so glad,” she said as she glanced over her shoulder at me.
“I was just thinking about how confident I feel today versus yesterday.”
She nodded. “It’ll get easier every day. Soon, you’ll be running this place like a pro.”
I liked the sound of that. I needed something for myself. I needed to feel confident in one aspect of my life. I’d felt like I was floundering for so long, and I was ready to see the sunshine peek above the horizon. I was ready to start my life.
We spent the morning going over the shelving system Honey Bee Library used. She showed me how to scan the barcode and make sure the status was changed in the system. She pointed out any damage that we might need to take care of. Then she showed me how to separate the books so reshelving was a smoother process.
Once she was done, she left me to get started. Now alone, I allowed myself to relax as I went through the motions.
I was reshelving the children’s books, when I heard the soft chime of the bell on the front door. Excited to help a patron, I finished sliding the book I was holding into its spot and hurried through the aisle to my desk.
“Good morn?—”
I stopped when the familiar, cocky smile of Liam greeted me. He looked more put together this morning. His shaggy hair looked clean. He still had the same amount of jewelry as yesterday, but his clothes were less wrinkled.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. I gathered my composure as I grabbed the armrest of my desk chair and pulled it over so I could sit down. Desperate to look like I had things to do, I grabbed a nearby stack of paper and straightened it by tapping the edge on the desk.
He sucked in his breath. “Is that the way you treat all the readers that come in?”
I paused and flicked my gaze up to him. “Are you a reader?”
He rested one arm on the counter and used it to lean closer to me. “I could be.”
I snorted. “You don’t look like it.”
His other hand flew to his chest as he mustered an offended look. “Ouch. What does that mean?”
I wasn’t sure where this conversation was going, but I knew it wasn’t a journey I wanted to take. This was only my second day on the job and the last thing I needed was for Isabelle to overhear us and think I wasn’t being professional.
“Did you find...” I paused. What was the name? “Cole?” I hesitantly asked. I could only assume that he hadn’t since he was now standing in front of me once again.
“Yes, Cole. And yeah, I found him.”
I frowned. “So why aren’t you with your friend. Why are you here?”
Liam straightened and glanced around. “This is a public building, is it not?” He tapped the counter with the tip of his forefinger.
“It is.”
He glanced back at me. “So Icanbe here?”
“You can.”
He smiled at me.
I leaned in. “But why are you here?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
He shrugged. “I need a book.”
“You need a book.”
“Isn’t that why people come to the library?”
