Page 9 of Holidate Fail
“No, it’s…” Crissy looked at the library entrance. “You guys are the first group to make it here. I think the Stills and Dash hunt is so fun. I’d probably be doing it if I hadn’t been scheduled to work.”
She gave them another smile, then went back to scanning books, the little beep adding some noise to the lobby.
“Maybe it’s a book,” Dahlia said. “With tomorrow and yesterday in the title?”
“We could look at the CDs and musicals,” Kelly added.
“Might as well,” Lacole said. “Heath and Dahlia, you guys check the books while Kelly and I look at CDs and DVDs.”
Kelly went back to the mermaid librarian. “Hi, Crissy. Can you point me to the DVDs?”
“Sure thing.” Crissy gestured to the stairs leading up. “Go past the OED on the left and then up. But please, do let me know if you need anything else.”
She was awfully insistent. “Thank you.”
He and Lacole passed Dahlia typing into a computer near the elevator while Heath hovered nearby, the lucky bastard’s hand resting on the back of Dahlia’s chair.
Chapter 3
“There areTomorrow’s YesterdaysandYesterday’s TomorrowsandIf Tomorrow Was Yesterdayand hundreds of other titles with tomorrow and yesterday.” Dahlia pressed the delete key several times, each one harder than the last. The screen cleared and flickered, mocking her frustration. “It would take us years to go through them all.”
Heath rested his hands on her shoulders, which gave her a start. She wasn’t used to…touching. The contact felt good, though, with his warmth seeping into her through her shirt. How many times had she been jealous of couples casually reaching for each other in public spaces? And now it was her turn.
“This is fun.” Dahlia hoped the statement would affirm to Heath that she was onboard with the touching. She entered another search into the computer. “I signed up on the Holidates app to see what was happening for the Fourth of July. As soon as I saw National Scavenger Hunt Day and then an ad for the Stills and Dash, I couldn’t resist.”
Couldn’t resist meant she researched past games, stalked social media to see if she knew anyone who would be here, and determined how much physical activity was involved. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to run around and do crazy stunts. It was more like she didn’t want to have to run a mile without first figuring out a way to not actually run the mile.
When she realized most of the running would be to the car after finding a clue, she’d signed right up.
“First time on the app?” Heath kissed the top of her head. “You smell good.”
“Thanks.” She had picked a subtle flowered perfume touted online by celebrities. The kiss made her blink, though. It wasn’t sexy or tempting. It was…affectionate. Brotherly.
“I’ve used it a few times,” Heath said. “Funny thing, after I found you, the app kept sending me options. And I think one of them was Lacole.”
“Wow, talk about coincidences.” And great. Now she’d be thinking how he’d rather be with Lacole than with her.
Hello, insecurities. Go stuff yourself. And the kiss wasn’t brotherly. She just didn’t know what it was yet.
“Ugh. This search is getting us nowhere,” Dahlia said.
“What can I do to help?” Heath asked.
“Did you ask for help?” Librarian Crissy appeared as if summoned by a siren’s song.
“No, I was just—” Heath began.
“Yes,” Dahlia said. “We absolutely need some help.” There had to be a reason this friendly woman had been eyeing them since the moment they not-so-silently walked up the stone steps. Could she answer a direct question, or could she only respond to hypotheticals or give clues herself? Only one way to find out. “Do you know where tomorrow comes before yesterday?”
“I do.” Crissy backed up a few steps and rested her elbow on the wooden reading stand that held the Oxford English Dictionary and pierced Dahlia with her direct gaze.
Her body language was awkward, but Crissy held herself with purpose.
Next to the dictionary.
“Oh, geez. I should have realized,” Dahlia got up from the computer. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure! And here.” The librarian handed Dahlia a crossword puzzle on a sheet of paper when she got to the dictionary. “In case you need a mental break during the day. It’s important to take mental breaks.”
