Page 53 of Love in the Stacks
“Hello,” I respond.
“Um, I really enjoyed your presentation. I love graphic novels.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you have much information yet on which titles are most popular among your students? Which have been checked out the most?”
“Oh, well, we really just started circulating them a couple months ago.”
“Well, what graphic novels areyourfavorites? My name is Gloria, by the way.” Her eyes glimmer, and I realize her hand is still on my arm.
“Ah, I don’t actually read them myself. My colleague, Nicole, is really the one with passion for the project.”
That’s notquitetrue; I have read some graphic novels over the last few months, ones Nicole recommended. I gesture behind me to where Nicole is standing with her sister. I glance toward her and see that she is several feet closer than when I looked last. She’s no longer talking to her sister, and her eyes are locked on the red-haired woman, on me. Her fingers are curled against Molly’s arm, her grip tightening. The expression on Nicole’s face is tight, as if she’s barely controlling her emotions.
“Ouch,” I hear Molly grumble. “Nicole, let go.”
Nicole drops her hand, flexing her fingers, but her eyes stay on me.
Is Nicole … jealous? Delight fills my body. A laugh bubbles up my throat, but I swallow it down and smother my grin as I turn back toward the red-haired woman.
“This project is just so fascinating to me,” the woman coos. “Oh! Maybe we could have a drink together to talk about it more? The conference sessions are done for today.”
I feel heat at my back as Nicole stalks closer, no doubt hearing the invitation. She lays her hand on my shoulder, and I instinctively lean into it. I turn and catch her saccharine smile, Nicole’s eyes on the red-haired woman, but directing her words to me. “Adam, are you ready to go?” she asks pointedly.
I shift my eyes back to the red-haired woman, focusing on the center of her face, not making eye contact. I clear my throat awkwardly, still fighting a gleeful grin. “I have plans now, but thank you,” I manage to say.
“That’s too bad,” the woman’s lips turn pouty, and she shifts her gaze between me and Nicole. “Can I have your card?” she asks. “You know, in case I have questions later about your presentation?”
As I fumble in my messenger bag for my business card, Nicole snaps hers forward toward the woman.
“Here’s mine,” Nicole says, still smiling that forced, unnatural smile. “I’d be happy to answer any questions you have related to our presentation.”
“Oh!” The woman sputters, taking the card from Nicole’s hand. “Thank you.” She looks over at me and finally slides her hand off my arm. She turns and walks away, looking back over her shoulder once.
My grin bursts free as I finish closing out the laptop, eyeing Nicole’s red face as Molly yanks her toward the door.
Chapter twenty-five
Nicole
Molly grips my arm and whispers, “What was that?”
I meet her eyes and, seeing a twinkle of I-told-you-so, quickly glance away.
“What was what?” I feign innocence. I press my fingers to my cheeks, trying to cool them. Whatwasthat? That reaction. I’m not sure I can even explain it. I saw that woman with her smug smile, her hand on Adam’s arm, and suddenly I couldn’t focus on anything else. She asked him out? Would he have said yes? Yeah, we’ve been connecting lately, flirting a bit even, but it’s not like Adam and I are dating. I have no claim on him. So why, in that moment of Adam talking to another woman, did my heart beat steadily with the refrain “Mine. Mine. Mine”?
I frantically catch my sister’s eye, mouthing, “DoIlikeAdam?”
Molly rolls her eyes. “Obviously,” she whispers. “That’s what Olivia and I have been trying to tell you for months now.”
But … I think I like Adam not because he likes me. I think I like him because he’s smart and funny and supportive and interesting and attractive. I think I would like him even if he wasn’t interested in me.
Just then, Adam joins us in the hallway. “Are we ready for dinner?” he asks, his eyes bright.
Molly glances at me quickly, then says, “Absolutely. I know the place. We can walk there from here.”
Adam smiles. “Perfect,”
