Page 34 of Steel & Jenna
“Mr. Zarin offered to pick us up when we’re ready,” Jack told her. “Unless you have other plans?” His eyes flicked back to Carolyn in the car.
Jenna shook her head. “That works for me.”
“Then close the fucking door!” Carolyn snapped without malice. “It’s cold and past my bedtime!”
Jack moved Jenna back out of the doorway and then slammed the door closed. He patted the hood of the car before Carolyn pulled away.
“Never understood why guys do that,” Jenna mused with a shake of her head.
“Come on.” Jack threw his arm around her shoulders to help block her from the wind. “Let’s get inside. We have a lot to talk about.”
“Where’s Lilly?”
“That’s part of what I want to talk to you about.”
They headed up the slick stairs to the library’s entrance. Based on the cars in the parking lot, the only people inside were likely the librarian, Mrs. Faulkner, and her assistant, Becky. Becky was deaf, making it difficult for her to hold down a regular job, but working at the library was perfect for her.
The Port Townsend Carnegie Library was two stories. If Jenna recalled Port Townsend history, the building was created in 1913 by a group of community ladies. The large spacious building was actually running out of room and there was talk about adding an addition. If the town agreed, though, it was still going to be years before the project and funding were underway.
The library sat on a tall hill, making multiple flights of stairs necessary to reach it. In the chilly morning, heavy frost and iceformed, making the stairs very slick. Thankfully, someone had had the foresight to put salt down the night before. The lawn of the library was also a known spot for kids to sled down. Parents or older kids would stand in the road to block traffic while kids used toboggans, trash can lids, and whatever else they could find to sled down the steep slope.
By the time they reached the main entrance, Jenna was both flushed from exertion and chilled to the bone from the winter breeze. Jack was trying to use his body to shield hers, which she thought was recklessly sweet, because it also made his trek up the stairs more dangerous.
He leapt forward to get the door for her. Hot air wafted into her face, making her cheeks sting.
She shivered as they stepped inside. Jenna took a comforting deep breath at the smell of books, dust, and floor cleaner. Call her weird, but that combination was one of the best smells in the world. Fresh lemonade and cookies still ranked the highest.
The coat rack at the front of the building only held two coats, confirming who was inside. As Jenna got her gloves, scarf, and hat off, Jack got his jacket off and hung it up. Then he reached for hers, taking it off her shoulders and down her arms. She smiled over her shoulder at him. There was something to be said for being pampered. Jenna had never thought she wouldwantsuch attention from a boy. Though she had a feeling, were it anyone else who tried to treat her so, it would annoy her. But from Jack? It was like her soul craved that extra little bit of unnecessary attention from him.
The bright lights of the overhead fluorescents buzzed slightly as they made their way past the front desk. Mrs. Faulkner waved to them over her jeweled cat eye eyeglasses. The older woman had a rounded face and tended to purse her lips likeBetty Boopwhenever she thought someone with a penis was looking her way. As far as Jenna knew, the woman was divorced, not widowed, but she was unsure if ‘Faulkner’ was her married or maiden name.
As Jack led her up the large staircase to the second floor, where the stacks of non-fiction books were, Jenna allowed a thought that hadbeen simmering in the back of her mind since the day they’d met. She just hadn’t given it a voice before now.
Jack Duncan.
JennaDuncan.
Jack and Jenna Duncan.
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan.
TheDuncans.
Jenna thought back to dinner the previous night at the Zarins’. She loved how seamlessly the couple worked together and complimented the other. While Mr. Zarin had smoked the meat outside and Mrs. Zarin had cooked the side dishes inside, there hadn’t been specific roles in their household. Mr. Zarin had helped to clear the table and wash the dishes while Mrs. Zarin had sat in the living room talking with Lilly, Carolyn, Jack, and Jenna. They’d been ateam.
She admired that. More than love and trust,thatwas what she wanted out of a relationship.
When they reached the landing, Jack took her hand. He was leading her down the hall of tall bookstacks to a private room. Normally they were reserved for academic studies, but this early on a Saturday, they were empty. While they’d been upstairs before, they’d never gone into one of the private rooms before. With Lilly with them, there hadn’t been a reason or a point.
The walls had long windows that gave no privacy inside, however the door gave the illusion of such. Each small room had a table, two chairs, and a trash can.
Rather than leading her to the table once the door was closed, Jack pulled her down to the floor. They sat under the large windows with their backs against the wall. Jenna’s head touched drywall whereas Jack’s taller head touched glass.
Jenna crossed her legs in front of her. She was wearing leggings under jeans for insulation, fur lined boots, and a cashmere wool sweater. Jack was in the same jeans and t-shirt from the day before. However, there was a bulge under his shirt she only just now noticed.
“What is that?” she asked, curious. She knew enough about the male body to know what itwasn’t.
Jack reached inside his shirt and pulled out an old sock with holes. It didn’t take a genius to clue her in to what was inside it. The shape of the stack of cash was too easily defined, and she could see the corners of some of the bills sticking out of one of the small holes.
