Page 49 of The Librarian and the Rock Star

28. Shush

Since my attention has been diverted so much over the past week, I realized that my usual anal retentiveness when it came to my own paperwork had been severely slacking. Month end was going to appear at some point, and I need it to be ahead of everything.

I completely lost myself in busywork for over an hour, achieving that meditative state of perfect focus. So I was extra startled when someone rushed into my office without knocking. Tommy was standing there with an absolutely stunned look on his face. “Jack Vegas is in our library,” he said in a low, strained voice.

“Good grief,” I muttered, standing up.

He started to explain, “He’s the singer from–”

“Vegas Mud Disco,” I cut him off. “I know. He’s a friend of mine.”

Tommy’s eyes grew so wide it would have been hysterical on any other occasion. I went out into the main room to see Jack surrounded by several college students who were taking photos with him, shaking his hand and laughing. They all looked so preppy, so casual. Jack looked like the epitome of a rocker, with a tight black T-shirt with the neckline slightly torn, leather wristbands, and that luscious shadowy scruff across his face.

The girls surrounding him were giggling in delight, trying to take cute photos of each other with him, and generally causing a scene.

One of the professors that had been using the meeting room near them came out, glaring at him with absolute fury. “Excuse me, could you all please hold it down?”

“Sorry,” Jack said brightly. He turned to the giggling group, whispering loudly. “I always forget. Library equals quiet. It’s the one thing from school I remember.”

They laughed, and he tried to lead them away from the meeting room. I saw the security guard by the door stand up and start to walk towards them, but I held up my hand. “I’ve got this Pete, thanks.”

The students looked absolutely shocked when Jack turned around, saw me behind the counter, and practically ran to me. “This place is huge!” he said with genuine delight. “I’ve never thought about the actual size of a college library, and I’ve never been in one before. The only library where I spent any real time was back in my small hometown, and it wasn’t even an eighth the size of this one.”

“Shh,” I said sternly.

He lowered his voice, whispering with a giggle, “Sorry. But I just got shushed by the sexiest librarian I’ve ever seen.”

“Jack,” I said quietly but sharply. “Place of business.”

“Right. Sorry. So can I take you to lunch?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m in the middle of a bunch of stuff.”

“Come on,” he begged. He stuck out his bottom lip in a way that would’ve been positively adorable if he weren’t being so annoying at the moment.

“Jack, believe it or not, I have a lot of work to get done today. Why didn’t you call first?”

He shrugged. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Follow me,” I said, leaving him into my office.

He nodded to Tommy and Tina as he walked by, and I thought that Tommy’s eyes were actually going to burst from his head.

“Sit,” I ordered, gesturing to the guest chair. He didn’t seem phased at all, even though I was obviously annoyed. “Jack I appreciate that you’re a spontaneous person, and have a very erratic schedule. But I’m not, and I don’t. My work hours are pretty strict, and my time is usu

ally booked.”

“Okay, but you get a lunch break, right?”

“Yes, but–”

“Then let’s go!” He started to stand up.

“I don’t think you’re listening,” I said softly. I felt myself biting my lip, as I didn’t quite know what I needed to say. He saw that I was upset, and sat patiently while I put my thoughts in a row.

“That older guy you just pissed off is Professor Fletcher, one of the highest ranking bigwigs here. He has always thought that I was too young and too female to run this place. The odds of him going to the chancellor and complaining are excellent. He has always gone out of his way to try to make me look incompetent, and now that his meeting was disturbed by a guest of mine, he has some genuine evidence.”

Jack’s face turned pale. “Keira, I’m so sorry.”

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