“Everyone makes mistakes,” Jack said with a small smile. “Maybe falling for a man who wasn’t single wasn’t the best idea, but I bet you were good to him. I bet you made him feel special and important. Love is complicated, and we all make a mess of it at some point.”
Stella picked up her cold pizza crust and pointed it at Jack. “Says the hero.” She took one last bite.
Jack shook his head. “I’m just one guy who made a good decision. Anyone can be a hero if they want to be. This isyourstory. You get to write it. I think it’s time you stop writing yourself as the loner or the aimless heroine.”
“What about the bitter crone?” Stella teased. She unfolded her paper towel, wiped her hands on it, and stood. “In the chapter with Wade, I’m pretty sure I was the pathetic nobody.”
Jack pushed away from the desk and stood. “Says who?” His anger startled her. “Says the guy who was resentful about what he couldn’t give you? The guy who wouldn’t make time for you because he had a list of excuses? The guy who shined a light on what he thought were your shortcomings? It sounds to me like he wanted it all—you, the kids, his wife—and he expected you to agree that your life together would always be onhisterms. It doesn’t sound like what you wanted mattered a great deal to him. That’s not love. That’s selfishness. He did you a favor by disappearing, even though it hurt you. But he’s not the verdict on your worthiness, Stella. Look at you. You’re smart and kind and weird and funny... and beautiful.” Jack closed the distance between them.
His intensity and willingness to defend her astonished her. Stella hadn’t been called beautiful since Wade whispered it one night in his car. Jack reached for her and twined their hands together. The contact stole her breath.
“If he failed to see and appreciate you and treat you as worthy of so much love and respect, then he never deserved you. Only a fool would take for granted and gamble with something as precious and rare as love. I’ve known you for a scattering of moments, and I can see who you are.”
His hands sent warmth through hers and radiated up her arms. “What do you see?” she asked.
“I can see how lucky any man would be to stand in your light. I see how deserving you are of love.”
Her heart fluttered wildly. Jack was so close to her, so close she could see the dark blue flecks in his hazel eyes.
“Have you ever been kissed by a character from a book? Other than Hook?”
“No,” she said as he came closer. “But I’ve daydreamed about it lots of times.”
Jack grinned. “I bet you have.” He leaned down to kiss her.
“Stella Parker!” Wearing bright pink scrubs that matched the strand of dye in her blond hair, Ariel looked like a streak of color as she rushed across the foyer toward the circulation desk.
Jack and Stella jumped apart quickly. Lightheaded and filled with yearning, Stella reached out to the desk to steady herself.
“Ariel,” Stella said, surprised at how breathless she sounded.
Ariel laid her arms on the high top of the desk and shifted her gaze from Stella to Jack and then back to Stella.
“You two are as lit up as a pair of sparklers. What is going on here?”
“Nothing!” Jack and Stella said together.
Then someone screamed.
Chapter 15
Ariel flinched, and Stella turned toward the screaming. Shouts peppered the air, sounding like kids on a roller-coaster ride. Although the voices didn’t sound terrified, the chill ripping through Stella’s body told her they weren’t screams of excitement either. Firecracker words whizzed through the air, blowing the grease-stained paper towels off the desk.On the run. Bottles of rum. Surprise.
Thunder rumbled outside the library, and a bolt of lightning illuminated the nearest window, shooting white light inside the building and flashing off the polished bookshelves.
“Tell me that’s part of some group activity you have going on tonight,” Ariel said, her voice uncertain.
“The book club,” Stella said.
“Come on,” Jack said, grabbing Stella’s hand and pulling her through the library.
Ariel followed them. “What’s going on?”
They ran to the spot where Stella had left the book club attendees. Chaos had overtaken the space. Overturned chairs disruptedthe neat horseshoe arrangement. A few books had been tossed around, some lying face up and staring at the scene, while others were face down with crumpled, distressed pages. An uncapped blue ink pen rolled across the center of the area as though trying to escape.
One woman sprinted past them with her purse clutched to her chest like a precious child. Four women were huddled together near a bookshelf, holding on to one another’s arms like a broken game of red rover. Another woman sat with her feet propped on the chair next to her. She watched the scene unfold while eating a cookie. She made eye contact with Stella and shrugged.
Vicki rushed toward Stella and clutched her arm. “Stella, I am so sorry.”
