The woman harrumphed. “That would be Donna. Always interfering in things that aren’t any of her business. Well, have you worked in a library before?”
“Um, no,” she admitted.
If possible the woman’s face grew more dour.
“What was your last job?”
Yeah.
She was tired of that question.
“Well, if being sold by your father at eighteen to a sadistic evil mafia kingpin and forced into marrying him, then being his prisoner for five years is a job . . . that was my job.”
The woman gaped at her.
Everyone else in the library turned to gape at her. Thankfully there were only three other people in there, an older couple sitting at a table and reading an actual newspaper. And a good-looking older man in his mid-fifties sitting in front of a computer.
She could feel herself turning bright red.
What was wrong with her?
Before she could say anything more, she turned on her heel and walked back out.
Well.
That was humiliating.
“Hey! Excuse me, miss! Wait up.”
She glanced over her shoulder. It was the man from the library who had been sitting at the computer.
What could he possibly want?
“Please wait!” he yelled.
She stilled as she noticed that people were stopping and staring at them. She smiled nervously. She’d already made an idiot of herself; she didn’t need the whole town to think she was crazy.
Although they’d all know about her now, wouldn’t they?
She couldn’t expect that anyone in the library would keep their mouth shut.
Including this man. Although it probably wouldn’t hurt for her to be nice to him.
“Yes?” she asked warily.
“Hi, sorry. I’m Richard Drews. Um, you left your handbag behind.” He held it out to her.
Oh shit. What the hell had she been thinking?
“Thank you.” She took the bag, holding it close. It held her keys, her wallet, her migraine pills. She shouldn’t have let it out of her sight.
“You’re welcome. I couldn’t help but overhear what you said in the library.”
“Right.” Because how could he not help but overhear? She’d basically screamed that out loud.
“Was that true? What happened to you?” he asked.
She shot him a look. Did he really think she’d lie about something like that? Also, wasn’t it a bit rude to ask?
