“You dropped something.”
Jay’s voice echoed through the library, and my stomach plummeted. Ice-cold panic threaded through my veins. It was the unmistakable feeling of being caught somewhere I absolutely did not belong.
He stood in the doorway, holding my box of pantyliners, with Luna sitting obediently at his feet.
I flushed and hurried down the ladder, taking the boxfrom his hands. This was bad. I had completely lost myself in the allure of the library.
“I’m so sorry. I was just picking up my packages from the porch, and then I saw the library.”
His demeanor seemed a bit tense, but he didn’t seem angry.
“Find something you like?”
“Jay, this is—” I gestured to the entire room, still catching my breath. I was so mesmerized that I wasn’t even embarrassed by the box of pantyliners under my arm. “This is unreal. Why didn’t you tell me you had such a collection?”
“Well,” Jay said, shoving his hands into his pockets and glancing down at the floor. “It’s not mine.”
I barely registered what he was saying, my excitement making it hard to think straight. “I’ve only ever dreamed of owning this many books,” I said, already moving again. “And did you know that up here?—”
Unable to control myself, I placed my box on one of the many side tables in the room and then hurried back to the ladder like an eager child on Christmas morning. I pulled a book from the shelf and hurried back to him, thrusting it into his hands.
“Do you know what this is?” I asked, pointing to the imprint. “This is a first edition. A first edition of Lindy Parker. These go for thousands of dollars. How did you get them?”
Jay hadn’t reacted yet to my excited ramblings.
Instead, he just looked extremely uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my smile fading. “This is weird for you, isn’t it?” I flushed and pulled the book close to my chest. “I’m so sorry. Gosh, I’m losing it, aren’t I? I’mtrespassing on your side of the house. Forgive me for being so intrusive. It won’t happen again.”
Desperately trying to regain my composure, I hurried to grab my box and started for the door.
His hand fell gently on my arm, stopping me. “I’m not upset that you came in here, Hope,” Jay said quietly. “It’s just…”
He let out a heavy sigh, appearing reluctant to continue. I waited, sensing his hesitation.
He reached for the book in my hands and then fanned through the pages, his jaw clenched. There was no smirking or smiling like usual.
“These books,” he said, eyes still on the pages, “belonged to my mother.”
I waited with bated breath, desperate for an explanation of this masterpiece of a room and all its treasures.
He finally looked up, meeting my eyes again.
“My mother,” he said slowly, “was Lindy Parker.”
CHAPTER 37
Wait, hold on. What?
I stared at Jay in shock, my eyes wide and my mouth slightly agape, utterly speechless.
My favorite author was his mother? How could this man, my boss, a dentist, be the son of a literary genius?
What did a brain aneurysm feel like? Because I was pretty sure I was having one.
Jay shifted uneasily where he stood, awaiting my reaction.
Finally, I managed to find my voice, though it came out in a breathless whisper. “Lindy Parker… is your mother?” It wasn’t adding up. I had mentioned Lindy a few times. Jay had even seen me reading her books. Why hadn’t he said something?
