Page 19 of When We Were Young

“Thank you,” I whisper. “This is very sweet of you. I promise I’m okay. I love that you did this. Now, go sit down and study before I have to kick you out of the library for fraternizing.”

I grin at him, and after, his eyes scan my face once more. He must feel assured that I’m all right because he smiles back at me with one of those smiles that makes me weak in my knees.

After Holden returns to a seat, I keep myself busy for the next two hours with my assigned tasks. I finished them early, as usual, and I have about an hour left of my shift.

When the hour finally passes, and everyone except Holden and me is out of the library with the doors locked, I grab his hand, which is uncharacteristic for me, and guide him over to the new display that I put up tonight.

“I want your opinion since you did such a great job last time,” I tease.

His eyes move around, taking in the new books on the display.

“These are all new, huh?”

“Yeah. How did you know that?” He must’ve seen them delivered before I got here.

He shrugs, and his cheeks turn pink. He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks on his heels. When I don’t give him an out, I guess he realizes I’m waiting for an answer.

“Remember, I have the photographic memory thing,” he offers.

“I know. I remember.”

“Well, I paid attention to what books were on the shelf in the genre because I know you love to read it, and so I know these weren’t there before.”

I can’t take my eyes off him yet. I still say nothing. I’m slightly amused that my silence seems to make him more nervous, but I’m not sure what that’s about. He points to one of the books.

“I’ve seen you reading some enemies-to-lovers. If that’s one of your favorite tropes, this one is really good and no cliff⁠—”

His eyes widen as it must dawn on him what he just said.

“Holden, do you read romance? Not that there’s anything wrong with it. I’m just curious.”

He tosses his head back and groans.

“Ugh. I need to sit down for this discussion. Can we go to our spot?”

“Sure, lead the way.”

When we’re at our usual area, we sit on the ground, this time with the wall at our backs and him with his legs stretched out, while I’m cross-legged next to him. My knee touches his thigh, but I like the contact, so I don’t make any effort to move it.

“Okay. I don’t know if this will make it seem weird or better, but I buddy-read romance novels with my younger brother’s best friend, Georgie.”

Chapter Eight

Lizzie

I’m certainly not one to shame people for what they read, but I’m surprised. My… whatever he is to me, buddy-reads romance novels with a guy named Georgie.

“All right. So, have you always done this or… I mean, were you into it first, or was he?”

His brow furrows, and it’s obvious I’m screwing this up. I knew immediately that the wording of my question was odd. But I want to get something out because I don’t want him to think I believe there is anything wrong with it.

“He?” Then his eyes widen, and his mouth falls open as if something dawns on him. He chuckles. “Oh, I get it. Georgie. That threw you off. My brother’s best friend, her name is Georgie. She’s the one who started reading them. I just joined her recently.”

A stab of jealousy cuts right through me. It takes me aback because it’s a new emotion for me. I’ve never felt it before, not even when Landon cheated on me. That’s how I knew things between us were really over.

“You buddy read with a girl?” I whisper.

He smiles at me. “Yeah, but we don’t read any open-door romance. All closed-door.”