Page 10

I fold the note in half and slip it into my purse with the growing collection I’ve started carrying with me. The flowers, white roses, now join the collection of four tipped-over bouquets that litter the side of my porch.

I pull my jacket tighter as I walk to my car, trying to shake off the unease.

The library is quiet when I arrive. Golden morning light filters through the tall windows, patches of warmth and pools of shadow spreading across the building. It’s one of my favorite parts about coming in before opening.

Hudson is already here, shelving some returns in the fiction section. I watch him work briefly. The placement of each book and the straightening of already straight spines—it strikes me as obsessive. I’m not sure I ever noticed that about him before.

“Morning, Wynnie,” he calls out without looking up.

I ignore him and head to the office where Lydia is pecking away at her keyboard with two fingers, with her reading glasses perched on the tip of her nose.

“Good morning, dear. Coffee is fresh if you want some.”

“Thanks, Lydia.”

I drop my things off at my desk and make my way back out to the circulation desk, settling into my routine of checking emails and processing returns that were retrieved from the drop-off box. The mundane tasks should calm me and keep me busy, but my thoughts keep drifting to my purse sitting in the office, filled with notes.

Soon, my darling.

What does that even mean?

“Excuse me?” The voice pulls me from the spiraling noise. It is warm and smooth, with just a hint of gravel that causes a strange sense of comfort.

I look up to find myself staring into amber eyes. Preston.

“Oh, hi. What can I help you with?”

I’m surprised by how easily a smile forms when speaking to him. He returns it, a single dimple adorning his left cheek.

“So, I’m going to guess it’s not here yet, but I requested a book with Lydia last week. I’m crossing my fingers it’s here. Could you check for me?”

“Let me go see what I can find.”

I walk to the cubby where the requested items wait for pickup. My fingers sift through the stack until I find a thick textbook with a green sticky note: “Preston Grant” written in Lydia’s unmistakable scrawl.

“Found it!” I hold up the book, shaking it, as I return to the counter, noting how his shoulders visibly relax.

“You’re a miracle worker,” he says, fishing into his pocket to grab his wallet. “Seriously, you’ve just saved my entire semester. This thing has been on back order everywhere.”

“Well, just call me your academic guardian angel, then.”

“I definitely owe you one,” he laughs. “How do I repay someone for saving my GPA?”

The question lingers between us, and I can feel my cheeks reddening. Preston always has a way of making me feel seen in a way I’m not used to, even when word about my breakup isn’t floating around.

“What’s going on?” Hudson cuts through the moment like a blade. I turn to find him standing beside me, close enough I could choke on his woodsy cologne.

“Nothing,” I tell him quickly, turning back to Preston, who finally found his library card in the mess of his wallet.

Hudson’s hand shoots out, intercepting Preston’s card before I can take it. His fingers brush against mine, purposefully shooing them away.

“I’ve got this, Wynnie. Why don’t you go take your break? You look tired.”

The way he speaks to me is a slap in the face. Heat floods my cheeks, with embarrassment and anger this time. I stare at Hudson, struggling to understand why he’s doing this. In my periphery, I can see Preston’s expression shift from friendly to uncomfortable. His jaw tightens, making it obvious he isn’t enjoying the interaction between Hudson and me.

“I—” The words die in my throat. I refuse to fight with him, not here, not in the presence of Preston. Certainly not out in the open, where I can see Lydia glancing over through the office window with raised eyebrows.

Without grabbing my jacket, I walk back outside into the chilly morning. My whole body trembles, but whether it’s from the anger or the cold, I can’t tell. I sit on the wooden bench outside the entrance, wrapping my arms around myself.