Page 79 of How to Love a Rockstar

I hum as I finish entering the new books into the computer system. The afternoon passes quickly. Students arrive after school finishes to study and liven the place up. Although the woman reading in the corner glares at them.

Once closing time arrives, I usher the students out and lock the front door. I hurry down the hallway to the office to grab my purse. I can’t wait to tell Dylan how Gratitude is trusting me more. I’d nearly given up hope of her actually retiring in my lifetime.

I open the office door but don’t bother to switch on the lights. I reach for my purse but stop when I hear a knock. I listen. There it is again.

The sound didn’t come from the front of the library. It was closer by. Maybe the window? Is someone knocking on the window?

My heart races as I inch toward the window. I think it’s shut and locked but I need to make sure before I leave for the night.

Someone mumbles before the window flips open and a person flies through it.

“Aaaah!” I scream. I drop my purse and run from the room to the main area of the library where I crouch behind the circulation desk.

I grab the phone from the desk and it clatters to the floor. I freeze as I wait for the intruder to find me. When no one comes rushing at me, I phone Dylan. I need three tries before my shaking fingers finally dial the correct number.

“Hey, Ginny. Are you almost finished for the day? It’s lovely weather so I was thinking we could maybe grill.”

“Intruder,” I gasp.

“Intruder?”

“There’s someone in the library.”

“Get out of there. Get out right now!”

“I can’t. The library is my responsibility.”

“It’s not the fucking Alamo. Get out of there.”

A door squeaks open. “He’s coming closer,” I whisper.

“Hide. Make yourself as small as possible. I’ll be there in three minutes.”

“Don’t hang up.”

“I won’t but I need to put you on speaker while I bike.”

“Okay.”

“Are you hidden?” He’s out of breath. He must be cycling toward me already.

I crawl under the desk and curl into a ball in the darkest corner. “Yes.”

“Good. I’m coming Ginny. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I know.” Dylan will handle this. He won’t let me be hurt.

Books clash to the floor and I slam a hand over my mouth to hide my gasp. The intruder is getting closer.

Do they know I’m here? Will they search for me? What are they doing here? We don’t have anything worth stealing in the library. Anyone in town can borrow as many books as they want at one time. And the computers are older than me.

“Ginny!” The doors rattle as Dylan pounds on them, but I don’t dare move to unlock them. I’m frozen here under the desk. I wrap my arms around my legs and sway back and forth. Back and forth.

The front door bursts open. I squeeze my eyes shut. I can’t look. I can’t look.

“Halt!” someone shouts before shoes pound on the floor. There’s shuffling with some grunting.

I’m such a wimp. I should be out there helping. Instead, I’m stuck under my desk like a big fat scaredy-cat.

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