Page 12 of I Met Him At The Library

“I’m out doing a bit of shopping, and it’s been a while since I’ve come in to see what you have. So I’m only browsing.”

“Well, Emily is doing the same today, she says she’s helping Meghan redecorate her office. Did you know Emily decorated her whole apartment with things she found here?”

“Is that right?” I smiled as I glanced at a blushing Emily, “So Emily has an eye for design?”

“Oh, have you seen her apartment?” Trudy asked and my head turned back to her as her eyes gleamed with excitement.

“No, I have not,” I said, shutting down her obvious dig for information.

“Trudy, how much is this frame?” Emily questioned, pulling Trudy away from me.

I moved down an aisle of antique items, while Trudy and Emily discussed the frame. I should have thought this through more carefully, but the moment I saw Emily, I was helpless to resist the desire to be near her.

I picked up a random item and inspected it, not terribly interested but wasting time until I could speak to Emily without prying ears.

“That doesn’t really seem like your style,” Emily teased as she approached me.

“It’s not, but it’s interesting.” I responded, setting the item back on the shelf and turning to look at Emily. Trudy was behind the counter again, typing at the computer.

“So, what’s your style?”

“Uh …” I paused and then finally said, “I don’t think I have one.”

“Oh everyone should have a style. Something that is unique to them. I bet yours is industrial. Lots of earthy vibes, and plants.”

“Well, I do have one plant I’ve managed not to kill,” I chuckled.

“What kind of plant?”

“I think it’s a Pothos,” I replied.

“Here,” Emily waved her hand for me to follow her before she led me to the back of the store.

She picked up a stone turquoise planter with a sort of distressed look to it as it faded to a more gray color at the bottom. Turning toward me, she held it out, and I took it from her.

“You can propagate and have two plants in your home,” she said with a smile and I smiled back.

“You know a lot about plants?”

“I know Pothos are hard to kill and perfect for those of us that don’t have green thumbs. Which is why it’s the only plant I have in my apartment.”

I chuckled and she huffed her own laugh. The smile gracing her face was stunning, and I allowed myself to get lost in it for a second.

“I, um, have to go to the bookstore. Do you want to join me?” Emily asked and my smile grew wide.

“I’d love to.”

We moved together toward the front of the store, where I paid for my new pot. Trudy gave us both an assessing stare, and we both tried to ignore it. I only hoped my excitement over spending more time with Emily wasn’t plain to see on my face. The eyebrow raise Trudy gave me told me it was.

Chapter 8

Emily

After Ryan paid for the planter I picked out for him, we left Trudy’s and headed toward The Book Nook, the bookstore owned by Ruby Jones. Trudy stared after us as we left, and I tried to ignore the sinking feeling we’d be the town's new hot topic.

Looking up at Ryan, did I really care? Being near him felt right. I was only concerned he might get weirded out by the potential rumors - especially if he only considered us to be friends.

He wore a polo shirt and jeans today, which seemed to be his normal attire, but the polo fit him perfectly. He was lean but not skinny, like he worked out a couple times a week but didn’t take it seriously, and his stomach had a slight outward curve to it.

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