Page 5 of Love Under Snowfall

Finally, someone warm. She could use a pallet cleanser after being trapped in a classroom for the last two hours with nothing but an umbrella of pretension and her own panic.

“Hi. Can I help you with something?”

“I hope so.” Frankie eyed her name tag. “Rayne, I’m Frankie. I’m looking for this book.”

The library intern took the sticky note and read the scribble. She grimaced. “Family law with Clark, huh?”

Frankie nodded, trying to camouflage her wince with an excessive grin.

She failed.

“Don’t worry. You’ll get used to him.”

“God, I hope so.” She didn’t anticipate becoming accustomed to the snobby dickhead, but she didn’t need to. Developing enough of an understanding of the justice system to become a good advocate and social worker was all that mattered. Not some tall, scowling, navy-eyed professor who oozed toxic masculinity.

“Gimme a sec. I’ll grab that book for ya,” Rayne piped. Spinning on her toes, she and her shiny blue-green ponytail disappeared into the stacks.

In the depths of Frankie’s bag, her phone buzzed again. She fished it out and read the notifications.

Sheriff Howards:

I have an urgent matter to discuss with you.

Please respond at your earliest convenience.

She rolled her eyes at the sheriff’s message but grinned at the most recent text from her mother.

Mom:

Good luck today, smarty pants!

Frankie:

Thanks. Love you!

She pocketed her phone as Rayne returned with a substantialpile of books.

“Woah. I don’t think I need”—she counted—“seven books.”

“It seems like a lot, but based on the recommendation from Clark, I think these would be helpful too. This one in particular”—she tapped one entitledLaw for Non-Lawyers—“will give you a solid orientation.”

“Is it that obvious that I’m not a law student?”

Rayne waved her hand dismissively. “Pfft. Take it as a compliment.”

Frankie left a few minutes later with textbooks in hand and a bonus list of third-year students offering tutoring services. Her new favorite librarian drew pink stars next to the ones she could vouch for personally. The exchange with Rayne had been her first positive interaction of the day, and it helped take the edge off her frustrated mood. Armed with enough books to start her own library, Frankie hurried home to drop off her loot and eat lunch before the start of her next class.

Chapter three

Benjamin

Immediately following his final lecture of the day, Professor Benjamin Clark marched down the office hallway like a crazed warrior poised for battle. The furious pump of his arms propelled him past startled colleagues. Wrath radiated off of him in waves strong enough to part clusters of students awaiting meetings with teachers’ assistants and advisors. His black-rimmed glasses crept down his nose with each stomp, and he winced slightly as he jammed them back in place with miscalculated force.

He was fuming.

He was pissed.

He was determined to figure out what the hell Dean McCaffery was playing at.

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