Page 13 of Years in the Making

Nellie glares at me in the most adorable way. “I’d classify her books as NA or even adult, but for some reason, they stuck her in YA. Still interested?”

“I was never not interested, LG, even if there was no swearing.” I smile smugly and earn myself an epic eye roll.

I follow the rest of the way, wordlessly trying to figure out a way to prolong the time with her. When we get to the right section, she pulls back and squints at the shelf. She leans in a bit and brings her glasses down. Or rather, she tries to, but the nose piece gets stuck in her hair. “Shit,” she says quietly.

“Let me.” I reach out and gently pull them free and for some reason, I cannot explain why, other than my hand going rogue, I run my hand over where pieces of her dark auburn hair have been pulled out of place before tucking a stray strand behind her ear. Her breath hitches causing alarm bells to go off in my brain as we make eye contact. What the actual fuck is wrong with me? That was a very non-friend move on my part. “You should get one of those chain things.” I mime taking glasses off and letting them hang around my neck.

“Really lean into the librarian look?” She adjusts her glasses and turns her attention back to the books. Her red cheeks do not go unnoticed.

“You could start a whole line for our generation.” I gently nudge her with my elbow like a friend would do.

“I’ll consider it,” she says absentmindedly. “Here.” She hands meThe Forest of Despair, and I flip it over immediately to look at the price. It’s significantly cheaper than the replacementbook for my sister.

“Why is this book half the price of this book?” I ask, holding up the historical fiction.

She shrugs as she slides her glasses right back into her hair. “I have no idea. Everything about it seems like it should cost more, eh? I mean there are twice as many pages, the cover is embossed, it’s a hardcover.”

“I didn’t expect to get a little lesson on the book industry while here, but I’m getting the impression that nothing makes sense.”

“Ah, so you’ve learned something on this trip north. Time well spent.” Her blue eyes sparkle up at me. Holy shit, I’m imagining sparkles now. At this rate I’ll be driving home with giant cartoon hearts obscuring my vision.

I nod because if I open my mouth I’m going to say spending time with her was more than worth it. Everything else is just a bonus.

“All set, David?” she asks, nodding down at the two books in my hand.

“Yeah, I think so.” I’m getting the second book. I shouldn’t, but I am. I’ll just forgo the after-game drinks tomorrow with my team. “And my name isn’t David.”

FIVE

NELLIE

As we approach the front counter, I stop dead when I see how dark it is outside. Shit. I’d checked several times, and yet there was no mistaking what that darkness foretold.

“What’s wrong?” EG asks, coming up beside me.

“They didn’t call for rain today.”

His gaze follows mine. “You mean the weather people got it wrong? Shocking.”

“No, it’s just that I walked here and I’m in a white shirt and I didn’t bring an umbrella because why would I when they said it was going to be a clear sky kinda day.”

“It’s not a problem, LG,” he says calmly.

“Says the guy not wearing a white shirt and, well, not a woman.”

“No, it’s not a problem because I can give you a ride home.”

“But it’s the opposite way you’re going,” I whine and immediately hate myself for sounding like a spoiled brat. Twenty years old and fucking whining.

“Just think of it as another opportunity to ask me mundane questions.” When I look up at him, he’s smiling at me, but nothis open-mouthed smile. This one is closed-lipped and serene. I don’t know how he’s managing it because usually that kind of smile would seem fake, but his is genuine. The kind of smile that would appear during a kiss. Nope, I need to stop that.

“I am good at those.”

As we’re paying, I try to get a look at the name on his credit card, but he’s onto me and covers it as he slips it into the card reader. I’m determined to get the name out of him before we get to my house.

Big drops of rain begin to fall as we’re about halfway to his car so we pick up our pace. Just as we jump in the sky opens.

“Maybethatwas the most perfectly timed thing ever,” he breathes out, turning his key in the ignition.

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