Page 18 of Degrading Her

“Are you single?” I asked, avoiding her question.

“Not really,” she shrugged. “But I can look, can’t I?”

“What doyouthink of him, then?”

She tilted her head to each side. “He doesn’t dress like a farmer.”

Those gold cufflinks were too flashy for cattle work. He must have liked his luxury status.

“Maybe he thinks he has to be fancy for the library,” I joked.

Erica snickered, and we both stared at him for a second.

“But he is hot,” she said.

I waved a dismissive hand, but inwardly, I agreed. A stern jaw. Blue-gray eyes, like the exterior of a chromatic building reflecting a blue sky. His suit exuded power and confidence in every possible way. Like he could make anyone bow before him. Even me.

But he was still my boss and sister’s brother-in-law.Andhe was too arrogant.

Not that I was even considering it.

He looked up from the desk, and we quickly shuffled back to work.

“Think he’ll end up staying here a lot?” she asked.

“A businessman like him is too busy for a little library,” I said. That was why he wanted to finally fill the manager’s position. “I don’t even know why he bought it.”

“Because the Board of Trustees never got the funds to finish the renovations?” Erica whispered.

That was right. I had forgotten I had told her about that. We hadn’t gotten enough funds to finish the multi-purpose room, and the funds for that had affected ourability to get new books in stock. And this was alibrary.Weneededbooks.

Still, that didn’t change the fact that Sawyer and the library didn’t make sense.

“But he doesn’tneeda library,” I said.

“Why do you care?” I pretended to glare at her, and she laughed, raising her hands in defense. “Just trying to understand the workplace culture.”

“He’s my sister’s brother-in-law,” I mumbled.

“Oh, awkward.”

“And we’re going to dinner.”

“What?” She smacked my back. “Are you going to bone him?”

“It’s not like that,” I cackled. “I’m going to ask him to transfer me.”

“Wait. Don’t tell me you’re leaving me already,” she whined. “How am I going to survive without you?”

“Finding a transfer will take a while.” And finding one with full-time hours, benefits, and a reasonable commute would be difficult, but if Mr. Feldman could buy a library, he could certainly help me find somewhere else to work.

Because I wasn’t going to let our awkward relationship get in the way of running my own library.

“Wait. You said he’s taking you to dinner?” Erica asked.

My shoulders tensed. Those weren’t my exact words, but they were close enough. “Why?”

“So, it’s like a date, then.”

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