Page 29 of Roommating

My pulse speeds up and my heart slams against my chest. I wish I had thought things through better before I joked about Adam applying for my job. Now I’m afraid that regardless of the outcome, I’m fucked. If he doesn’t get the job, I’ll feel horrible… like my good word meant nothing to Jenny. And if hedoesget the job… well, that’s even scarier, if I’m being honest. Seeing gorgeous Adam allday surrounded by books and all night cuddling with Rocket and bonding with his grandmother? Seriously, how much can a horny, single girl take before her panties spontaneously drop to her ankles?

Ping.

Adam:I’m on the second floor—early readers

Determined to pull myself together, I leave the text on read and meet him one floor up. I find him running his fingers along the spines of the Arthur books. He’s wearing khaki stretch corduroy pants that fit his ass like they were tailored for him and a chambray button-down shirt rolled up to his forearms. He’s dressed more formally than most of the staff here. We’re all super casual and comfortable because we spend a lot of time bending and kneeling to return and remove books from the shelves. I assume he’s dressed to impress Jenny, but she won’t be the only one. He wins best-looking patron of the day (so far, at least) and I’m tempted to covertly snap a photo for #hotguysreading on Insta.

My footsteps must alert him to my presence because he turns and smiles. “I’d forgotten about these until my grandma mentioned them.” He shows me the one he’s pulled off the shelf,Arthur Meets the President, before putting it back. “I hope this is a good time.”

“It’s exactly eleven thirty, so your timing is perfect,” I say while double checking to make sure he’s reshelved the book in the proper spot. When I told Jenny my roommate’s grandson was interested in taking over the part-time page position, her head had flinched back comically and understandably, since most people my age don’t live with someone old enough to have a grandson, and if they did, hiring said child would probably break some labor laws. But after I explained, she said to have him come by today between eleven and twelve.

“You nervous?” I shove my hands in the front pockets of my high-waisted blue jeans and rock on my toes. Perhaps he should be asking me this question.

Adam’s tongue darts out to lick his lower lip. “Not really. If I don’t get the job, it will give me more time to help Grams with all that tech stuff.”

“At this point, she could probably teach you a thing or two,” I joke, working hard to focus on my sarcastic delivery and not his tongue.

His eyes dance.

I shake my head. “Let’s go.”

Jenny’s on the floor talking to Penny, the youth services librarian, by checkout. “Stay back a second,” I tell Adam. I don’t want to put her on the spot in case she’s not ready. I apologize for interrupting them and ask if Jenny has time to see Adam now. When she says yes, I call him over.

“Jenny, this is Adam. Like I mentioned yesterday, he’s interested in the page position.” To Adam I say, “Jenny’s the branch manager and in charge of hiring.”

They shake hands and Jenny suggests we continue downstairs in her office, where she tells Adam to have a seat.

Adam points to the single chair. On it sits the same heavy box from two days ago. “Here?”

“Darn. That’s still there. I forgot.”

While Jenny scans the room like another open chair will miraculously appear, a nonplussed Adam uses both hands to grab the box from the bottom and with one movement, lifts the monstrosity off the chair. Then he holds it like it’s the weight of a thin picture book. “Where do you want it?”

Jenny blinks, seemingly too shocked to speak. “The… uh… over there is good,” she finally says.

Adam gently places the box on an empty spot on the cabinet Jenny pointed to.

“You’re hired,” she jokes. At least I think she’s joking.

I cover my own swooning with a laugh and while Adam sits, I lean against the closed office door for balance.

“Where in the South are you from?” he asks her.

“How’d you guess?” She chuckles. “Northwestern Kentucky.”

“Ever been to the Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn?”

Jenny’s eyes go wide. “You’re familiar with Owensboro?”

Adam smiles. “College friend grew up there. We’ve lost touch, but I’d go back just for the barbecue mutton.”

I must make a face because Jenny howls. “It’s so much more delicious than it sounds!” She gestures toward Adam. “You don’t have to babysit him. Why don’t you give us a few minutes to chat, and I’ll send him back to you when we’re finished?”

“Oh. Of course!” The tone of her voice is so friendly, I can’t take offense to being kicked out. Besides, most people don’t take chaperones to interviews. I’m still in shock that this is really happening. “Come find me when you’re done, Adam.” My face burns. “If you want.”

I leave them to it and return to my sorting from before, but it’s hard to focus on anything but the conversation between Jenny and Adam happening in my absence. Presumably, once they stop gushing over barbeque mutton… gross… Jenny will ask the typical interview questions. I imagine the interview will go something like this:

What inspired you to apply for this job?

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