Page 33 of Roommating

I realize I’ve been too lost in my own thoughts to carry on a conversation. “I’m fine. Just dreading going back to work and then class later. You should get colonoscopies more often.” I force a smile.

“Yeah, except the drugs wore off and now I’m nauseous.”

I look at her empty plate, once filled with waffles, two eggs, bacon, and sausage. “I wonder why.”

Chapter Sixteen

Over the next week at the library, I spend a few days training for my new position, rotating between Penny and Gabe. Right now, Gabe’s showing me how to create promotional materials for an upcoming book club event while Adam is shelving books in the aisles reserved for adult mysteries.

“Canva Pro is free for all public libraries, so we have access to all the fancy graphics,” Gabe says, gesturing at the computer in front of us.

I nod, eager to learn everything I can, when I spy a patron approach Adam. I can’t hear what the patron says, but Adam’s eyes grow wide, and he turns my way with a pleading expression.

I don’t have time to be embarrassed he busted me watching him. “You mind if we take five? I think Adam needs me.”

Gabe looks up from the graphic and raises his eyebrows suggestively. “Heneedsyou, huh?”

I huff. “With a patron. You’re super professional, aren’t you?”

He grins. “You’re the one shirking your training responsibilities, Finkelstein. But go help your sexy roommate. Holler if you need me. At a library volume, obviously.” Looking pleased with himself, he says, “How’s that for professional?”

“Professional with a side of snarky. The Gabe Jackson story.” I leave him with a chuckle and join Adam and his new friend. “Is everything all right here?”

Adam’s posture visibly relaxes at my approach. He turns to the man. “This is Sabrina, sir. She’s been working here much longer than me and will be able to answer your question.”

I can’t help beaming at him for putting my basic customer-service training to good use. I told him patrons can’t distinguish between the roles that exist within the library—to them we all just work here. People will ask him questions often, from the location of the bathroom, to book recommendations, to computer and printer assistance. If he doesn’t know the answer, he’s to politely inform the patron he’ll find the right staff member to take over.

The patron is an older white man with gray hair and a matching mustache. He’s carrying a huge red umbrella even though the weather report doesn’t call for rain and the sun is shining through the windows of the library. I like him already. “How can I assist you?”

“I’m looking for a book likeThe Hunger Games.”

“I can absolutely help with that. Are you interested in young adult dystopian generally or is there something specific aboutThe Hunger Gamesyou enjoyed?”

He smooths his mustache. “I’m not sure. We watched the movies with our granddaughter last weekend, and it was the happiest she’s been since she came to stay with us.” His face clouds over before he tells us that his ten-year-old granddaughter is visiting from Maryland while her mother—his daughter—is on her honeymoon. “Chloe isn’t taking her mom’s remarriage well. Her dad passed away a few years ago, and she’s afraid her mom is forgetting about him. This isn’t true, but she won’t listen to us.” He removes his glasses and rubs at his eyes.

I think about what Marcia just told me about Adam’s motherand wonder if it’s hard for him to hear stories like this. Even though we’ve watched TV a few times and commuted together to and from work since then, I haven’t brought it up to him, figuring he’d be less than pleased if he knew his drugged-up grandmother had confided in me about his past. I sneak a glance at him, but his expression gives away nothing.

The man puts his glasses back on. “Before we watched the movie, Chloe told us all about the great Katniss Everdeen and her entire face lit up. She’s Team Gale. My wife and I are Team Peeta. What about you?”

I grin. “Team Peeta.”

We both turn to Adam expectantly.

He shrugs. “I never read the books or watched the movies.”

My jaw drops. “What? How?” I couldalmostunderstand if he hadn’t read it when it was published in 2008. He was only nine. But even after the movie came out, hestilldidn’t read it or even watch it? I bet he’d love it since he seems to enjoy adult dystopian likeThe Ferryman. “We’ll talk about this later.”

Adam’s lips twitch.

The man breathes out a laugh and glances between us. “My wife wears the pants in our relationship too.”

“Oh we’re not…” I say as Adam says, “Bossy women are the best. Am I right?” before winking at me.

I’m sure my body temperature increases by at least a couple degrees. “Hilarious.” I gulp then turn to Chloe’s grandpa like the professional I am. “So you’re hoping to recreate the experience you shared watchingThe Hunger Gamestogether with another book?”

He nods. “My wife, her grandmother, suggested that we read a similar book together, and if there’s also a movie, even better. If weneed to watch more kids kill each other, it will be worth it to keep that light in Chloe’s eyes!”

I melt into a puddle, and it takes all my self-control not to declare, “Aww!” Instead, I rattle off a few recommendations likeDivergent,Uglies,The Fifth Wave, andThe Selection. The last one isn’t a movie, but it’s also not as violent as the others, and I think a little girl Chloe’s age would love aBachelor-type book.

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