Page 9 of I Choose You
The soft carpeting meant that I couldn’t hear Claire’s heels clacking across the floor anymore. I looked over my shoulder to make sure she was still with me and caught her checking out my ass. She quickly glanced away, pretending to take in the rows and rows of empty bookcases, but I knew what Isaw. I held back my grin as I started to explain the history of the building.
“The library was built in 1792. It’s actually one of the oldest libraries in the US. It was privately owned back then, and they made a bunch of renovations over the next hundred years or so to maintain and modernize it. The town took over ownership in the early 1900s, and that’s pretty much what you see here. I think the last time it saw any upgrades was in the 1940s, and by the ’90s, it was starting to fall apart. It’s been closed now for almost twenty years. I don’t even think anyone’s been in here in that long. There was a water leak that destroyed the basement, and animals have gotten in and made themselves at home. My guys and I did a sweep yesterday, but this place is huge, so I can’t promise we found everything.”
“I can see why you said it made you feel like you were in a different world.” She had walked over to one of the bookcases and was running her hand along the ornately carved trim. “I can only imagine how enchanting this was when it was new.”
Her face was alight with excitement, her eyes bright.
“Tell me if you can picture this… a cozy, dark carpet, maybe burgundy, chandeliers along the center aisle, just a few spaced far apart, sconces on the side of each of the bookcases for ambient lighting. We will probably need track lighting for the rows, but we can make that discreet so it provides visibility while being invisible itself. The windows, oh my God, those windows are to die for. We’ll clean them up and replace the broken panels. I can start looking up glazing companies, see who can make replica stained glass like this.”
Her digital notepad was out again, and she started writing down her ideas. “These are just ideas. A starting point tojump off from. Don’t go getting all broody on me.”
“I’m not broody.” I wasn’t. I was impressed and maybe a little irrationally irritated that her vision sounded fucking great.
The sound of a phone ringing filled the cavernous space, amplifying the sound.
“Oh, it’s my boss. Do you mind if I grab this?”
I nodded at her to go ahead and take the call. She walked down the row of bookcases, her hand trailing over every surface. She was further away now, but I could still hear her side of the conversation.
“Andrew, hi. I’m glad you called me back… Yeah, the drive in was fine. Rainy, but otherwise pretty easy… I’m actually on-site now. I was just… Of course, I’ll make sure to keep you updated… Well, it’s only the first… Right, absolutely, I’ll get on it right away… Oh, just one more thing before you go. Um, could you look into the lodging arrangements? I’m sure you didn’t realize when you approved it, and I don’t mean to sound negative, but it’s really not great. Is there anywhere else you could have Nia book me a stay at? … Budgets, right. I completely understand.”
She walked back over to me, and I watched as she transformed from disappointed and glum to sunshine and happiness, but this time her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Accommodation’s not up to par?”
“No. I think maybe it was a mistake. Andrew’s assistant, Nia, must have made the reservation without paying attention, but Andrew said that it was already paid for and he wouldn’t be able to get a refund, so it isn’t in the budget to change to a different hotel now.”
“Why don’t you just commute? You said you were what,three hours away?”
“More like four.” Her nose crinkled in a cringe.
“Well, you could always set yourself up at another hotel that’s more suitable for you.”
“I… can’t really afford that.” Her gaze darted away before she clapped her hands once. Her smile was back in place, although I was starting not to trust it. “Enough about my trouble. Let’s get back to the tour.”
We walked the entire first floor, including the reading rooms, technology room, study group rooms, and children’s section. The second floor was purely rows and rows of empty bookcases. Because it was more of a mezzanine than a floor on a floor plan, it was open to the ground floor below.
Claire stopped at the railing and looked to me for confirmation that it was stable before she leaned over to look below. The railings were an intricately designed cast iron. I really wanted to reuse them, but they weren’t high enough to meet the safety codes.
They were so short that watching Claire lean over them, with her heels making her that much taller, caused my heart to race. I reached forward and tugged her back. “Don’t need you tumbling over the edge. I’ve already complained about you to enough people; it would look too suspicious.”
She laughed loudly, the sound resonating in my gut. She thought I was joking. Little did she know there was more truth to that comment than she thought.
4
Claire
The dwindling sunlight was causing my eyes to strain as I finished typing up my report for Andrew. The sounds of construction had been making it hard to concentrate, but it was well worth it to stay on-site as long as possible. Meant less time in my gritty motel room. I got up to turn on the overhead light, sidestepping the portable heater that Reid had set up for me.
It was November in New England, and this year seemed to be gearing up for a frigid winter. I flicked the light switch on in the reading room I had commandeered as my makeshift office and stood in the doorway.
Reid and his crew had finished the demolition last week and were tackling the structural repairs in the basement. Since this portion of the project didn’t require my immediate attention, I had been spending my time lining up the subcontractors for the custom light fixtures and stained glass replacements. It was specialty work, and their lead times could sometimes be outrageous.
We weren’t at the design phase where we were submittingour requests yet, but having the relationships cemented early would help our cause when we were ready to place an order.
Reid came up the basement stairs, his hair mussed and damp with sweat. His broad shoulders stretched his gray T-shirt, a green flannel was thrown over his shoulder, and his jeans hung low on his waist, a peek of his boxers showing. My gaze perused down his body and back up. When I reached his face, I found his eyes on me, one brow raised and a tick of his cheek as he tried to hold back a grin.
He strode toward me, his eyes never leaving mine. I wanted to crawl back into the office, pretend he hadn’t caught me checking him out, but I couldn’t seem to break eye contact.
