Page 43 of Between Earth and Eternity
“It’s on the main level, stern. Apparently, it has an impressive viewing deck and a quiet place to go for . . . activities,” the redhead says, raising her eyebrows.
“Oh, well . . . nice. I was actually wanting to go for the obvious reason.” They look confused. “Reading,” I say quickly.
They both giggle uncontrollably. I can’t blame them; the daydream of sneaking off into the bookshelves with a man has crossed my mind a time or two, but they don’t need to know that. I’m a helpless romantic after all.
“Well, anyway, thanks for the info.” I walk away quickly.
“Pretty, but a bit of a bore,” the redhead says. If she meant to keep it between herself and her friend, she did a horrible job. The elite are always the same: looking for a way to push people down for no reason other than to make themselves look better. If anyone is boring and predictable, it certainly isn’t me.
I rush back to the suite to shower before throwing on a white T-shirt and jeans and putting my hat back in place. Ori is still in her robe, making a cup of coffee when I return, still half asleep. Not a morning person. Got it. I ask if she wants to come check out the library with me, but she declines, so we agree to catch up later for lunch.
I easily find the library on my StarComm. Like the redhead said, it is located on the stern, the farthest you can go to the rear of the ship. It takes me several stops and changes on the tube before I finally arrive at the large sliding glass doors. The moment they open, the sweet aroma of aged pages hits my nose, and I realize the library is more than just the stern; it actually pushes out further away from the ship.
Suddenly, I’m back in my place of solace. It feels like the E.P.S. in scent alone.
The enormous room is filled with tall shelves reaching to the heavens—in this case, literally—creating a maze against the backdrop of starlight. The viewing deck was not exaggerated; the library is practically engulfed by large windows with a plethora of sitting options to stargaze and read at once. Not ideal when I’m trying to avoid any glimpse of what lies outside the ship.
Turning away from the view, I can see how one could easily sneak into a corner or empty row. Every few rows, there is an alcove of large upholstered chairs. In the center of the library, the floor sinks into the middle, where there are little side rooms with softly glowing lamps. Not too harsh on the eyes, making it a perfect reading escape, perfect for avoiding space so near.
There’s no doubt that every single item in this room was touched by someone at E.P.S.
But what’s missing?I wonder. I don’t even know what to look for, or in this case, not to look for. I weave through the rows, completely enveloped in the familiarity of it all. Each spine has the title of the work, date published, and date recorded in the new archiving system, each with an E.P.S. stamp of approval. I pick up a few tomes along the way until I have an armful. I’m so enraptured that I don’t notice where I’m going until I turn a corner and run into the last person I was expecting to see here.
Bright irises like emerald stars stare back at me.
Vallen Mannox.
He quickly shuts the book he was reading and sets it back onto the shelf.
“Mr. Mannox. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you,” I say, bowing my head.Did I seriously just bow?I straighten to see him fighting back a smile, and my cheeks burn with embarrassment.
“Miss Andrews, was it?”
I nod, clutching the books protectively to my chest.
Today, he wears a black V-neck T-shirt and dark jeans with the same assortment of silver rings on his fingers. A simple outfit, but there’s something about a wealthy person wearing basics that makes it clear that their clothing is anything but ordinary.
“So, you’re a reader?” he asks, eyeing the books
“You have impressive observation skills.” I really must have a death wish. Day two, and I’ve already insulted and pissed off both Mannox brothers.
Real smart, Skyler. Excellent work.
He runs a hand through his thick dark hair, flawlessly in place but messy all at once. He’s devastatingly handsome, and he knows it. Rich and beautiful, always in the spotlight, always the most important person in the room, the man everyone watches.
But now, lost in this bookish labyrinth, I am nervous to see what he will do when it’s only him and me, not a soul watching.
“I must say, I was not at all surprised to hear that your run-in with my brother went just as poorly as when we met.”
A plethora of words dance on my tongue, things I want to say, but I won’t risk it again. Today, the cards are yelling at me to fold. And I get the feeling he is baiting me, testing me to see what I will do now that it’s just us.
Alone.
With Vallen Mannox.
Never in a million years would I ever have placed myself here. Our paths should have never crossed, yet here we are in a standoff. I wonder if it was Runa or Slade who told him about what happened. Both versions could have made him angry, but surely Runa would have shed light on reason at the very least; it’s not hard to imagine Slade twisting the story.
“Knowing how your brother is, can you blame me?” I ask.Stop talking, I warn myself.
