Page 37 of Bookish Boys Don't Date Social Girls
Paige bobs her head in a yes-no kind of way. “The games vary. Some are like a cake walk game, but with book titles or literary-related questions, there is a literary-themed balloon toss, literary decathlon, stuff like that. But you just facilitate them. Tammy is one of our children’s librarians. She organizes all the games. It’s really fun. Seriously, if I could get away with it, I’d have you sit here for two hours, and I’d go out there.”
“Please, Sam.” Latisha draws the word please out for a full ten seconds while she bounces on her toes. Seriously, this girl is a professional beggar.
“Tuesday and Thursday?” I ask.
Paige nods. “Through the summer.”
“Okay, Latisha, I’ll give it a try, if you do.”
The girl jumps up and down, clapping. “Yes. Thank you.” Then she looks around in panic and whispers, “Sorry.”
Paige chuckles. “We don’t really have a noise ordinance in the children’s library.”
What an unexpected turn of events. I’ve known this girl for maybe ten minutes now and already she’s imprinted herself on my heart. First, I save her from bullies, and now I’ve become the newest volunteer at the local library. Yeah, no one is going to believe that last part.
Chapter Eighteen
My phone dingsaround 10:30 the next morning to tell me my books are in at the bookstore. Good thing, because I finished the adorable rom-com I was reading at about 1:00 this morning. I’m looking forward to getting back to the series I abandoned. It’s funny that I didn’t think it was a romantic comedy because there were ghosts, but once Brent mentioned it, I knew he was right. It has all the same story elements.
I carry my plate from last night’s dinner downstairs on my way out of the house. I’m surprised to find Mom in the kitchen, leaning against the center island with a coffee cup in her hand. Her outfit is uncharacteristically casual.
“Hey Mom! Where are you off to dressed like an outdoor enthusiast?”
She kisses my cheek and then rolls her eyes. “Your father thinks we need more exercise, so he enrolled us in a nature class through the community college. Every Saturday for the next six weeks, we’ll be going on some excursion that promises to make my thigh muscles burn and probably expose me to lots of mosquitos.”
I tilt my head. “You outdoors? Please tell me he’ll capture all the most special moments on video.”
“You know he will!”
“I can’t wait to see it.” I drop my plate in the dishwasher. “Be careful though, okay?”
“I didn’t hear the girls at all. Did they stay over?”
“Nope. They’re both working so much I hardly see them.”
Mom cocks her head. “Did you have a date last night? You must have gotten home early.”
I shrug. “No date. I just hung out and…” I bite off my words. After Bridget’s reaction, I’m hesitant to tell anybody I’ve taken up reading. I shrug again. “You know. Stuff.”
Mom frowns. “Is everything okay? Now that I think about it, you haven’t been out in a while.”
I chuckle. “It’s fine, Mom. I think I’ve dated all the Oak Grove boys I care to date. I’m just taking a rest.”
Mom hums her acknowledgment while she studies me. “I admit, I envy you for your ability to stay home alone. I can’t remember the last time I was alone. I’m not sure I’d remember how.”
Her tone is so wistful that I feel a little sorry for her. “You should totally stay home alone with me one night. I’d love to binge a series and eat pizza with you. You’d have to get rid of Dad though. He’s no fun to watch T.V. with.”
Mom laughs. “I wouldn’t be alone if I was with you. But I love the idea, Sam. I’ll definitely do that. I’ll send you a calendar invite.”
I snort. “Somehow, I think a calendar invite defeats the purpose of what we are trying to do for you, but go ahead and send one. I’d love to have a girls’ night.”
“Spontaneity is not my thing, you know that.” Mom squeezes my hand.
“I do.” I give her a hug. “Have fun today.”
She hums another acknowledgment, which makes me laugh. She definitely sounds doubtful.
As I steer Sunny down the driveway, I roll down my window and rest my arm on the sill. I breathe in the gorgeous summer day. The temperature has cooled off to a reasonable number. The sun bakes my skin when I stand still for too long, but a light breeze keeps it tolerable. The sky is almost too blue to look at, reminding me to slip my sunglasses on. It’s the sort of day I don’t mind being outside, so I park in the parking structure downtown instead of driving around hoping for closer street parking. I stroll from block to block, window shopping.
