Page 19 of Monster Among the Roses (Fairy Tale Quartet 1)

Unable to help myself, I made my way back to the library to see if Isobel had seen her gift yet. She wasn’t there, but the packet of rose seeds along with the note I’d written were both gone.

My heart jolted.

I stared at the empty divan for the longest time, wondering what this meant. She’d taken the seeds, so it couldn’t be bad. Then again, she was still avoiding me after seeing them, so that couldn’t be good. It probably meant I was most definitely not forgiven. I bet she’d torn the note up and thrown the seeds away.

That didn’t deter me, though. I wanted to see her again, make sure she was okay, and it had nothing to do with her father’s wish that I break up the monotony of her day. I hadn’t been able to fall asleep the last two nights because she’d reined over so many of my thoughts. And then she’d been the first thing to enter my brain when I’d woken. I’d been antsy when I’d dressed, more ready to return to Porter Hall than I’d been for anything in a long time.

Her continued hiding frustrated me. I wandered around her empty library, hoping she might appear. She didn’t. So I read the titles of her books, pausing at the ones I could tell were her favorites. Their spines were worn and the pages not so crisp and new. I supposed it was possible she’d bought them already used and well read, but a rich girl like her? Probably not.

I picked up one story, curious to know how many times she’d had to have read it to make it look this used. It wasn’t a novel I’d read before, so I made a mental note to stop by the public library on the way home and see if I could check out a copy.

By the end of the day, after I hadn’t spotted her once, I tried to convince myself it was for the best. She just needed some time and space before she was ready to return to our sparring matches.

Except Tuesday and Wednesday were a repeat of Monday. No sign of Isobel anywhere. I did finish Dragonflight, though, and had to check out the next book in the series because I enjoyed the first so much. She definitely had interesting taste in literature. When I returned to the public library for Dragonquest, I popped by their perpetual used book sale as I usually did to see if they had anything new. When I spotted an Anne McCaffrey book, not from the Pern series, I snagged it. It seemed old but was in pristine condition, not as if it had been read before, so I gave up two quarters to buy it.

When I returned to Porter Hall on Thursday, I carried the book with me and headed straight to Isobel’s library. For once, I was actually happy to find she wasn’t there.

Though there was no way to fit all her books onto her shelves, she had a decent organizational strategy going on. Authors and even similar genres were grouped together. So it didn’t take me long to peruse her shelves and the floor around them to discover which Anne McCaffrey books she had. Thrilled to learn she didn’t own the one I’d purchased—at least, not a physical copy—I left it on her sofa with another note.

Thought you might like this one. –Shaw

I felt tons better about that note, and yet still, it inspired nothing from its recipient. Isobel stayed hidden. The book disappeared from its spot on her sofa, however. When I returned to the library a couple hours later to find it gone, my frustration gave way to irritation.

Why the hell was she staying away from me but accepting my gifts? I was trying to make friends with her. Even though Mr. Nash had told me that wasn’t what he wanted, it was what I wanted. I wanted her to like me, damn it. I had no idea why, but something about her captivated me, and I wanted to do the same for her. It sucked to know I didn’t affect her in the same way she affected me.

Disheartened, I helped Lewis outside for the rest of the day. I told myself not to check the library before I left. I wouldn’t find anything there, but an ember of hope inside me refused to listen. I’d always sucked at giving up, even when I probably should have.

I stole into the library one last time for the day, bummed again.

On Saturday morning, though, I struck gold. Something sat on the sofa in exactly the same place I’d left my two gifts for Isobel.

Holding my breath, I drew closer to discover it was another dragon book: a mint-condition hardback copy of Eragon by Christopher Paolini. It had been popular when I’d been a teen, but I’d never read it.

I stared at it for the longest time, tempted to flip open the first page and get started right then, even as I wondered why it was lying here. No note had been left with it, but I couldn’t help but think... Had Isobel perchance left it there for me to read? The assumption seemed reasonable, but I wasn’t sure. If I borrowed it and took it home, would she accuse me of stealing it and have her father fire me?

It was also possible she’d been reading it herself and had just negligently left it there. But it sat in the exact same spot where I’d left my presents, and it shared the same genre as the book I’d left for her. Maybe she was just suggesting something for me to read. I could check it out from the library and not bother her copy. But what if she really did want me to take it, and I hurt her feelings if I didn’t.

Damn, I swear I was stuck in a catch-22.

A note would’ve been so nice right about now.

Holding my breath, I picked up the story and took it with me. She didn’t track me down all day at work, so I took that to mean she wanted me to read the story.

Not wanting to keep it too long, regardless, I was determined to finish it before Monday. Problem was it wasn’t a short novel. I stayed up late both Saturday and Sunday evenings to finish it, making my mom ask me continually what book was so interesting that I couldn’t pull my head from it. Thank goodness, it was easy and entertaining enough to take in, but I was dragging when I walked into work Monday morning, yet I was strangely energized too. My mind spun over all the different ways I could return the book. Should I lay it on the sofa where she’d left it? Wait until I saw her in person? Leave a review or a thank-you note?

Would she come out of hiding today?

I hoped so. I ached so.

I had no idea what I’d say to her if she did, but I looked forward to the opportunity, anyway.

The library was empty when I strolled in. My disappointment was profound, but I immediately saw that something else had been left on the couch. Heart kicking into gear as my blood raced with anticipation, I hurried forward, only to slow to a stop when I saw the novel I’d bought her from the public library’s book sale sitting there again.

She had returned my gift. Thrown it right back in my face.

Maybe I shouldn’t have taken Eragon after all if it had prompted her into giving this one back. Crestfallen, I began to reach for the paperback when I noticed a slip of paper tucked into the middle of the book and sticking out the top like a bookmark. Curious, I slipped it free, and my breath caught.

She’d written me a note.

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