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The rest of us laugh. As a celebrity chef, Nikko has built a reputation for being a total bastard. In real life, he’s actually pretty nice once you get to know him, but Bailey brings out the best in him, and he’s won us over with his absolute devotion to her.
Joyce pats Bailey’s arm. “He’s a wonderful guy,” she agrees. “We love him, and we think he’s a great match for you. But that’s the thing. If two people as different as you and Nikko could hit it off, why not Blaze and the Chief?”
Bailey gives me an assessing sort of look. “I can see it,” she says with a thoughtful nod.
“Have you met him?” I ask.
“Just briefly. He came into the gallery around Mother’s Day to buy something for his mom and introduced himself. We didn’t talk much, but he seemed nice.”
There’s something kind of adorable about the idea of a big guy like the Chief wandering around an art gallery full of delicate things looking for a present for his mother, but I shove the image aside.
“I’m just not the kind of girl guys like the Chief go for,” I say again.
“Why not?” Lucky waves her hand in my direction. “You’re beautiful, you’re smart, you’re well-packaged.”
I try to explain. “The Chief is like the football players back in high school. You know, the handsome, popular gorgeous prom-king types who could have their pick of girls?” An image of Scarlett pops into my mind. She’s the kind of woman I see with the Chief. Slender, self-assured, and bitchy. “They have a type.”
“Like Hunter has a type?” Dry amusement shoots through Joyce’s voice.
Hunter is exactly the kind of guy I just described, a popular football player at our high school who even went to college on a football scholarship. Now he’s home taking care of their baby while Joyce has lunch with her friends, which is not something any of us could have predicted back in high school.
“Your baby daddy might have reformed, but he’s the exception that proves the rule,” I tell her. “When it comes down to it, I’m a librarian, the Chief is a jock, and never the twain shall hook up. That’s okay. There are plenty of other non-jock fish in the sea.”
“It never lasts with the non-jocks either,” Joyce points out. “Maybe you just like to leave before you can risk getting hurt.” She gives me the kind of I know you better than you know yourself look that only someone who has been your best friend since third grade can give you.
She means well, but just because she’s found monogamous bliss doesn’t mean I have to.
“You’re reading too much into this,” I tell her. “Look, I’m really happy that all of you have found great guys to settle down with, but at this stage in my life, I’m happy to keep things casual. Very casual.”
Joyce doesn’t look convinced. “Look, Chief Wainwright saved my building from burning down and he helped Hunter figure out what caused the fire, so maybe I’m biased, but he seems like a good guy. Give yourself, and him, enough credit to at least consider that maybe there’s no nefarious plan here. Maybe he just thinks you’re cute.”
It’s somehow even more unsettling to think that the Chief might not have a master plan to get me to give up the Addison building.
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” I tell her firmly. “We may be on the same side against Scarlett, but that’s temporary, and I’m not going to forget it.”
14
JEREMY
“Normally, you’d have to be a service dog just to get through those doors,” I tell Jackie as we stand at the foot of the library steps. “So today’s pretty special. You’d better behave yourself.”
I swear that dog cocks his head and gives me a look like, Seriously?
“Fine, I know you’ll behave,” I concede. And he will. The more time I spend with him, the more I like the little guy. “Come on.”
Together we make our way up the worn marble steps. It’s Dog Days at the Library, and I’m looking forward to seeing the kids read to the dogs. I’m also hoping we’ll run into Nessa so she can see how well Jackie is doing.
And okay, I’m looking forward to catching a glimpse of my neighbor as well.
I haven’t seen her since we had our drink at the Cantina last week. Palmer’s wife is expecting twins and is on bed rest. That’s thrown his schedule off, which in turn has sent the rest of us scrambling to fill in the blanks. We definitely need to hire more men, and the need for a better dorm is becoming more apparent by the day. I figured I’d drop by to see if Blaze has figured anything out about Scarlett.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
As I walk into the library, I take in polished wooden shelves that line the walls, high, arched windows, and a magnificent marble staircase that curves from the first floor to the second. It has the feeling of an old-fashioned library from a classic film.
I can’t deny that the grandeur is starting to look a little faded, though. The carpet by the front entrance is noticeably worn, the once-white walls are yellowed with age, and there are water stains on the ceiling.
An older woman behind the checkout looks at us through huge glasses with black and pink checkered frames looks up at us. “Dog reading is upstairs in the children’s room. You can take the elevator or the stairs over to your right.”
