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I laugh and tap my fingers on the side of the phone. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks calling the local schools and asking them to participate in a fundraising initiative for my Middle-Grade Readers Group. The local middle school agreed to help, but there are a couple others in the county, and they’ve been tougher to crack.
If only I could?—
“You know, you’re usually so mopey when you’re at work,” Irma says. “I’m really surprised you’ve stayed on this long. What’s got you all excited?”
“I’m excited for the reading program,” I say, but that’s only a quarter of it. I’m excited to see Savage later, and I’m nervous because Ganny’s hosting a potluck this weekend, and Savage is going to be there, along with the rest of my family. It’s going to be difficult to avoid him.
“Mmm.” Irma sniffs. “I’ve seen that look before.”
“Huh?”
“That goofy ‘in love’ look. Who’s the lucky guy?” Irma asks, because she wants to pry. Irma’s never particularly interested in me unless she can tease me about it later.
“I’m not in love,” I say. “I’m just excited for the future.”
“Ah. So there’s a guy at this place you’re flying to?”
“I’m going to New York,” I say.
“Right, right.”
I’ve told her my destination a couple of times, but Irma spends most of her time in her own world or gossiping, and my travel itinerary doesn’t rank high on the list of juicy gossip in Heatstroke.
I punch in the number for a local school on the phone, and I’m about to hit dial when Savage walks through the open library doors.
He’s flawless in a tight-fitting white T-shirt that stretches across his pecs. “Savage Self-Defense” is printed across the front of the shirt, but it’s not like I can focus on the damn logo. His gaze is locked onto me, a twinkle in his eye, his hair curls at the ears, and he runs a strong hand over his beard as he approaches the front counter.
That same hand has been around my throat, and my skin tingles at the memory. I smile at him, trying to measure my reaction, since we’re technically keeping this a secret from Cash and everyone in this town.
“Hi,” I say, as he bypasses Irma’s portion of the polished counter and stops in front of me.
Savage smiles at me.
Irma perks up in her seat. “You’re happy today, Mr. Savage,” she says.
He sends a blank look in her direction, but that only makes her eyebrows lift. Shoot. She’s onto us.
“Returning,” Savage says, tapping his finger onto the front cover of the book he’s placed on the counter in front of me.
Irma keeps watching, her lips pursed.
“You aren’t checking out another book?” I ask, as I slide the romance novel across the counter toward me.
Savage shakes his head. The corners of his lips twitch, but he keeps a straight face.
It’s so good to see him smile. It’s even better knowing that I’m the one putting that smile there.
I focus on the task at hand so I don’t give him a dreamy-eyed stare that will rouse Irma’s suspicions. I open the library book to check the date on the card inside.
A folded note is tucked inside the cover.
I cast a sidelong glance at Irma, but she’s returned to tapping away on the computer, her tortoiseshell reading glasses perched on the end of her nose. It’s a pity that Shana isn’t working today. I vastly prefer her company, and she wouldn’t pry into my business.
Carefully, I unfold the note and read what’s written inside.
Princess, I can’t stop thinking about you.
Also, I’m going to donate all the kid’s books in my library to your reading program.
