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“Maybe? I’m looking for…hang on, I have it here.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and glanced down at the screen. “Megan Campbell or Kayla Jones or Whitney Wright.”
“I’m Kayla.” I tilted my head to the side and studied her more closely. She didn’t look like a process server. Or a reporter. And those were the two types of people I absolutely didn’t want to interact with…well…ever. But maybe looks were deceiving.
She grinned and put her phone away before holding out her hand. “Oh, good. I’m Jenna White.”
“The architect.” I shook her hand and gestured toward the sitting area. “Come on in and have a seat.”
“Thanks. I mentioned in one conversation with Austin that I was having trouble finding a hangout group, you know? He mentioned how the three of you tended to get together on Friday nights at the bookstore and suggested I might be welcome.” She hesitated next to one of the chairs. “Is that okay?”
I resumed my seat. “Sure. More the merrier. Megan’s getting a box out of the back. She had a shipment in today and wants to get them on the shelves as soon as she can. Whitney’s running late because her son had a rough day.”
Jenna lowered herself to a chair. She perched on the edge a moment before scooting back and getting more settled. “Megan runs the bookstore?”
“Yeah. It’s been in their family a while.” I shifted to get more comfortable. “What do you like best about being an architect?”
Her eyebrows lifted. “Um. That’s a question.”
I chuckled. “Maybe so. It’s not a line of work I ever explored. I don’t even know what you really do all day other than what I see in movies.”
“They’re not all wrong. I guess I like turning someone’s vision into a concrete structure. I like it even more when I can put some of my own vision into things—sort of blend the two together.” Jenna lifted a shoulder. “And then there’s the fun of working out all the rest of the plan—making sure everything is structurally sound, where does the HVAC go, that kind of thing. I like it all.”
“Nice. It’s good to do something you’re passionate about. Megan has that.”
“I have what?” Megan set a big box down on the floor and dusted off her hands. “Hi. Can I help you?”
“This is Jenna. She’s the architect Austin hired. She knew Noah. When was that? High school?” I scooted over as Megan perched on the arm of my chair.
“Did I know that? About Noah?” Megan tapped a finger on her lips. “Maybe. It sounds familiar, but what do I know? It’s nice to meet you. What brings you out this way?”
“Thanks. Just looking around on a Friday night, you know?” Jenna gave the one-shouldered shrug that seemed to be her default.
“No boyfriend?” Megan shook her head. “It’s a sad world when someone who looks like you is dateless on a Friday night.”
Jenna laughed.
I cringed and jabbed Megan with my elbow. “Sorry. She doesn’t get out much. We’re considering a social skills class for her, but it might be too late.”
“Hey!”
“No, it’s fine.” Jenna was still chuckling. “I’m glad Austin suggested I come by. Do you mind if I worm my way into your friend group? As much as I love architecture, I don’t fit super well with big groups of architects.”
“It’s fine by me.” I smiled.
Megan nodded. “More the merrier. Especially since we never know if Whitney’s going to make it. Married with a kid makes it hard sometimes.”
“This is a fact.” Jenna looked around the bookstore. “Can I help you shelve books?”
Megan’s eyebrows winged up. “Youwantto shelve books? Why?”
“Lifelong dream.” Jenna held up her hand. “Promise. I toyed with library science as a degree instead of architecture.”
“Sure. Have at it.” Megan sliced open the box and folded back the flaps. “I don’t do anything fancy. Just alphabetical by author in each genre. I haven’t sorted this box yet though, so generally I make stacks by genre before heading into the shelves to put them out.”
“Even better.” Jenna stood and lifted the box into the center of the seating area. She set it down on the floor then lowered herself next to it, sitting cross legged. She peered at me. “You’ll help, right?”
“Sure. Why not?” I slid out of my chair to the floor and reached into the box for a book. “Piles by genre?”
Megan sat on the floor beside me and nodded. “Yeah. Should only be romance and sci-fi in there. Ought to be easy enough to tell them apart.”
