15. Hadley
Hadley
There should probably be a rule about not becoming someone’s girlfriend during the work week. I’ve been staring at this shelf of children’s books for the last twenty minutes. Which is a problem because story time is about to start and I still haven’t picked out the books for the day.
I glance at the top of the bookcase where hockey books are arranged neatly alongside some picture books about the American Revolution. I grab three of the hockey books.
In for a penny, in for a pound.
“Would you like me to run storytime today?” Lily, a new volunteer, asks. “I love kids.”
“Sure,” I say, passing her the books. “That would be lovely.” We walk together to the activity room in the children’s section of the library.
I love this room. The soft yellow walls are painted with butterflies and floating storybook pages, making the room feel welcoming and bright. Kids are already picking out brightly colored carpet squares and finding spots on the floor.
“Ready?” I ask Lily.
She nods. “Oh, yeah!”
When storytime ends an hour later, I know we’ve found a new storytime leader. Lily is amazing. She kept the kids on task, engaged, and invested in the stories and songs. I found myself just as engaged as they were in her storytelling.
“You did great,” I tell her as we tidy the room. “I’d love for you to do this more often.”
She does a little happy dance. “I’d love to. Storytime was always my favorite as a kid.”
A kindred spirit. “Mine too,” I tell her.
When I get back to my office, I can’t help but reach for my phone. Because apparently, becoming Bryce’s girlfriend has turned me into the kind of person who checks her phone every chance she gets.
I know he has a morning skate today ahead of the game, but that doesn’t stop me from checking to see if he’s texted anyway.
Ten messages from Paige, but no new messages from Bryce since his ‘good morning girlfriend’ text this morning. Seeing that made me smile. If this is what having a boyfriend is supposed to be like, I’ve seriously been dating the wrong guys.
I open the text thread with Paige and immediately wonder how much coffee she’s had this morning.
Paige: Morning! Excited for tonight’s game?
Paige: How was the lunch yesterday?
Paige: You didn’t message me SOS last night, so I’m assuming it went okay.
Paige: I wish you had, though. That event was B.O.R.I.N.G.
Paige: Why are you ignoring me?
Paige: Are you okay? You didn’t die, did you?
Seriously? I laugh out loud.
Paige: How would you answer me if you did?
Paige: If you don’t answer me soon, I’m coming up there.
Paige: Okay, I called the library, and they said you’re in storytime. Message me when you’re done.
Paige: Seriously? How long is story time?!
Good grief.
Hadley: Dramatic much?
Paige: What? You weren’t answering me.
Hadley: I’m working!
Paige: Right, I know that. I need to know where we’re having dinner before the game.
She cannot be serious. Except it’s Paige, so I know she is.
Hadley: Let’s grab Chinese by the arena?
Paige: Perfect! Chicken fried rice and an update on Bryce. LOL See what I did there?
And, that is why we are friends. Her weirdness matches my weirdness.
Hadley: I saw… I’ll see you later. I have to work now.
Paige: *pouting emoji* See you later!
I drop my phone in my purse and head out to the floor. I’m on my way to see if there are any books that need to be re-shelved when I notice an older woman struggling with the printer.
“Can I help you?”
“Oh, that would be great. I’m trying to make copies of these flyers for my neighborhood, but I can’t get the darn thing to work.”
“No problem,” I say, taking her flyer and loading it into the printer. “How many copies?”
She giggles. “One hundred, please. One for every house.”
I set it up, and it starts printing ?her flyers. She’s nearly giddy with excitement, and I’m curious, so I glance at the flyer.
ATTENTION MAGNOLIA PINES RESIDENTS
You’ve been GNOMED.
If you wake up tomorrow morning and discover a garden gnome on your porch…
Do not panic.
You have officially been selected for this year’s “Spread the Gnome Joy” community initiative.
Your responsibilities are simple:
1. Enjoy your gnome.
2. Take a photo with your gnome and post it in the neighborhood social group.
3. Secretly relocate your gnome to another resident’s porch within 48 hours.
Failure to participate will result in Mild Community Disappointment.
Happy Gnoming,
The Magnolia Pines Social Committee
She pats my shoulder. “It’s great, isn’t it?”
“Oh, it absolutely is! Have fun,” I tell her, already wondering if my neighbors would participate or land themselves on the Magnolia Pines Social Committee’s naughty list.
Definitely on the naughty list.
I’m not even sure I’ve seen their faces, honestly. Everyone seems to stay inside and keep to themselves.
How boring.
“What’s got you smiling like that?” Donna asks when I stop by her desk.
“Just a little neighborhood fun.” I tell her about the flyer. “Isn’t that funny?”
Donna chuckles. “I can just see people trying to sneak around and hide a gnome on their neighbor's porch. Maybe we’ll get lucky and someone will video it and put it on the internet.”
“Who knows,” I say. “Do you need anything?”
Donna glances down at her to-do list. “Nope, I think I’m good. Thanks. Aren’t you going to the hockey games with Paige? How are you holding up?” she asks. “Do you need a new book to read while she watches?”
I blush. “It’s going well,” I say. “I’m actually finding hockey interesting.”
Donna tips her head to the side, studying me. “It’s the players, isn’t it? An arena full of attractive young men will do that to a person.”
“Donna!”
She laughs. “I’m old, honey. Not dead. A cute boy is still a cute boy. And the look on your face says there’s a cute boy.” She winks. “There’s a game tonight, right?”
I nod. “It’s Game 3.”
She smiles. “That should be a good one. Have fun, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t have done at your age.”
“Thanks.”
I smile all the way back to my office, actually excited about the game tonight. Some time between the first game and now, it stopped being about tagging along with Paige.
Now? I’m going to see Bryce, my boyfriend.
The smell of fried rice and soy sauce calls to me as I open the door to our favorite Chinese restaurant. I’m late, so I’m not surprised to learn that Paige has already ordered enough for both of us.
“Hey,” I say, dropping into the chair across from her. “Thanks for ordering.”
“You’re welcome,” Paige says, passing the container of fried rice across the table. “Rough day?”
“Not really,” I say, scooping entirely too much rice on my plate. “Just last-minute stuff to set up for the weekend events.”
I pile my fork high with rice and shovel it into my mouth. I groan when the flavors hit my tongue. “Chinese was a good idea.”
Paige rolls her eyes. “You’re only saying that because you chose it.”
I shake my head. “Have you tasted this?” I ask. “Seriously, it hits the spot.”
She lets me take a few more bites before peppering me with questions about lunch.
“It was nice,” I tell her. “Bryce’s sister is funny. They tease each other a lot, but you can tell it’s all in good fun.”
Paige sighs wistfully. “I wish I had a sibling to tease.”
“It’s not all happy and loving,” I tell her. “Trust me. There were times Evy and I barely survived living together.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says.
“Sometimes it is pretty great,” I say, remembering my conversation with Evy last night. “But, the good news is, you have me!”
Paige grins. “My very own chaos coordinator in a cardigan.”
“When did you come up with that?” I ask, laughing. “That’s actually a good one.”
Paige does a fake bow. “Thank you, thank you. I’ll be here for the rest of your life.”
We both break into a fit of giggles, drawing looks from the other diners.
I shake my head, still laughing as I reach for my drink. “On that note, I have some news you might find interesting.”
I wait for her to finish chewing.
“Bryce asked me to be his girlfriend,” I say. “And I said yes.”
She squeals and jumps out of the chair so fast that she knocks it backward. She rushes to my side of the table and envelops me in a hug. “Hadley, that’s awesome! Are you happy? Do you feel different? Does that mean I can call Colt Bradley my friend, too?”
“One question at a time,” I say, laughing at her enthusiasm.
“Well?” she asks, righting her chair and sitting back down.
“I am happy. It does feel different, in a good way. I haven’t been able to stop smiling all day.”
Paige wiggles in her seat and claps her hands. “I’m so excited for you! You’re a Wag now!”
“I really hate that acronym. Wag is what a dog’s tail does.”
Paige rolls her eyes. “You’ll get used to it. You didn’t answer my question about Colt, though.”
I laugh. “I don’t think that’s how it works.”
Paige pouts. “Fine. I can’t believe you went and found yourself a hockey player. You can thank me for this at any time. And I absolutely get to be your maid of honor.”
“Paige!”
“What? I’m planning ahead.”
My face must show my panic because she reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “Whatever is meant to happen will happen. Don’t let me scare you and don’t talk yourself out of being happy.”
I glance down at my phone, looking at the last message from Bryce.
Bryce: See you tonight, girlfriend.
Butterflies dance in my stomach.
Maybe it’s time I stop looking for reasons this won’t work and just let myself be happy instead.