Chapter Sixteen
O ver the next week at the library, I spend a few days training for my new position, rotating between Penny and Gabe. Right now, Gabe’s showing me how to create promotional materials for an upcoming book club event while Adam is shelving books in the aisles reserved for adult mysteries.
“Canva Pro is free for all public libraries, so we have access to all the fancy graphics,” Gabe says, gesturing at the computer in front of us.
I nod, eager to learn everything I can, when I spy a patron approach Adam. I can’t hear what the patron says, but Adam’s eyes grow wide, and he turns my way with a pleading expression.
I don’t have time to be embarrassed he busted me watching him. “You mind if we take five? I think Adam needs me.”
Gabe looks up from the graphic and raises his eyebrows suggestively. “He needs you, huh?”
I huff. “ With a patron . You’re super professional, aren’t you?”
He grins. “You’re the one shirking your training responsibilities, Finkelstein. But go help your sexy roommate. Holler if you need me. At a library volume, obviously.” Looking pleased with himself, he says, “How’s that for professional?”
“Professional with a side of snarky. The Gabe Jackson story.” I leave him with a chuckle and join Adam and his new friend. “Is everything all right here?”
Adam’s posture visibly relaxes at my approach. He turns to the man. “This is Sabrina, sir. She’s been working here much longer than me and will be able to answer your question.”
I can’t help beaming at him for putting my basic customer-service training to good use.
I told him patrons can’t distinguish between the roles that exist within the library—to them we all just work here.
People will ask him questions often, from the location of the bathroom, to book recommendations, to computer and printer assistance.
If he doesn’t know the answer, he’s to politely inform the patron he’ll find the right staff member to take over.
The patron is an older white man with gray hair and a matching mustache. He’s carrying a huge red umbrella even though the weather report doesn’t call for rain and the sun is shining through the windows of the library. I like him already. “How can I assist you?”
“I’m looking for a book like The Hunger Games .”
“I can absolutely help with that. Are you interested in young adult dystopian generally or is there something specific about The Hunger Games you enjoyed?”
He smooths his mustache. “I’m not sure. We watched the movies with our granddaughter last weekend, and it was the happiest she’s been since she came to stay with us.
” His face clouds over before he tells us that his ten-year-old granddaughter is visiting from Maryland while her mother—his daughter—is on her honeymoon.
“Chloe isn’t taking her mom’s remarriage well.
Her dad passed away a few years ago, and she’s afraid her mom is forgetting about him.
This isn’t true, but she won’t listen to us.
” He removes his glasses and rubs at his eyes.
I think about what Marcia just told me about Adam’s mother and wonder if it’s hard for him to hear stories like this.
Even though we’ve watched TV a few times and commuted together to and from work since then, I haven’t brought it up to him, figuring he’d be less than pleased if he knew his drugged-up grandmother had confided in me about his past. I sneak a glance at him, but his expression gives away nothing.
The man puts his glasses back on. “Before we watched the movie, Chloe told us all about the great Katniss Everdeen and her entire face lit up. She’s Team Gale. My wife and I are Team Peeta. What about you?”
I grin. “Team Peeta.”
We both turn to Adam expectantly.
He shrugs. “I never read the books or watched the movies.”
My jaw drops. “What? How?” I could almost understand if he hadn’t read it when it was published in 2008.
He was only nine. But even after the movie came out, he still didn’t read it or even watch it?
I bet he’d love it since he seems to enjoy adult dystopian like The Ferryman . “We’ll talk about this later.”
Adam’s lips twitch.
The man breathes out a laugh and glances between us. “My wife wears the pants in our relationship too.”
“Oh we’re not…” I say as Adam says, “Bossy women are the best. Am I right?” before winking at me.
I’m sure my body temperature increases by at least a couple degrees. “Hilarious.” I gulp then turn to Chloe’s grandpa like the professional I am. “So you’re hoping to recreate the experience you shared watching The Hunger Games together with another book?”
He nods. “My wife, her grandmother, suggested that we read a similar book together, and if there’s also a movie, even better. If we need to watch more kids kill each other, it will be worth it to keep that light in Chloe’s eyes!”
I melt into a puddle, and it takes all my self-control not to declare, “ Aww !” Instead, I rattle off a few recommendations like Divergent , Uglies , The Fifth Wave , and The Selection .
The last one isn’t a movie, but it’s also not as violent as the others, and I think a little girl Chloe’s age would love a Bachelor -type book.
“Are any of these available to take out now? We’ll buy it for Chloe for her e-reader, but my wife and I will want to read the hard copy together.”
I picture Chloe’s grandparents reading side by side in bed and my heart grows a size. “Let’s see!” Although we could check online, it’s easy enough to walk to the young adult section in the back and see what’s there. We get lucky with The Selection .
With his book in hand, Chloe’s grandpa beams at me and Adam. “Thank you so much for your help.”
“Our pleasure! Please come back and tell us what Chloe thought of the book,” Adam says.
“I will!” And with a salute, he takes his red umbrella and leaves.
I turn to Adam. “We’re reading The Hunger Games as our buddy read, and since ‘bossy women are the best,’ I expect no argument.”
We hold our first book club discussion a few nights later after Marcia goes to bed.
We asked her to join us, but she had no interest in a book about “kids killing each other.” We’re both dressed comfy for a night-in, me in beige drawstring pants and a plain white cotton tee and Adam in black sweatpants and a gray UPenn sweatshirt.
“How can you be Team Gale?” I say to him while curled on one end of his couch/bed.
From the other side, Adam says, “I’m not team anyone . I’m just calling it like I see it.”
“Fine. The jury will hear your case, counselor.” I kick my foot against his.
He catches it and holds it in place. “I think Katniss feels loyal to Peeta given what they’ve been through, but the kiss in the cave was fake. She’s in love with Gale. This is not me shipping them. It’s a fact.”
I open my mouth to argue but nothing comes out because Adam is still holding my foot, gently massaging it through my socked toe, and it feels amazing. Better to say nothing than moan in pleasure.
I detect the exact moment he realizes what he’s doing because the color drains from his face and he drops his hands like the sole of my foot has sprouted painful and poisonous needles.
I quickly hug my legs to my chest and carry on as if nothing happened. Hiding my flaming face with my hair, I say, “I don’t want to give anything away, but you’re wrong. I won’t say more since you haven’t finished the trilogy.”
His eyes dance. “Fair enough.”
I smirk. “I knew you’d love it.”
“And you were right.”
Don’t you wish you’d read it earlier?”
He shakes his head softly. “No. Because we wouldn’t be reading it together now.”
I slowly melt.
Blissfully unaware of my liquification, Adam vaults off the couch. “Cheetos?”
Before going to sleep later, I text Carley from my bed.
Sabrina: How was the show tonight?
I close my eyes. This could be a while. My phone dings. Or not.
Carley: The makeup was *chef’s kiss*
Sabrina: Because who cares if the leads are tone-deaf if their makeup application is flawless, right?
Carley: Wrd. What did you do?
Sabrina: The library’s first Mahjong for Beginners lesson was today. And I had book club with Adam
My heart rate speeds up as it does whenever I mention Adam. Rude .
Carley: What’s this about book club?
Sabrina: No comment on the mahjong? You’re the one who dragged me to that mahjong club last year
Carley: that was just a decoy. You really want to talk about the book club
I sigh. There she goes reading my mind again.
Sabrina: Can you believe Adam never read THG?
Carley : Does THG stand for The Hot Grandson?
I shake my head and laugh.
Sabrina: THE HUNGER GAMES
Before I can stop myself, I text again.
Sabrina: He might have accidentally given me a foot rub
Feeling scandalous, I drop the phone upside down on the area rug at my feet and cover my eyes.
Ping.
Carley: It must be serious if there’s been hand to foot contact. You’re playing with fire, Finkelstein
Sabrina: Nothing is happening. It can’t. Too weird
Carley: Who r u trying to convince?
Good question. I wish I had an answer.