Chapter 6
The next day at the library, Clara was determined to dive back into the remaining boxes, hoping to unearth more hidden treasures. She was searching for more journals. There had to be more to the story. She hoped it wasn’t voyeuristic to be digging through someone’s life. She wanted to know what happened to Samuel and Eleanor. Did they get to run away together and end up living happily ever after? Did they end up marrying someone else? She knew it was silly to be so invested in a story that had nothing to do with her.
When she got to the library, Allison was waiting with two cups of coffee. “Tell me everything!”
“There”s not much to tell.”
“Hello! It”s your first date in forever! There is a lot to tell!”
Clara unlocked the library doors and walked inside with Allison right on her heels. “Do you like him? Does he like you? Are you going to see him again? Did you kiss him?”
Clara stopped walking and turned around to look at her friend. “How am I supposed to answer twenty questions?”
Allison thrust a cup of coffee at her. “One at a time.”
Clara took the coffee and moved around the library, turning on lights and computers. “Yes, I like him. Yes, he seems to like me, but I”m not sure I”m the best judge of that one.”
“Did you kiss him?”
“No! Allison, it was dinner.”
“Are you going to see him again?”
Clara laughed at her friend”s sudden tendency to gossip. “Yes, we are planning to go out again.”
Allison clapped her hands together squealing with delight. “I knew he was going to ask you out again!”
Clara chuckled as she picked up a stack of books from the return bin. “Allison, it was just dinner.”
“But it was dinner with a handsome man. That”s the best kind of dinner! Tell me about him. What did you talk about?”
“He likes to hike. Works in I.T. I told him about Cassidy. It was so nice to talk to a man and have him listen. It”s a novel idea.”
Allison”s eyes lit up. “I”m so happy for you. You deserve a good man. I want to meet him.”
“No,” Clara shook her head. “You are not going to make him feel weird. It was dinner. I don”t want him to think I”m pressuring him.”
Clara began returning books to their shelves as she told Allison more about their evening. Allison listened intently and seemed to be happier than Clara was about the date.
“You”re going to go out with him again, right?” Allison asked.
“If he asks, yes. But I have to keep in mind he”s only here to visit. I don”t want to get ahead of myself.”
“Maybe he”ll want to move here,” she suggested.
“Or maybe I can move there.”
Allison frowned. “No. I don”t like that solution.”
“I like him, but I don”t want to get my hopes up. I”ve decided I”m just going to enjoy him while he”s here. Like you said, I put myself out there. If another handsome stranger comes along and asks me to dinner, I won”t be nearly as nervous.”
“That”s the spirit. I have to go. I just wanted to make sure everything went well. If it didn”t, I was going to hunt the man down and give him a piece of my mind.”
“Thank you, but it was fine. More than fine. He”s polite, kind, and seems to be genuine.”
Clara waved goodbye and went back to the opening routine. Once her duties were finished, she was excited to get back to the boxes. Just as she was knee-deep in sorting through a box of old books that had that funky musty smell that only old books could achieve, the soft chime of the entrance bell caught her attention. She silently cursed the interruption as she walked out front to see if someone needed help.
To her surprise, James walked in with a charming smile gracing his lips. In his hands, he held a dozen roses. The sight of him made Clara”s heart skip a beat.
“Good morning, Clara,” James greeted, his eyes sparkling with warmth. “I thought these might brighten your day.”
Blushing, Clara accepted the roses with gratitude. “Thank you, James. They”re beautiful.”
She tried to remember the last time she had gotten roses. It had to be at least three or four years. She inhaled the scent and smiled.
He grinned, a hint of mischief in his eyes. “So, any plans after work? I was thinking of heading to the beach. How about a picnic by the sea?”
Clara couldn”t suppress the smile that tugged at her lips. “That sounds wonderful. I get off at five. I can stop by the store and get some cold chicken or make sandwiches.”
“Nope,” he shook his head. “I’ve got it covered. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
He was too good to be true. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I”ll handle things.”
“Are you going to do any research?” Clara asked hopefully.
“I am. I was hoping you could help me.”
Clara couldn”t shake the flutter of excitement that came to life whenever he was around. “Of course.”
Together, they walked to the corner of the library. Clara provided him with a stack of books. “The history of Watch Hill, as promised.”
He looked up from the book he already had opened with a grateful smile spreading across his face. “You”re amazing, Clara. Thank you.”
As he delved into his research, Clara couldn”t resist stealing glances in his direction. They were the only two people in the library. She was tempted to go sit at the table with him and talk. However, there were still books to be sorted, shelved, and accounted for. Still, she found herself wandering over more often than she needed to, just to exchange a few words or steal a glance at his charming smile. She found herself laughing more often, the library echoing with their harmonious laughter.
The bell above the door tinkled, interrupting their privacy. “Let me know if you need anything else,” Clara said as she walked away.
Unable to help herself, she glanced over her shoulder as she walked away and caught him watching. She flashed him what she hoped was a coy smile.
She was halfway across the room when he called out, “Clara?”
“Yes?” She turned, her heart fluttering like a bird trapped in a cage.
“Your smile is very beautiful.” He looked at her as if she were the only woman in the world. “I just thought you should know I woke up this morning anticipating getting to see your smile.” It filled her with warmth, hope, and a sense of importance she”d never known before.
Clara blushed, embarrassed yet thrilled at his comment. “Thank you, James,” she replied, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
“You”re very welcome.”
Returning to her desk, she couldn”t help but smile. That knot of doubt within her started to unravel a bit as the day wore on. He made her feel like a young, vibrant woman. She wasn”t over the hill. Time flew by as Clara busied herself helping people find books and handling her usual duties. She couldn”t help but sneak peeks at James from time to time. He looked handsome even when engrossed in his research–every now and then jotting down notes with determination. It seemed like he sensed her watching him and always looked up. Their eyes would meet and one of them would smile first.
“Need anything?” Clara asked James casually.
“No, I”m good for now. Thanks, Clara,” James answered without looking up from his book. He seemed engrossed in whatever it was he was reading. His brow furrowed as he flipped through the pages. Still, every few minutes, his gaze would lift from the pages and find hers, making her stomach flutter.
“Just let me know if I can answer any questions for you.”
She felt caught in a blissful haze; Clara couldn”t help but feel like a girl experiencing her first crush. There was an electric tension between them that was palpable and exciting.
James approached the counter. “I”m going for the day, but I”ll see you in a bit, right.”
“I”ll be there.”
Clara watched him leave and let out the breath she”d been holding. She felt giddy. She couldn”t wait to see him again. With James gone, she didn”t have any reason to hang out at the front counter and returned to her treasure hunt. The first few boxes she got into were disappointments. There weren’t any journals or hidden letters tucked into one of the books. Clara hoped the journal wasn’t a one-off. There was still a story she didn’t know the ending to.