Bound to Be (The Holidates #48)

Chapter 1

Biannca

Alot of people think that being a librarian is boring. That it’s something old ladies who have retired do to keep themselves busy.

But I love it.

Part of what I love is the shocked face when I meet a new person and they find out I’m a twenty-seven year old full-fledged librarian. With a degree and all.

The more annoying thing is when they assume that it’s the reason I’m not married.

That I’m boring because I spend my days around books.

What always shocks me is that because I read, I’ve lived many different lives, I’ve traveled many journeys, and I’ve been able to experience things I might never experience in real life. In what way is my life limited?

There’s magic in books, and I’ve felt that way since I first read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and could vividly imagine that world where food fell from the sky. I’ve fallen in love with books that range from the classics like Bronte, to the newer things like Rebecca Yarros.

So, how could anyone possibly think that being surrounded by stories of lives I could never truly experience, be boring?

It’s nice working with like minded people.

Sure, there are the older women who work here after retirement, but there are also plenty of younger people like me.

And every stage of life in between. In fact, just a few weeks ago we had the cutest little baby shower for Mary that was all Dr. Seuss themed.

Not paying attention as my mind is lost in thought, my hip bumps the book cart to my left. A common occurrence that has a permanent bruise on my side. “Ouch.”

A snort from the other side of the shelves catches my attention and I peak through the rows to see Ethan chuckling to himself at his computer. My cheeks burn as my heart skips.

To say Ethan seems out of place would be an understatement.

I try not to make judgements based on how people look, but hot damn he could be gracing the covers of magazines.

Not locked in this place. He does dress the part though, a knit cardigan that he dons daily.

Sometimes he picks one with the suede patches on the elbows.

When his gaze lifts as though he feels the heat of mine on his skin, I suck in a breath and press my back to the shelves. My palm rests against my chest, trying to contain the wildly beating organ that wants to burst out.

Once my heart rate returns to normal, I wipe the back of my hand across my mouth, sure I was drooling because…damn. I’m pretty sure there’s not a single person that walks past him that doesn’t do a double take.

I don’t know his story, I don’t know what brought him here or why he works in the library. Not even if he’s married or anything. He’s a pretty quiet and reserved person. Not that I can blame him the way women practically throw themselves across his desk to flirt with him.

My random and frequent cries of pain aren’t really a shock to anyone I work with anymore. Probably why he laughed lightly but didn't actually check on me. I’m not the most graceful, nor the most spatially aware person.

It all leads to frequent bumps, scrapes, and the ever present mystery bruise.

One last quick glance through the shelves in Ethan’s general direction and I find a girl with short shorts and long blonde hair standing on her toes and leaning forward.

With a roll of my eyes, I get back to the task at hand.

It’s not even weather appropriate to wear shorts at this point in late fall.

While our library regularly hires employees to empty the carts to help us keep the shelves fully stocked, especially in summer when the college kids are home, I’ve always loved to do it. Plus, we’re in that lull where the college kids have left, but aren’t yet back for their winter break.

Something about the simplicity, the routine, the structure.

There’s no thinking involved. And it makes my heart happy to see the books back on the shelves with their friends.

It’s easy to get lost in the process and forget about my surroundings.

Forget that time continues on while I’m in a peaceful mindset.

That is, until I almost crash in Jemma as she stands at the end of the aisle I’m on with her eternal look of disdain. I typically do my best to avoid her but of course being lost in book land, I didn’t sense her sharp presence.

Part of me is convinced that she’s as old as the library itself, yet never ages beyond a youthful sixty.

“Biannca.” Just the way she says my name has my hackles rising and a chill running down my spine.

But something about it also has me squaring my shoulders, tipping my chin up and clasping my fingers in front of me, like I’m under scrutiny.

As though she’s about to circle me and point out every flaw before placing a stack of books on top of my head and having me recite the alphabet. Backward.

The corners of my lips rise in a heavily practiced friendly, yet not overly so, smile. “Good morning, Jemma. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

Jemma runs the library behind the scenes. She spends the vast majority of her days holed up behind her desk in her private office, much to the delight of the entire library staff. I’m not the only one she strikes fear in.

“We will be hosting a charity banquet in three weeks time. All higher level staff, meaning you, Biannca, are expected to attend. The event will be black tie and catered.”

I take a step back and my brow furrows. Black tie? We live in a relatively affluent area, but even for here black tie seems…excessive. And hard to achieve.

The confusion must be enough to reach Jemma because she rolls her eyes and sighs heavily. “Funding isn’t what it used to be, as I’m sure you’re well aware. Or at least, you should be since it directly effects your job and your life.”

I suppress the shiver that’s trying to run through me at the tone.

It’s almost like I’m thrown back to being a child and getting a scolding from my mother.

That woman has a way with words. She put fear in the heart of anyone, even my older brother who has said on more than one occasion that he’s not really afraid of anything except for mom. And it’s usually followed by a shudder.

“Yes, I’m aware, Jemma. I suppose I wasn’t expecting for us to do something quite so…extravagant, as a black tie event.”

Her chin tips higher, as though she’s proving not just her superiority over me, but that her decision making skills are better too.

“The board felt that it was time to do something big. We’ll be selling tables, auctioning off local goods and crafts, as well as some rare first editions that the library has been bestowed.

Plans are already underway which is why the staff is receiving short notice. ”

At an utter loss for words there’s not much more to say than, “Sounds like a great idea, Jemma.”

The tight upturn of her lips is the closest I’ll get to a smile.”Well, now that we appear to be on the same page, I’ll leave you to your…task.” She’s made it well known that she thinks shelving books is below me. That I have a degree and was not hired to merely restack books.

While that’s all well and good, aside from the peace it brings me, I don’t mind lending a hand. We’re on the same team, so why does it matter what I do with my time as long as my job is done?

The tightness around my chest is almost fully alleviated as Jemma is about to round the corner of the row, when she pauses and turns back.

A true smile, one I’ve never seen the likes of and that sends a shiver straight down my spine, is horrifyingly present.

My lungs have forgotten how to expand and my eyelids are stuck open as I await what feels like a sentencing.

“One more thing, Biannca. We are expecting our staff, especially our higher level staff, such as yourself, to come with a plus one to help fill tables. We want to show a strong community.” With that she turns on her heel and retreats to her dungeon.

But I’m stuck in place, all the blood plunging to my feet.

My dating life, or lack thereof, is well known here.

Though we’re all friendly and try not to be invasive in one another's lives, relationships are one thing that tend to come up. And for me, I’ve been single for a very long time.

Enough so that Jemma has commented about my age and my internal clock ticking.

She’s clearly stated that I not only should be married off by now, but have the two point five children and SUV in the garage of my modest two-story home.

If only it was as simple as wanting, or that a certain point in life has passed.

Shaking out of my stupor, I leave the cart right where it is and head to my little corner of the library. I flop into my chair just in time for Ruby, our IT person, to pop up from behind a row of computers. Though I tense at her sudden appearance, I don’t jump like I normally would.

“Why do you look paler than usual?” Ruby is probably my closest friend here and she’s always ribbing me about needing to see some sunlight.

“I ran into Jemma.”

Her lips pull to the side in a brief grimace. “I mean, sure that I understand. But this seems…worse than normal.”

My eyes connect with her vibrant blue ones. Her style is quite eclectic, with bright red streaks through her straight black hair. But the blue is all natural. Until I met her, I didn’t know that color was possible without the help of contacts. “Did you hear about the gala?”

“Of course. Jemma asked me to make some flyers and if we could livestream it. A few weeks ago actually.” Am I the last to know about this damn thing?

“Livestream? I didn’t know she knew anything about that.”

“Well, she didn’t ask quite like that.” Ruby runs her tongue along her teeth and I can hear the click of her tongue ring against the enamel from the desk width’s space.

“She asked if we could make possible for the community to be here while watching on their ‘technology devices.’ She felt it’d be a great way to have everyone interested and maybe raise more funds. ”

“Are you going to do it? You could stream it right on the website.”

“I haven’t decided yet. It’s an undertaking to get it set up, coded, and then do all the stuff required here and—wait a minute! You’re distracting me! Not cool, Bia.”

My very brief moment of reprieve was over. Silence reigns over us as we stare at each other, neither willing to budge and give in. Until she raises and single brow and levels me the stare that could make me confess my deepest sins.

“Ugh, fiiine.” With a little more oomph than necessary, I cross my arms against my chest, chewing the corner of my lip. “We’re expected, no required to bring a plus one to the gala. Who the hell am I going to bring?”

“Um, hello?” Her gaze dashes over, quite dramatically, toward Ethan. Then she lifts her hands as though she’s showcasing him.

I lunge forward and put her hands down, resting one of my own against my chest to contain my heart. “Would you not draw any attention to us please?” The words come out in a whisper shout that I hope is no more than dull murmur to Ethan, who is not as far away as Ruby seems to think.

She makes what could easily be the most dramatic eye roll ever. “You know, you two are the only ones who seem to be blind to the fact that you both have a thing for the other.”

My cheeks burn to such an extreme that I’m pretty sure fire is licking beneath the skin. “That’s not true.” There’s zero surety in my voice.

“Whatever, I don’t have time for this denial game you play or the back and forth. You want a date and don’t want to ask the drool worthy coworker? Get the Holidates App. It’s a dating app but for dates, especially for holidays, more than a relationship.”

“The Holi…what?”

Ruby pinches the bridge of her nose and looks skyward, mumbling something unintelligible under her breath. “Just, give me your phone. It’s easier this way.”

I fish the device out of my desk drawer and hand it over, chewing my lower lip and spinning side to side in my desk chair while I anxiously wait.

My knee starts bouncing relentlessly when I realize it’s taken far longer than it should to simply install an app. The start of a word rumbles in my throat before Ruby hands the phone back to me with a smirk.

“Here you go. I set up your profile for you.”

A puff of air is all that I can force out. Taking the phone back, I glance over what she set up. Relatively basic but very accurate information. “Where’d you get this picture?”

She lifts her shoulder while crossing her arms and leaning back against her desk. “It was in your gallery.”

While I want to be angry or feel like my privacy has been invaded by her going through my gallery, she did save me a shit load of time and effort. Not to mention, prevented me from actually chickening out from the whole thing.

“National Read a Book Day?” My eyes raise to look at her through my lashes. “Is that a thing?”

“It is. And the same weekend as the gala so I figured why the hell not right? The app isn’t specific about the type of holiday you need a date for so…”

With a heavy sigh, I start sliding through the app. “Here goes nothing.”