Check Out that Billionaire
1. Tabitha
“That man is smoking hot,” my friend and boss, Amelia, says as she gazes across the library.
She’s got a bunch of job applications for the new children’s librarian position stacked in front of her, but she’s no longer paying them any attention. She’s too busy ogling Cam. Or, more specifically, Cam’s butt.
I have to admit, Cam looks good from this angle. His jeans are just tight enough to show off some nice cheeks, and his light blue T-shirt stretches over his biceps as he sets down his stack of library books next to the self-checkout machine.
He’s sporting a bit of red stubble this afternoon, which means he skipped his morning shave. Chances are, he had to pull another all-nighter, but he still looks good enough to?—
“You’re checking him out, too, aren’t you, Tabs?” Amelia nudges me.
I grimace and shush her, even though Cam is definitely too far away to overhear.
Amelia chuckles. “Very librarian of you.”
I smooth out my knee-length, pleated skirt, pat the stack of books embroidered on my cardigan, and push my cat-eye glasses up the bridge of my nose. “I take my job very seriously.”
“Then, as your boss, I’m ordering you to ask that man out on a date.”
I roll my eyes, because I know she’s teasing.
Sometimes, it feels like the reference desk is our own little island. We whisper about almost everything here, from the books we’ve read, to Amelia’s latest dating fiascos, to how Millie’s octogenarian husband is secretly checking out books to learn tips for adding spice to their marriage.
“Come on, Ames. You know it’s not like that between us,” I say as I watch Cam riffle through his wallet for his library card. Maybe he left it at home again. The man’s always lost in thought, daydreaming, and forgetting things.
“Friends, huh?” Amelia’s eyes twinkle mischievously. “Is that why you’re ogling him?”
“I’m not ogling Cam! I’m just… making sure he doesn’t run off with any library books.”
Amelia snorts. “That’s what the RFID tags are for.”
We spent weeks attaching the little buggers to every single book in our small town library. They hold key information that Byron—our shelving robot—uses to place books exactly where they belong. And, as a bonus, the tags also trigger the alarm if anyone tries to leave with a book that hasn’t been checked out.
“I don’t get what’s holding you back.” Amelia sighs. “He’s cute. He’s single. Hell, maybe I should ask him out.” I feel a twinge of a feeling that’s not very friendly until she adds, “And I would, if he didn’t spend every waking moment with you. I can’t compete with that.”
“We’re just friends, Amelia.” I briefly wonder if I’m the reason Cam doesn’t really date. Are other women steering clear because I’m always around? Should I back off? Spend less time with him? My own dating life lately has been as empty as the book return bin Byron just finished clearing, but I would never jeopardize the friendship Cam and I share.
“You really should reconsider and jump the man’s…” Amelia trails off as Cam finishes putting his books in the gray Maple Valley Library tote bag which I bought for him at our library gift shop, and turns toward us. She grabs her stack of job applications and sing-songs, “Act natural.”
“I was acting natural,” I hiss back, then take a page out of Amelia’s book and start randomly clicking my computer mouse as I glide it around the pad. “You’re a terrible influence!”
“What’s she trying to get you to do this time?” Cam asks as he approaches our desk. “Dog ear book pages?”
Amelia and I gasp in unison.
“I would never,” I say in genuine horror.
Cam gives me that huge grin that makes my belly do a flip. I ignore the feeling and grin back. “If you keep talking about dog-eared pages, I’ll take it as a sign to get you more bookmarks.”
“A man can never have too many bookmarks.” He leans right over the reference desk and takes in a deep breath. “Is it just me, or do I smell old books?”
I pretend my heart isn’t racing as I roll my eyes and fight to keep my cool. “Jane brought in a box of the book perfume she’s promoting. Gotta take advantage. And speaking of Jane…” I glance up at the Alice In Wonderland inspired, clock-sized pocket-watch on the wall and realize it’s past five. She should have been here to relieve me. “She didn’t call in sick, did she?”
Amelia shakes her head. “I’m sure she’ll be here any minute now.”
Cam leans one muscled arm on the counter. “I hope you’re hungry, Tabs, because I ordered your favorite.”
My mouth waters. “Tacos? From Tasty Tostadas?”
“You know it. We can pick it up on the way to my place.”
“Sounds like a date!” Amelia declares.
“No, it’s just a normal Friday night. Besties, Booze, and Books,” I say pointedly, hoping she’ll take the hint and shut up.
“Actually, it’s not a normal Friday night,” Cam says. “I just finished the first draft of… a big report for work. So we’re celebrating. I even picked up some of that fancy bubbly you like.”
“The one with the extra large cork? That’s my favorite!” I wonder if he remembers why and hope to gently nudge his memory when I say, “Merci, monsieur.”
Cam laughs. “You are so adorably weird, Tabs.”
“I aim to please,” I say before thinking it through and have to turn away since I feel my face flush. “Oh, look, Jane’s here!”
Our coworker enters through the sliding glass doors with her husband, Bryan. Their fingers are interlinked, and he leans down to whisper something in her ear while his other hand moves to her giant baby bump. Jane shushes but stares up at him like he holds the key to the universe, while he looks at her like she’s the center or his.
I can’t help feeling a little jealous. I wish someone would look at me that way, instead of frowning the way my last blind date did. Apparently, I didn’t dress like the slutty librarian stereotype he’d signed up for.
Amelia lets out a dreamy sigh. “If I wasn’t so happy for her, I’d definitely be more upset that she’s late.”
We watch Bryan pull Jane into his arms and plant a kiss on her lips, not seeming to care that this is a library and she works here.
“Should I say something?” Amelia asks, even though we both know that she won’t. She may be our boss, but she’s also our friend—and nine times out of ten, friend wins.
Jane leans up on tiptoe and whispers something in Bryan’s ear. He smacks her butt playfully, which makes me think of Cam’s butt, and I’m blushing again.
They hold hands as she waddles her way to the reference desk with a huge smile on her face.
I jump to my feet so she can claim the chair. “Oh, Jane, you’re glowing!”
“If by ‘glowing’ you mean I look like a piece of coal before it crumbles into dust, I can’t argue with that,” Jane complains, placing her hands on her belly as she slowly settles at the reference desk.
“She had a rough night,” Bryan says to no one and everyone. Then he takes Jane’s hand again. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? I can read a book, or work on Byron’s coding. You won’t even know I’m here.”
I look from the sweet romance love scene playing out to Cam. He winks and gives a slight head tilt. Just normal, friend short-hand for, “Let’s get out of here!”