25
Charlotte
“We have a problem with the protest,” Aidan remarks right after I open the Save The Library Committee meeting.
Our committee has grown again since the last meeting. Georgie of Little Bennett’s and Spike, who owns the record store, Drum Roll Please, are present. The leaders of the local Scout Troop emailed me this morning and promised to attend our next meeting.
“What kind of problem?” I ask. I pick up the thermos of cinnamon herbal tea that Aidan brought for me and take a sip. It seems like every time I see him he brings me some sort of tea.
If he keeps this up I’m going to start salivating when I see him.
He takes in a bit of air. “Our permit was denied.” He is met with a chorus of groans and dismay.
“The county is repaving the road in front of the county offices, and they aren’t letting anyone on the property that day.
They told me we could apply to protest about a month later, since there is going to be a summer festival there the following week, a leadership conference the week afterward, and a Fourth of July ceremony after that. ”
I press my lips together.
Johnny answers before I do. “So, we could protest after the budget is finalized and the county has closed our library?”
“That’s, unfortunately, is correct.”
Georgie leans back in his chair. “That kind of defeats the point of protesting, doesn’t it?”
Karen shakes her head in dismay. “But I want to have my Jane Fonda moment.”
Johnny reaches over and pats her back. “There, there. We’ll find another location to protest, and then you can set something on fire or punch a police horse and get yourself arrested. Or maybe we’ll just take a trip to DC and protest something there.”
I let out a sigh. “No one is going to DC, and we all agreed that no one was going to get arrested.” I open my mouth and tilt my head. “What is it with your obsession to get arrested, anyways?”
Karen shrugs. “I’m retired and have lots of free time. I was very law-abiding citizen as a young woman, and I feel like I missed out on a lot. What is it you young people say? YOLOFOMO? I don’t know what it means but I want to live it.”
Trying not to roll my eyes, I reply, “YOLO means ‘you only live once’ while FOMO means ‘fear of missing out.’ So, you are using it in the correct context.” I tap my pen against my notepad.
“I don’t think we can reschedule the protest. We’ve got too many people committed to coming.
We need an alternate location. One that will get us some visibility with at least the public and won’t require us to get a lot of permits.
” My gaze travels to each person. “Any ideas?”
Nicole shifts in her seat. “Well, we already ruled out the library last time. Somewhere else around town, perhaps?”
“That hill overlooking Wickersville Road and Main Street?” Johnny muses. “We’ll get traffic with the people who live here. And the tourists driving in.”
“That’s a state road, and we’d have to deal with the state in order to set up there,” Spike adds, running a hand through their spiky blue hair.
“What about the town square?” Nicole suggests, slapping her hands against her knees. “We can set up on the other side of the Farmers’ Market, and we’ll get lots of interest from those people, and maybe additional customers for the businesses. Win-win for everyone.”
“I love it!” After a second, I scrunch my nose. “But are we allowed to? Will Mayor Harrington let us do it?”
“She’s on board.” Johnny grins and holds up his phone. “I just texted her and she replied with three hearts.” He swings the phone back to face him and starts tapping away. “I’m asking her about permit stuff now.”
“Wonderful!” Relief sweeps over me. “Can I leave the location change stuff to you?” My gaze travels to the other committee members. “Now, we’re going to have to update everybody.”
Nicole speaks up first. “I can handle that. I’ve got a list of RSVPs. I can send out a blast to everyone.”
The rest of the committee starts making plans, and I can only sit there watching the plans unfold. Something in my chest shifts. I’m so used to having to do everything myself with the bookstore, it’s unnatural for me to sit back and let others take charge.
Aidan’s knee bumps again mine, and I turn to see him smiling at me.
It’s been several days since I saw Aidan at the coffee shop with his dad, as we left before he could introduce us.
We’ve been texting a lot, mostly just sending back photos of each other’s pets, and quotes from the books we’re reading.
He sent me a selfie because he wasn’t sure if his outfit for Monday was working.
I may or may not have been peeking at the poorly lit image of Aidan in his figure-hugging blue and white checkered shirt with rolled up sleeves and very flattering khaki pants whenever I got a free moment.
Tonight, he’s wearing jeans and a plain T-shirt. The dark teal of his shirt grips the contours of his hard, lean body. His arms are sinewy, but not too bulky, and my eyes keep resting on the veins popping out of his lower arms and hands.
I really want those hands on me, preferably while we’re passionately kissing.
We’ve yet to take that step. Aidan gave me a hug at the end of our date last Saturday, and while it was a perfectly nice hug, I was left wanting to feel those soft lips against my own.
I even called Nicole right after I got home and rehashed the date with her.
“Why didn’t you kiss him?” she scolded me.
I couldn’t give a good answer.
“Well, Committee Chair.” Johnny’s voice brings me to the present. “Is there anything else that we need to talk about?”
“What?” I gawk, peeling my eyes away from Aidan and his beautiful forearms. “Oh, right.” I hastily go over my list. “I don’t think so.
We’ve got our action items for the protest. We’re making progress on the petition.
I think next meeting we should review our speeches and practice them.
So, bring your rough drafts.” I bring my gaze up to meet the other committee members, and I’m met with a chorus of agreement.
Xander pulls Aidan to the side and says something to him in a low voice. He gestures wildly, and my interest is piqued. Their gazes drift over to me multiple times during the conversation, and color flushes Aidan’s face.
What are they talking about?
Nicole nudges me, and I jump. “What are you going to do now?” She asks.
I yawn. “I don’t know. Go home, stream Gilmore Girls, and fall asleep on the couch.”
She raises an eyebrow and nods toward her brother and Aidan. “Really?”
I frown and open my mouth to say something witty or smart, but Aidan is at my elbow.
“Can I walk you home?” he murmurs close to my ear.
I smile. “That would be great.”
Nicole casts me a knowing look, and I ignore her.
Warmth seeps into my skin as we step out into the night, the air is still humid even after the summer storm that rushed through during the meeting.
Puddles dot the pavement on the road below, casting a glowing reflection from the lights of Main Street.
It reminds me of the first time Aidan walked me home.
It’s only been a few weeks, and yet so much has happened since that first committee meeting.
“So, our date was fun,” I remark once the others are out of earshot.
“Yeah, um, I’m glad you liked it,” he replies, and I spy a hint of color on his cheeks in the dark light.
“Did you have a good time?”
He nods. “Yeah, yeah, um, yeah.” We take a couple of steps down the steep staircase leading to Main Street. He stops in his tracks. “Actually, um, no. I did, uh, that is I—”
I turn to face him, leaning against the metal railing behind me. “Did you not like it?” My smile levels out into a pout. “I was kind of hoping that we could maybe have a second date. At least a second official date? But if you don’t want to do that, that’s—”
“No, no, no. I mean. I do. I do want a second date.” Aidan closes his eyes and tips his head back. “I’m sorry. I’m shitty at this. At dating.”
My smile returns. “It’s ok.” I reach up and rest a hand on his bicep. His skin is warm under my fingers. “I think you’re doing fine.”
“Really?” He lowers his head to look at me. Air escapes his lungs in a wheeze. “Because I feel like I’m fucking up the entire time. I mean, you’ve now asked me out twice, and I’m just here acting like a blubbering idiot.”
I loop my hand through his arm, so it rests at the crook of his elbow.
“I’m definitely the blubbering idiot between the two of us.
” A chuckle bubbles out of me. “I haven’t dated in a while.
I mean, sure, I “dated” in high school and college, but then I started working, and I just didn’t know how to meet guys.
Dad died, and I struggled for a while. By the time I got back into dating, it’s just been on the apps, and that certainly hasn’t been great. ”
He eyes me quizzically. “You’re not a blubbering idiot. You’re—”
We resume our walk down the stairs. “Yes, I am. I insert myself into people’s lives and problems, the most recent example being you and your dad.
Again, sorry.” He nudges me. “I think I’m just stressed about this whole library thing.
I might have to rethink everything if it closes.
I’m scared.” I chew on my lower lip. “I’m thirty-two years old, and I might have to start over.
I have no idea what I’m doing, or what I’m going to do. ”
“No one has any idea what they’re doing,” Aidan remarks.
“When I first started out teaching, I said something similar and my mentor teacher overheard me. She stopped in the middle of pouring coffee and practically shouted in front of a dozen other teachers, ‘I’m fifty-six, and I also don’t know what I’m doing.
We’re all just making shit up as we go.’” We reach Main Street and Aidan starts eyeing the road.
I’m liking this whole walking home with him thing.
I don’t have to worry about accidentally walking into oncoming traffic.
A corner of my mouth tips up and warmth radiates throughout my body. “Thank you.” We cross the street and leisurely walk toward the glowing window of Sunflower Books. I gently nudge Aidan’s arm. “So, any ideas for our second date?”
He swallows. “Actually yes. Would you like to come over for dinner on Friday night? I’ll make you my famous ramen.”
“It’s a date.” We set up a time, but I’m at my door. Even if I don’t get a kiss out of this, I’ve got a second date.
“So,” Aidan murmurs, “until Friday.” He holds my elbows like he wants to hug me. Our bodies are mere inches from each other.
I breathe out. “Until Friday.” We stand there in silence for a few moments. The pads of his thumbs caress the inside of my arm. My gaze keeps peeking up to those soft, plump, perfectly kissable lips. I wonder if he will taste like that latte he was drinking earlier.
“Can I kiss you?” he asks. “You can say no if you want to. But I would really, really like to kiss you.”
“Yes.” I breathe out and I stand on my tiptoes while he ducks his head. Our lips meet and it’s better than I could’ve imagined.
It’s the kind of kiss that makes me want to pop a heel.
I taste coffee and something sweet on his lips.
I wrap my arms around his neck and lean into his chest. His hands leave my elbows and drift down to my waist, pulling me closer so that our bodies press with one another.
My fingers play with the strands of hair at the back of his neck.
I swear I can hear the hint of a moan rumbling through his ribcage.
I stagger out of the kiss. Scarlett heat flushes up to my ears and my chest heaves. I need to cool down. “Goodnight,” I squeeze out. There’s no air in my chest for me to say much more.
I dare to gaze up at him. Aidan’s glasses are askew and his hair is rumpled from my hands.
His eyes are on me, and his mouth is slightly parted with the corner upturned.
A dimple pops, and my body itches to reach out to him to repeat the kiss.
But I need to cool down. Every fiber of my being is on fire and I’m not sure I’m ready for that right now.
Aidan looks just as overwhelmed as me. His cheeks are flushed and he flashes a sheepish smile as he adjusts the crotch of his jeans. “Goodnight,” he whispers before turning and leaving me in the glow of the light.
I stand there and watch his silhouette recede. At the end of the street, Aidan pumps his fist and lets out a whoop.