Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
brIANNA
It took a few weeks, but Brianna had settled into a routine at Beaver Creek Library.
The staff seemed to trust her, and she was looking forward to a few days off around the holidays.
Unlike her friends who worked corporate jobs, she didn’t get the full two to three weeks of vacation they did, but the days off for mandatory government holidays would be nice next week.
She was on her bus ride home, mentally trying to sort her Tbr pile for the upcoming days off, when she received a text from Audrey.
Audrey
You were so right
That book was really good
Well, you just made my night
What a perfect compliment, thank you
There was a special joy a librarian experienced when someone enjoyed a book they recommended, but when it was someone as charming as Audrey, it was hard for Brianna not to feel even more pleased with herself.
You’ll have to recommend me some more books
I’m about to be off for the next few weeks
Jealous! The library is still open, so I’ll be working. Some of the other staff have their vacations, so we’ll be short-staffed when I am in
Oh no
Hopefully, it’s not too bad
As they continued their conversation over the next couple minutes, it took no time at all for Brianna to find herself at her bus stop.
Due to the cold, she couldn’t continue texting while walking to her apartment building, and she found herself curious about what Audrey had said in the few minutes they weren’t talking.
When she finally entered her apartment, she took out her phone first in a complete disregard for the fact that she was sweating more than any one person should, as a result of her heater working overtime.
So, what are you doing on boxing day?
Probably just reading, trying to avoid the malls
Boxing Day, while a great holiday for getting electronics and other large purchases for cheap, was an introvert’s nightmare. The last thing Brianna wanted to do was leave her house.
Do you maybe want to grab some coffee and talk about books some more?
Absolutely
Though she had agreed to the plans right away, Brianna was getting more and more skeptical of her decision as she walked over to Dam Good Coffee to meet Audrey.
She had taken the bus earlier than needed, both from nerves and from the odd holiday bus schedule, and now that this meeting was approaching, she was finding herself more and more anxious.
It was just coffee, and Brianna could really use a new friend in town, especially one who seemed to like books as much as she did. Someone who was easy to talk to. Someone who didn’t judge her or find her off-putting, at least as far as she knew.
It had just been so long since she had tried to befriend new people. That was all it was, she told herself. She had no reason to believe it was otherwise, as much as that part of her that got nervous around attractive women wished it was not just.
But she shouldn’t think of Audrey that way. She didn’t dare let herself.
When she entered the coffee shop, the blast of hot air fogged up her glasses, and she had to take them off, tentatively joining the ordering line.
The tables all looked occupied, but she couldn’t see well enough to determine who was actually sitting at them.
Thankfully, her glasses cleared up by the time she got to the register, and she was able to order a hot chocolate.
Waiting for her beverage, Brianna glanced around the room once more.
It was the picture of coziness. Couples seemed to be chatting, friends and family were catching up, and of course, there were a few people on their laptops, typing away.
It seemed that even in a small town such as this one, there would always be at least one person on their laptop at all times at such an establishment.
“White hot chocolate for Brianna,” the barista called, and Brianna moved closer to grab her drink.
She did so and thanked the barista before heading back into the fray of customers.
She was careful as she moved, as the café provided her with a beautiful mug when she said she’d be dining in and she did not want to spill it.
As she turned the corner to the backside of the coffee shop hidden from view earlier, she caught sight of Audrey.
She was reading a new release, one Brianna hadn’t read yet, and smiling at whatever was on the page. Audrey had a cream-coloured sweater on that highlighted her blond hair, and when she looked up and the smile shifted to being aimed at Brianna, Brianna felt her heart stutter.
“Hi,” Brianna said, moving to the table. She set her hot chocolate down and did the painstaking work of removing her wintery outer layers before sitting down across from Audrey. She was glad she wore a turtleneck, as she already felt the back of her neck heat up with nervousness.
“What did you get?” Audrey asked, looking at Brianna’s drink.
“A white hot chocolate.”
Audrey raised a brow. “Is that a hot chocolate made out of white chocolate?”
“Yes, and it’s delicious.”
Brianna would’ve taken a sip to emphasize it, but she knew she would definitely burn her mouth, so she settled for blowing on it instead.
“I’ll try that next time. I just got a regular latte,” Audrey said, putting down her book. She closed it without a bookmark, and Brianna had to resist the urge to call her out on it.
“Don’t worry. I remember what page I’m on,” Audrey said, seeing Brianna’s expression.
Brianna laughed. “Sorry, I always forget I have a horrible poker face.”
“You really do,” Audrey joined in the laughter. “But it’s nice. I like seeing what you’re thinking.”
Brianna really hoped the face she was making now didn’t betray any of her nervousness. She took a sip of her drink instead and then turned back to Audrey, hoping she was able to school her features enough to seem normal.
“Hold on, you have something right there,” Audrey said, and suddenly, her thumb was on Brianna’s lower lip, wiping it clean.
Oh God. There was no way she could be normal now.
“T-thank you,” she said when Audrey leaned back. Audrey was watching her now, another smile on her face. Less warm, more teasing this time.
“You are so adorable,” Audrey said.
Brianna had no logical reaction to that. She didn’t want to say thank you, again, so she sipped more of her hot chocolate while she thought of an appropriate reaction.
“You really seem to take compliments well,” Audrey teased again. She had not stopped looking at Brianna, and the librarian had no clue what to do with her stare.
“I don’t really seem to know how to talk to women,” Brianna admitted instead. At least that was honest.
“I find that hard to believe,” Audrey said. “You seem to be able to talk to anyone at the library.”
“I meant, like, y’know,” Brianna stuttered.
“I really do not.”
“Pretty women. The interesting ones.”
Audrey smiled wide at the words and leaned closer. Brianna was finding it hard to remember how to breathe. Were Audrey’s eyes always that nice, amber colour?
“I find you pretty too. For the record,” Audrey said before leaning back. She took a sip of her drink while she seemed to wait for Brianna to digest the information.
Brianna blushed and tried to think really hard of a smooth line back. When she could not, she gestured towards the book Audrey had been reading.
“So, what do you think of this so far?”
Mercifully, Audrey accepted the subject change, and they veered to the very familiar topic of books.
Brianna found herself getting more comfortable as they continued to talk, and by the time they finished their drinks, the two women had discussed everything from the latest movies in theatres to their favourite musicals, and even a bit about their shitty first jobs.
Eventually, the rest of the crowd in the coffee shop began to disperse, and with the sun beginning to set so very early, Brianna knew she must eventually wrap up this little date.
She didn’t want to let herself think of it as one, but, based on their earlier conversation, she was really hoping she had not misread the situation.
There was a natural lull in their conversation, and when Brianna met Audrey’s eyes again, the other woman smiled.
“What are you doing for dinner tonight?” Audrey asked.
“Leftovers. What about you?”
“Probably the same. Unless you want to go continue our conversation? Maybe at Emmalie’s?”
It was a fancy restaurant, one Brianna had not been to yet.
Brianna was not a spontaneous person, and she really did have a fridge full of leftovers, as she and her grandfather had what they called an extravaganza last night, ordering too much food so they could eat a little bit of everything.
It was their reward after finishing building a bookshelf, though they had stopped short of unpacking the book boxes still threatening to take over Brianna’s entire apartment.
Despite knowing she had a whole book collection to organize, there was something about Audrey that made Brianna want to shake off her routine and do something she didn’t quite usually do.
“Sure. That would be lovely,” she said.