10. Jane
Two Years Later
“And that concludes today’s episode of Book Talk with Byron. Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow as we chat about Juniper, a hilarious romance by Eva Delaney that features some unusual shifters, including none other than the Bard himself.”
“Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe,” my husband adds from his spot on the couch next to me.
Yes, I married Bryan. How could I not when he’s handsome, well-read, and just a little nerdy? I mean, who else proposes by hiding an engagement ring in a hollowed out copy of The Two Towers and says, “Marry me, my precious.”
“I love you so much,” I tell him as he pulls me into his side. My heart races at his proximity, and I tremble at his touch.
“I love you, too, my precious.” He tilts my chin up to kiss him. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“And you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.” But my belly flutters, like pages blowing in a windstorm. I pull away.
“What’s wrong?”
“I guess I’m just nervous about the Library Book Bash,” I lie. Because that is not even remotely close to what has my nerves on high alert.
Bryan gives me a questioning look, so I dig deeper into my temporary omission of the truth. “I’ve just never given a speech to this many people before.”
“What about your videos? Millions of people watch those! And your library conference lecture? There were hundreds of people there.”
“Yeah, but that’s different. I can re-record videos if I screw up, and the conference was all librarians. There was no reason to be nervous around other librarians.”
Bryan stares at me like I’ve grown a second head.
“They’re librarians, Bryan,” I repeat.
He chuckles, pulling me onto his lap. “Whatever you say, gorgeous.”
“Careful,” I cry as my fuzzy slippers crash onto the floor.
“Don’t worry, they’re fine. They’re just shoes.”
“Says the guy who folds his dress shirts before having sex.”
“Point taken. And speaking of suits, I only need a few minutes to get ready, and we don’t have to be at the gala for another hour, so how about we relocate to the bedroom? I’ve got a steamy little surprise hidden in a book with a very famous prologue.”
“God, I love your sexy literary puzzles.” I almost jump his bones on the spot, but the secret I’m keeping from him dries up any desire I’m feeling and replaces it with nerves. So I lie. “I promised Amelia I’d be there early to help set up. You know, because I’m the one giving the opening speech.”
Bryan stares at me for a second, almost like he can tell I’m hiding something, and then nods. “All right.”
My hair and makeup are already done for the video, so all I have to do is slip into my little black dress and matching cardigan.
Bryan steps up behind me to nuzzle my neck. “You look so beautiful, Jane.”
“So do you.”
He’s wearing a black suit—much like the one he wore the first time we met—and I can’t help thinking how lucky I am that this man is mine.
He leads me to our self-driving car and gets behind the wheel. He may like driving, but he loves coding—and testing his code—even more. The car does all the work, but I make sure he keeps his hands on the wheel. Not that I don’t trust my man’s programming skills, but even he doesn’t know all the quirks of every situation. Like the fact that Byron 1.0’s programming didn’t account for Icelandic authors having their first and family names inverted in catalog records, so Byron was shelving them all by the wrong name. A minor oversight in a library; not so minor when you’re in a vehicle that’s traveling in the wrong direction.
We arrive at the library and Bryan lets me out so he can park the car—or in this case, sit back and relax while the car parks itself—and I head straight to the nonfiction section.
One perk of having worked at the library for so many years is my ability to memorize—and locate—Dewey Decimal numbers, so I quickly find 618.24 MUR. I head to the picture book section next, and grab the green and red book at PIC brO. Then I speed walk to the romance section, where Byron 1.0 hangs out at night. Not because he has good taste—though he does—but because his programming has him shelve romance last.
“It’s been a while, big guy,” I tell the robot. “How’s it shelving?”
Byron, of course, doesn’t reply because, unlike Jane 1.0—the companion robot Bryan’s working on—he’s the strong, silent type.
“I have two books for you to put away, but I’m going to hold on to them until Bryan gets here, okay?” I pretend Byron nods and smiles as I continue my one-sided conversation, just like in the old days.
“I’ve really missed this place. It’s nice to be back… but also bitter sweet. Filming at home in our home library is great, but there’s just something about this place. Seeing books with worn spines because they’ve been loved and read so many times. Helping people find what they’re looking for. Sharing the love of reading with the community and?—”
“Jane, is that you?” Amelia pops her head around the corner. “I thought I heard your voice. You’re here early, which is good because I have news. I just got off the phone with the president of the Library Board.”
“Not two sentences I’d expect to hear together!” I joke as her words bring me back to that fateful day when I got laid off, met Bryan, and my world completely changed. “Two years ago, I would never have said this, but being replaced by a robot was the best bad thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Amelia’s face falls, like Humpty Dumpty. “You don’t miss working here?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. You know I loved working here. You’re an amazing boss.”
“You just don’t want to come back.”
“What? No, I didn’t say that. It’s just not an option.”
“It is now. Thanks to all the publicity your videos bring, we’re so busy, Tabitha and I can’t handle the volume of work on our own. We’ve both had to work overtime, and quite frankly, we’re exhausted. And since the pilot project for automating libraries was a bust, just like I predicted, we need actual staff to keep up. So the Board has agreed to fund a new, permanent, full-time librarian position. Of course, I want it to be you. You’re the perfect person for the job, and you deserve…”
Amelia keeps talking, but I don’t hear her. All I can think is that there is nowhere I’d rather be. Except…
“Jane.” Amelia snaps her fingers in front of my face.
“Sorry. I want to say yes, but…” I trail off when I spot Bryan heading toward us. I quickly hide the two books I’m holding behind my back.
“What—” Amelia starts to ask, but I shake my head, willing her not to say anything.
Thankfully, Bryan doesn’t notice our exchange. He gives me a smile that sets my heart on fire and wraps an arm around my shoulder. Then he turns to my former boss. “Nice to see you, Amelia. Where do you want us?” At her blank look, he adds, “Jane said you needed help setting up?”
“Oh, um…” Amelia smiles a bit too emphatically and shoots me a wide-eyed ‘help me’ look. She is a terrible liar.
“Actually.” I take Bryan’s hands and gaze deeply into his eyes. “I just said that to get you here early to see Byron.”
Bryan frowns and whispers in my ear. “You gave up sex so we could look at an old robot?”
I whisper back, “There’s just something special about a woman’s first robot, you know?”
My husband rolls his eyes, but his smile betrays his true feelings.
“I’d like to shoot a new video with him. And I need you here to help.”
Bryan still looks a bit confused, but he nods. I take a step backwards, away from him, and drop the two books I’m holding in Byron’s book return slot. The robot whirls to life and heads down the aisle.
I take out my phone and record Bryan, who follows Byron. “What are you recording? Wait, why am I in the shot?” he asks, turning back to glance at the phone camera.
I shoot him a mysterious smile. “You’ll see.”
When we reach the picture book section, Byron takes the green and red book from the cart and puts it away. I zoom in on the title—Goodnight Moon.
I wait to see if Bryan will say anything. He still looks confused.
The robot straightens the shelf and heads to his next destination. Bryan follows while I record.
Amelia trails after me. “Are you…?” she hisses, but I shoot her a look over my shoulder and she shuts up.
When we reach the 618s, the next book comes up the conveyor belt and into Byron’s metallic hand. This time, I zoom in on the title and then pan to Bryan’s shocked face.
“What to Expect When You”re Expecting? Jane, are you? Are we?”
I nod and blindly hand my phone to Amelia so she can keep filming.
Bryan gapes at me. “When did you?—?”
“This morning, when I went shopping, I was actually at the doctor’s. She confirmed it. And I thought tonight?—”
Before I can finish the sentence, Bryan scoops me up and spins me around. He sets me down and stares at me in awe. “I’m going to be a dad?”
I nod.
He whoops and pulls me into his arms. Since we’re at the library, I half-expect someone—possibly Amelia—to shush us. She doesn’t.
The moment Bryan covers my lips with his, I forget all about my former—and possibly future—boss.
She clears her throat. “Should I stop filming now?”
I nod and pull away from Bryan so I can take back my phone.
“So this is why you didn’t jump at my job offer,” Amelia says.
Bryan turns to Amelia. “What job offer?”
“Full-time librarian.” She grins. “It’s been crazy busy here thanks to the Book Talk with Byron videos. Circulation rates are through the roof. It seems like everyone in town is reading now. People from out-of-town bring their kids in to see Byron. The library gift shop sales are covering all our operating costs. Donations are through the roof, too.” Amelia wrings her hands. “And Jane, your ‘Going Social’ talk at the National Library Learning Experience conference last month put Maple Valley Library on the map. No, it made us due north on the map. Everyone wants our strategic plan.”
I blush as she finishes listing my many accomplishments. I glance at Bryan, who is glowing with pride.
“Please tell me you’ll take the job? You’ll have unlimited access to children’s books when the baby’s here.”
“Doesn’t a library card—” Bryan starts to ask, but Amelia shushes him.
I grin. “You don’t need to convince me, Amelia. This is my dream job.”
Bryan nods in agreement. “She mentions wanting to be a librarian at least once a day.”
I roll my eyes at him. “I do not.”
He raises an eyebrow.
I flush. “Okay, fine. I do.”
Amelia squeals. “Then you’re hired.”
I squeal too, and Bryan pulls me into his arms. “Congratulations, my precious!”
“Does that mean you’ll start Monday?” Amelia asks hopefully.
“Can you give me a week? Bryan and I…” I trail off, because Amelia may be one of my best friends, but I don’t plan on telling her all the naughty things I plan to do with my man to celebrate the new addition to our family—at least a few of which are shelved at the end of the row in 613.9.
Sex. I plan to have a lot of sex. With the man of my dreams.