I hated it when I lost control, because I hardly ever did. My whole life was built on discipline and schedules and never making mistakes. I dreaded what would happen if I let down my guard, even for a day.
Yet just one day with Slade had completely upset my equilibrium. What kind of shape would I be in by the time Friday rolled around?
I closed my eyes and reached for the lavender oil, unscrewed the cap, and inhaled deeply. Maybe I could get this stuff in pill form. Or just drink it straight out of the bottle.
Chapter Nine
Slade
Wednesday, June 5
Trina texted me at six a.m. Meet us at the library at 9:00.
What military base did she live on? I paged through my texts, and saw that she’d texted me last night, too. I’d been with Beth, the blonde from the pool, so I’d ignored my phone.
Library? She’d better have something really awesome planned or else the kids would freak. And I’d totally support them if they did.
I rolled over in bed, determined to sleep until my alarm woke me at eight.
Another text woke me at six fifteen, like a frigging snooze button.
Slade? R u there? LMK you got this.
Got it. C u at 9. I hit send and powered off my phone.
Three hours later, Max and I pulled into an almost empty library parking lot.
“Do you like the library, Slade?” Max asked me as we crossed the lot.
“Uh, sure buddy. I mean, I used to. I haven’t been here since I was a little kid.” I wondered if the kids’ section still had the puppet theater. That had been my favorite part.
The automatic doors swooshed open and we saw Trina and Gilly waiting in front of the check out desk.
“Max! Slade!” Gilly shrieked when she saw us, and the librarian behind the desk glanced up, smiling. Maybe librarians had lightened up since I was a kid. I remembered getting shushed a lot.
Unlike Gilly, Trina didn’t scream with excitement at the sight of me. She stood with her arms crossed, glowering. Usually I liked it when girls crossed their arms like that, because it pushed up other body parts.
Wait, what the hell was I thinking? Trina wasn’t a girl. She was more like a robot disguised as a girl.
“You’re late,” she announced.
I looked around at the empty library. “Yeah, it was crazy. We had to drive in circles waiting for a parking spot. Almost as bad as a concert at Red Rocks.”
Trina’s glare intensified, and her chest shifted higher. Why was I noticing this?
Gilly and Max ignored us and took off running for the kids’ section. This time the librarian did glare. “No running in the library,” she hissed, but the kids didn’t slow down.
“God, Slade.” Trina dropped her arms in frustration and stalked after the kids.
The librarian smirked at me as I followed Trina. They were probably best friends, bonding over boring encyclopedias or sappy romance novels. Ugh.
Max parked himself in front of the science picture books while Gilly headed for the small theater with the cutout window.
“Awesome. It’s still here.” I plopped down in front of the theater. “Show me what ya got, Gilly.”
She grinned, then ducked so I couldn’t see her behind the cardboard façade.
Trina and Max whispered behind me, having an intense discussion about how many books he could check out at one time.
A few other kids wandered in, drawn like magnets to the theater. Apparently the library was the place to be on a Wednesday morning. I noticed the moms looked tired. No wonder Mrs. G. had been so happy to see me that morning.
A little girl wearing a tiara and a Snow White costume peeked behind the puppet stage. “What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Getting ready for a show,” Gilly whispered back loudly. “You should watch. It’s gonna be great.”
I liked a girl with confidence.
Gilly popped up, peeking out of the stage window. “Attention, ladies and gentlemen! It’s time for the show!”
Suddenly I was surrounded by little kids. A few of them leaned against me like I was a giant pillow. Max settled himself on my lap. The moms watched from the overstuffed couch underneath a window.
Trina stood off to the side, biting her lip and looking anxious. Man, that girl was wound tight. What could she possibly be worried about here?
Gilly disappeared from view and two Muppets appeared in the window: a faded, bedraggled Elmo, and a Miss Piggy whose long blonde hair had been chopped off, making her look punk.
“What are we doing today?” asked Miss Piggy.
“I don’t know,” squeaked Elmo. “What do you want to do?”
“Don’t ask me!” Miss Piggy said. “I’m crabby Trina. You’re the playboy with the fun ideas!”
All the kids giggled, and the moms on the couch tittered.
Holy. Crap. I glanced at Trina. Her dark eyes stood out against her pale skin, making her look like a statue. A very fragile statue ready to crack.
I needed to stop Gilly before things got worse.
Punk Piggy bounced in the theater window. “You’re so handsome, Slade. Maybe we should go on a date.”
Oh no.
Max groaned on my lap. The little girls sitting by me giggled and leaned forward in anticipation.
“I don’t date mean girls,” said Elmo. “You have to be nice if you want a kiss from a playboy.”
One of the moms snorted with laughter.
“Hey, Gilly,” I interrupted, afraid to look at Trina, “Let’s take a br—”
“Shh!” Every little kid in the room turned to me, fingers on their lips. Those librarians had trained them well.
“I am nice!” yelled Miss Piggy. “I’m just having MPS.” Then Miss Piggy launched herself at Elmo, making loud kissing noises, while the moms on the couch fell out laughing.
Max looked up at me, frowning. “What’s MPS?”
Trying to hold in laughter, I darted a glance at Trina just in time to see her turn away from me, her pale face now flushed. She hurried toward the cardboard stage and knelt down, reaching for Gilly.
“No!” Miss Piggy yelled. “We’re not done!”
“Commercial! Commercial!” hollered Elmo, whacking Trina on the head.
All the kids burst into applause, and so did the moms.
I shoved Max off my lap and hurried to the stage. Gilly looked ready to blow a gasket, as did Trina.
“I’m not done!” Gilly yell-whispered at Trina. “I have lots more words.”
Trina glanced up at me. When I saw the embarrassment in her eyes and the blush still coloring her cheeks, I was surprised by the twinge of sympathy I felt.
She turned away from me. “Please, Gillian. No more.”
Gilly danced with excitement. “Was I good, Slade?”
Great. No matter what I said, I’d piss off one of them. I glanced at Trina, whose eyes were still lowered. Whoa. She had really long eyelashes. I hadn’t noticed that before. I blinked and refocused on Gilly.
“You’re so…creative, Gilly. And you did great with the voices. But, um, maybe the others kids should have a turn.” I knelt and pried Miss Piggy out of her grip, then handed the puppet to the girl in the Snow White dress.
“Miss Piggy doesn’t love Elmo,” Max announced, appearing next to us. “She loves Kermit.”
“But Kermit’s green,” Gilly argued. “Elmo’s cuter. Miss Piggy should love him.”
Trina sighed next to me. Our eyes met, then she glanced away, her cheeks still flushed. “Story time starts at ten,” she said. “Let’s put the puppets away and pick out some books while we’re waiting.”
Gilly stomped her foot. “I hate story time. They always read boring stories.”
Max stomped his foot in solidarity. “Yeah. They never read about science. It’s always stories about lost puppies or runaway bunnies.”
I bit back a laugh. “You know, my favorite book was about a bunny that got lost.”
The kids looked at me, eyes big and curious.