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With a sigh, she attempted to shift the pizza boxes to one hand and dig through her tote with the other. The boxes wobbled, coming dangerously close to slipping as she struggled to free her wrist from the plastic handles digging into it.
She groaned and set the two-liter on the ground before she tried again. The dragon charm of her bracelet dug into her tote’s lining and became caught.
“You’re kidding,” she exclaimed in a huff.
She glanced up and down the alley in search of a spot to place the pizza boxes while she freed herself. With nothing in sight, she braced them against the wall, lifting her leg to steady them as she tried to reach for her opposite wrist.
After nearly toppling over twice, she bit her lower lip and heaved a sigh. She eyed the ground, wondering if she could place the boxes down there.
Before she attempted it, the back door popped open, and Otis peered out. “Paige?”
“Otis!” Paige said with a wide grin. “Hi.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“Coming back to keep working. I just ran out to feed my cat and grab some food.” She waved the boxes in the air, balancing them on her wrist. “But then I couldn’t get my keycard out, and then my bracelet got stuck. I’m a mess.”
Otis chuckled as he pulled the boxes from their precarious spot, balanced on her wrist. “Let me take this.”
“Thanks,” Paige said, blowing out a relieved breath.
She shook her wrist before she freed her charm from the lining of her tote bag.
Otis held the door open for her, and she darted inside after retrieving the two-liter of soda.
“Planning on doing a lot of work?” Otis inquired, lifting the boxes in the air as they traveled down the dimly lit hall.
“Yes,” Paige confirmed. “Possibly an all-nighter.”
“You’ll need the grub, then,” Otis said.
Paige smiled and nodded. “It’s pizza and breadsticks from Cheesy Does It if you’d like to grab a slice or two and a few sticks.”
“Nah, I brought a lunch. And besides, that little dragon can sure eat. You may not have enough food here.”
Paige stopped, her eyes widening as she stared at Otis.
He offered her a wide grin and a chuckle. “Yeah, I know all about Dewey. Almost have to, just in case there’s ever an incident. You know, I gotta make sure he’s safe.”
Paige bobbed her head up and down as she resumed walking next to him. “Well, at least you won’t think I’m eating an entire pizza and two orders of breadsticks myself.”
Otis led her through the library to the door leading to the back hall. Paige dug her keycard from her tote and flashed it in front of the reader before tugging the door open.
“Want me to grab those?” Paige asked.
“I’ll walk you to the door. Though I have to leave you there. I can’t go into the archives unless it’s an emergency.”
They made their way down the hall and stairs and then arrived at the thick door leading below. Paige stuck her key into the keyhole and turned it before waving her card in front of the reader and tugging on the large door. It swung open, and she wedged herself inside, turning to relieve Otis of the food.
“Thanks for the help.”
“Any time, Paige. And if you’re ever heading out for food again, just let me know, and I’ll keep an eye out for you and let you in.”
“Oh, thanks, Otis. I really appreciate that. I’m such a klutz. I can use all the help I can get.”
Otis chuckled as he offloaded the pizza boxes. “I doubt that.”
“Don’t. When I ordered these pizzas, I dropped my pen, bumped into a fellow patron, and then kicked the pen across the room. A waitress stepped on it and fell, sending her tray full of dirty plates across the room and shattering a few.”
