Page 82 of Checking Out the Librarian

“I’m fine.” The dinosaur display was coming together quickly.

Jonathan had advocated for a superhero display, Lily for invisible book day with empty display stands, and their boss had settled the dispute by choosing dinosaurs, so here they were, putting signs that said Tyrannosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Ankylosaurus in front of appropriately silly books. Jonathan had a secret sign that said Thesaurus and he was going to guerilla art the hell out of the display the moment Lily and Boss Becca turned their backs.

“Ah, I see. You were expecting a delivery.”

“What? No!” She couldn’t possibly know that it was almost his birthday, and he certainly didn’t expect a gift. He knew what her budget looked like because it was the same as his; luckily the thrift stores in Eugene and Portland were adequate for their shopping needs.

By now, Lily was grinning at something over his shoulder.

Jonathan turned.

Lily had been grinning at someone, and his name was Connor.

He wore a backwards baseball cap, a gray T-shirt from the band Glitterfox that would be acceptable if he hadn’t ripped out the arms, and black shorts. He carried a cardboard tray filled with paper coffee cups in one hand, and a plastic container of something that looked suspiciously like cookies tucked against his body.

“Thought you might be, I don’t know, grumpy? Maybe you’d like something from the Connor delivery service?”

Jonathan stared at the four drinks.

“This one is an Americano with a dash of cream,” Connor tapped the lid closest to Jonathan. “And this one is a nonfat latte. These are a few chocolate chip cookies I baked for the break room.” He put the container on the counter. “Nothing significant. Not a special day. Yet.”

Menacing? For a birthday?

“Stop,” Jonathan whispered. “She’ll know something is going on. She’ll ask me.”

“I should take them back?”

“Not if you wish to live.” He’d already pulled the plastic container closer. It was a tiny bit warm, as if Connor hadn’t even let the cookies fully cool before packaging them. He would not moan here, at least not at the desk, but Connor always sprinkled flaky French sea salt on top of his hand-chopped chocolate chunk cookies, and Jonathan was definitely low on his flaky sea salt quota today.

If he was going to have a cookie, he might as well have a vat of milk, that’s what the picture books told him, so he wiggled one of the latte cups from the tray. He sensed his traitorous co-worker approaching even before Connor grinned and said, “How do you do, fellow librarian?”

Jonathan covered his face with his empty hand. “Connor, this is Lily, my evil conscience and support group hater. Lily, this is Connor, my walking, talking, middle-aged meme user.”

“We’ve met. You introduced us at Pride,” Lily said.

He’d forgotten. “I know, but I wanted to insult you both and it was the most efficient way.”

“Lily, would you like a latte? I wouldn’t take the Americano, in case Jonathan needs another dose. But these two are unclaimed.”

Before Lily could fawn on Connor enough to justify her free coffee, Boss Becca also arrived. Jonathan had to make more introductions, although this round involved fewer editorial comments.

“I remember you. A Lee Child and the Cat Sebastian New York City romance, which you came to the Children’s Services desk to borrow.” Boss Becca looked between them. “You fixed things?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Connor nudged the drink tray’s last remaining latte in her direction. “It’s a two-percent split shot. I was trying for the middle ground. Didn’t know what you might like.”

Jonathan watched her mouth soften and then she reached for the tray and his cookie container. “Shall I take those to the breakroom.”

Per her usual style, it wasn’t a question. Get back to work sooner rather than later was implied by the firm emphasis on the I and the look she gave Lily, who promptly headed for the supply closet to look for copier paper.

Neither of them spoke until Becca and Lily were out of listening range.

“Circling back to the topic we discussed this morning. Have you told Lily about tomorrow?”

Jonathan slumped. “I have not.”

“Do it.”

“I will not.”