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Miranda looked at me curiously. “I can take them if you don’t want them. God knows the guy I’m seeing never buys me anything like this.”
I crumpled the card and stuffed it into my pocket. “All yours.”
“Do I want to know?”
“Let's just leave it a mystery for now. Hopefully it's the last bouquet.”
Miranda gathered up the flowers and gave me a quick rundown of her evening. Most of the tables were occupied by university students studying for midterms.
I felt better immediately as I watched the blooms leave with Miranda. I fished the card back out of my pocket. Alphonse's phone number was on the card below his sign off.
I didn’t want to contact him. Then he would have my number, and he didn’t have a good history with that. We also definitelyweren’tmeant to be. Maybe if this was a year ago I might’ve entertained the idea, when loneliness and depression had been hitting soul-crushing levels, but dating the pack was like a revelation, and I knew with absolute certainty that someone like Alphonse would never make me happy. I was honestly still a little baffled that he thought thatIcould makehimhappy. But then I had never properly understood him. I’d given him three years, and the thought of going back made me queasy.
I pushed it all aside and got down to work.
A little after midnight, Billie and Tony arrived at the library.
I hated that we had cameras watching us because they both looked too beautiful and I could’ve done with a hug.
Tony leaned on the front desk and gave me an easy smile. “Hey there, baby girl. How was your night with your folks?”
“Partly chaos,” I answered. “Mostly good, though, I think. I ended up with both GabeandJasper after a mixup. I’m pretty sure my parents' brains are going to melt once they find out about the rest of you.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that.” Tony laughed and Billie squished up next to him.
“I think Roscoe misses your little prince,” said Billie. “Poor baby sang us the song of his people all over the house trying to find him.”
I pressed a hand to my chest. “Way to double the guilt. I was already feeling bad that Spud's home alone. I didn’t mean to separate the soulmates.”
“Roscoe is getting babied by Hana,” said Tony. “He’ll survive.”
“There's a lot of people here tonight,” commented Billie.
“Yeah, we’re coming into exam season.”
“I was hoping I could get your help with something tonight, Nicky,” Tony said. “I need some of the town's previous bylaws and propositions. Would you know how to access that?”
“Yeah, of course. I can dig up some stuff from the archives. How far back are you looking?”
“About twenty years.”
I blinked. “And you need the bylaws specifically from twenty years ago or everything from twenty years ago to now?”
“Then to now, if you can manage it.”
I quirked my head. That wasa lotof paperwork to sort through. “Reading for business or pleasure?”
“Unfortunately neither. Once I have a little more information, I can fill you in on things.” He laid that easy smile on me again. “Not being allowed to touch you just makes me want to do it more.”
Heat burst in my cheeks.
“I’d be a rule breaker,” said Billie, “but I don’t wanna get you in trouble. So just know that I’m undressing you with my eyes.”
I couldn’t help but giggle as the beta's gaze swept my body and settled very pointedly on my chest with a waggle of their eyebrows.
“You two are terrible. Go get your spots and I’ll see about getting access to the archives for you, Tony.”
I focused on my new task. The library staff had access to all of the documents that have been digitized through the city's history. I just had to find what he was specifically looking for. None of it was particularly well organized, so it might be a multi-night process if I didn’t want to get too behind on my other work. The hours passed slowly, and around five Tony and Billie appeared back at the front desk to say goodbye.
