AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Apparently, the band is taking a break, and so are we.
She blinks and smiles around the room, but when she looks up at me again, there’s that desire again. I don’t know if it’s real or if she’s the world’s best actress. Only one way to find out.
Chapter 31
JUNE
Why am I so warm right now? I can’t catch my breath when I look at Anderson. It’s so strange. He smiles down at me, and my first instinct is to smile back. Not to brace for an insult, like I always used to.
Things aren’t … things are not the same as before, and I don’t know what to think about that. But it feels good to smile at him.
He leans close to whisper. “We have some time before supper. I’d like to show you something.”
“Okay.”
He takes my hand, and it just feels right. Like our hands fit together as though we’ve held hands our whole lives. It’s not awkward or uncomfortable. It’s perfect, and it makes me want to follow him wherever he wants to take me.
Why am I having thoughts like this about Anderson West?
It’s a startling change, and I’m not sure what’s going on exactly. But I have to keep my wits about me. This is all just to get his account unfrozen. Right?
He leads me down some halls I missed on the tour, and before I know it, he stops in front of a large, dark wooden door. It stands out compared to the rest of the place, much like the door to the den his father had taken me to. Anderson pauses before opening it. “I’ve never brought a girl here before.”
I laugh, trying to make light of everything, because he sounded way too serious when he said that and I’m nervous. “Is this your childhood bedroom?”
He laughs, too, shaking his head. Why does he look so devilishly handsome when he does that? “No. Not hardly. It’s just that, I want to take you here, but I’m concerned you’ll think I’m being droll or funny. But this is my favorite place in the apartment, and I want to share it with you.”
His words make my heart clench. “Oh. I’m flattered.”
He opens the door. “Come with me.”
I step inside, and I’m in shock. Books. Books as far as the eye can see. Dark wood all around, and a fireplace burns in the far corner. In front of it, two cozy leather chaises and a small table between them. Behind the chaises, a longer table for setting the next selections onto, I imagine. But there are shelves and shelves of books in all other directions, both lining the walls and free-standing.
Anderson places his hand on the small of my back to guide me in, and my body goes molten from his heat, while my brain tries to take in the sheer amount of books around me. I’m at a loss for words while surrounded by them. “What is this place?”
“A library,” he says cheekily.
I snort a laugh and swat his shoulder. “I know that, smart ass. Oh my god, you even have one of those slide ladder things to get to the top shelves. Tell me all about this place.”
“This apartment used to belong to my grandparents. Actually, they used to own the entire building. That’s why, if you look down that way, you’ll see the library?—"
“It runs the length of the apartment, doesn’t it?” I’m in awe. There must be forty rows of free-standing bookshelves in that direction. Maybe more.
He nods. “Yes, it does. Grandfather wanted every book in publication, so for a time, he bought them all. He believed knowledge was the most important thing, which makes much of his collection nonfiction. But Grandmother believed that knowledge without heart was dangerous, so she ensured that there was plenty of fiction, as well.”
“She sounds wise.”
“Truly, she was.” He drifts from me to look at the books. But he doesn’t look at them the way he looks at his car. This isn’t just another possession to him. It means something to him. “When I was a kid, I used to come here, and I’d pretend my grandparents were here with me. I missed them. Grandmother, in particular. She was so smart and so kind …” His voice trails off.
I rush to his side and rub his back. “I’m glad you had that in your life, Anderson.”
He sighs. “Me too. After she passed, things weren’t as … warm … here. Mom tried—she still tries, as I’m sure you noticed. But it’s not the same. It’ll never be the same.” A little shrug. “I guess that’s how things go.”
“But there could be warmth here again. You have to fight for it.”
He gives me a small smile. “I’ve had to fight for it my whole life.”
“What do you mean?”
