The prompt this week was Library.
I’m heading back to Lake Point again this week. This time I’m giving you a sample of Eve’s New Year.
As always this is un-edited mostly, so forgive any errors. :
“What were you thinking?” Eve’s bright smile faded. She opened the next box, and then another. The boxes laid out throughout her office were each filled with books. “There’s enough here to fill a library.”
“A private one, maybe.” Jake tried not to let his disappointment show. He thought she’d be excited by his purchase.
“No one in this town has a need to stock an entire library. Who’s going to catalog these anyway? I told you, Jake. My last day is in one week. I have enough to do without adding in cataloging a library full of books.”
“You don’t understand.” He took the box lid she held in her hands and slid it back in place on the box. “These aren’t for the shop.”
“Then what are they doing in my office?”
“I got them for you.”
Her bright blue eyes got wide and the flush of anger faded away. “What?”
“You always gush over the book listings.” He heaved the box off her desk and set it on top of a nearby stack. This was not going the way he’d planned at all. “I know you like old books, I’ve heard you talk about how you dreamed of having a library full.”
“You heard me?”
“Of course I heard you. You’re my best friend.”
“Right.” Her voice cracked again. It had been doing that a lot lately. “Best friend.”
“I hate that you’re leaving. I just wanted to do something for you.”
“God you’re such an ass.”
“What?” He spun around, but she wasn’t facing him. “I was trying to be nice.”
“Well I don’t need you to try so hard anymore.” She kept her back to him. “I don’t need to be your charity case in the name of friendship any longer.”
“Charity case?” Jake couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What the hell?”
“My gallant defender, forcing his good buddies not to pick on the fat girl, the four eyes, the nerd that just happened to live next door to you. I’m a big girl now.” The words remained strong even if her voice was still weak. “And I’m not interested in feeding your need to be a savior.”
“Eve.”
“Just get out. I have work to do if I’m going to be out of here in a week.”
Pain ripped through his heart. “So you aren’t just quitting this job, are you?”
“No. I’m quitting you.”
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There is something going on here that definitely needs to be explored.
Oh-oh … let’s hope they can sort this out ….
Goodness, I hope they can get things figured out . . .
She is about to make a huge mistake, methinks. Great emotion here.
IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!! First word that came to mind. Would you please shake some sense into her?? Honestly. She’s too dense and needs to be smacked! Love the tension building in this story.
LOL. Oh, Jean…you don’t know the whole story…are we sure it’s her that’s being an idiot 😉 *G*
And thanks. This is much later than anything I’ve written in the story so far…but it just worked 😀
Someone needs to shake that Eve.. Poor boy.. has his heart on his sleeve for sure.. Much more my type.. we can swap…xx
LOL. Funny and here I though everyone would want to shake him. Guess I was wrong 😉 ~G~
sometimes, the low self esteem people harbor really does disable their lives and turns them into angry, bitter shells. i hope she apologizes to Jake and gets her head out….
Great reaction from the readers!!
I am really interested in reading the back story – what caused her to lash out at him. He is an absolute sweetheart for his gift. He went to a lot of trouble to get her something she loves so much.
Geez. I hope they can figure this out. Lovely write.
I’m digging it. Lots of interesting things going on here and intriguing for sure.