Scarred (Scarred #1)(11)
Author: J.S. Cooper

“Come here, you.” Luke pulled me into his arms and I went willingly. My body was exhausted. It had been a really long, emotional and exhausting day.

I pressed my head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I closed my arms and imagined that it was Bryce holding me closely. I smelled and imagined that Luke’s sweet smell was actually Bryce’s musky oak. I wanted so very badly to be held by Bryce. I wanted him to be my lover. I wanted him to be my first. So very badly. He had looked sad when I’d seen him earlier. He didn’t look like the same confident boy he had been at Jonesville High; he looked like a tired and weary man. I wanted to kiss away the pain and stress from his face. I sighed and snuggled closer to Luke.

“Hey you.” Luke pulled away slightly. “No falling asleep. We have to see what happens to Madea.”

“Uh huh.” I yawned and laughed. “Why has Madea become the bane of my life?”

“Because you’re my best friend?” Luke laughed and pulled on my ponytail and I jumped out of bed.

“Okay, I’m changing for bed. No need to pause the movie.” I grinned as I ran out of the room to go change in the bathroom and brush my teeth. I loved Luke and our friendship, I thought, as I slipped on my tee shirt and shorts, but I sure wished I was trying on something sexy and getting ready for a night with Bryce Evans. One that wouldn’t involve a TV screen at all.

Chapter 6

Not many people visited Jonesville Library and for that I was grateful. I’d been standing outside for the last thirty minutes and hadn’t seen one person I knew. I’m sure there would have been lots of awkward questions and I’m glad I didn’t have to answer them. I was still trying to work up the courage to go in and talk to Lexi Lord. I didn’t even know if she was working there today; I may have been wasting my time. But I still felt nervous and uneasy.

This wasn’t going to be as effortless as I thought.

As the town hall clock chimed midday, I knew that that was my sign. I had to go in. I couldn’t just stand around waiting to build up the courage. I knew that that wouldn’t be coming any time soon. I walked into the library and was surprised at how spacious and bright it was. I had always imagined libraries to be small and dingy. I had to admit that I hadn’t spent much time in one in school.

I looked around and walked up to the front desk, hoping to see Lexi there, maybe with some friends. That way I could invite them all at the same time and they wouldn’t think I was there to just ask Lexi.

“Hi.” I walked up to the women at the front and beamed. They all returned my smile with blushes and the oldest lady patted her cheeks.

“Why, how can we help you, young man?” She looked like she could have been my granny and her nametag read Nelly. I looked quickly at the other girls’ faces and held in a sigh. None of them were Lexi.

“I’m just here to check out the library, mam.”

“Do you have a library card?”

“No, mam.” It was my turn to blush. In all my years living in Jonesville, I’d never gotten a library card.

“Well, we can sign you up and then you can get a tour.”

“Oh, I don’t need a tour.”

“Who’s doing the tours today, Nina?”

“Lexi is, Nelly.”

“Lexi can give you a tour after you sign up.” Nelly smiled at me and took my drivers license. “Oh you’re Mayor Evans’s son?” Her smile grew even wider, if that was possible, and I felt sad. Here was another constituent who had been fooled my dad.

“Yes, mam.”

“Well then, maybe I’ll give you the tour, Mr. Evans.”

“You can call me Bryce, mam, and Lexi is fine.” I kept my voice even, but I felt a bit panicked. I needed for Lexi to give me the tour.

“Well okay then, Mr. Evans.” Nelly looked a bit flustered at my request and I took a deep breath.

“Only because I kind of know Lexi from High School. It will be nice to catch up while she shows me around.”

“Oh, okay.” She smiled again. “Well that makes sense. Nina go and get Lexi.”

“Yes, Nelly.” Nina stood up and smiled at me and walked away. I released my breath and filled out the form that Nelly put in front of me.

“You can borrow up to ten books at a time, Mr. Evans, and only three new releases. You can borrow three DVDs at a time and two CDs. If we don’t have a title in stock, you can put your name on the request list and we will email you when it is available.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks.”

“You can start borrowing books today. Just come back up with the books that you choose.”

“Aw, okay.” I hadn’t planned on borrowing any books, but I figured I better borrow something now, or it would look too suspicious.

“Lexi will show you around and then you can choose, okay?”

“Uh, yes, mam.” I smiled at her, weakly, and breathed a sigh of relief as Nina walked back with Lexi by her side. Lexi looked at me in confusion with big, wide eyes; I’d never noticed how big they were before. Or how warm.

“Hi, Lexi.” I smiled and she smiled back a big, wide smile.

“Hi, Bryce. It’s good to see you.” She stood there, awkwardly, for a second and I realized she was debating over whether she should give me a hug or not. I reached my hand out to her and we shook hands instead.

“Thanks. I wasn’t sure if you would remember who I was,” I laughed and we walked away from the desk and prying eyes.

“Of course I remember you.” She looked at me in surprise. “To be honest, I wasn’t sure if you knew who I was.”

“Oh, I’d never forget you.” I smiled at her and immediately wanted to slap myself for the words that I had uttered. How completely and utterly awkward. I wasn’t sure if she had heard what I had said, because she didn’t answer me for a few minutes.

“So how was it being a marine?” She looked at me curiously as we came to a large computer room and I studied her open and interested face.

“Hard,” I answered, honestly, surprised that I was answering honestly. I guess I was taken aback that she had even asked me the question. She was the first person, since I’d been back, to ask me what it had been like. It was like everyone else was just willing to forget that blip in my life, like being a Marine for four years was no big deal and I could forget it as easily as they could.

“I bet.” She pointed into the room. “This is our internet room. Anyone can use it. You sign up for an hour at a time. If someone else wants to use it, you have to get up.”