He let out a soft little laugh, looking warmly at me. “I take it Oliver bought some new ones to fill up the shop’s library?”
“He found some good ones at a sale in West Virginia, yeah,” I nodded, pulling on my denim coat as we stepped out of the door. “They’re old and amazing.”
Connor took my hand gently, squeezing my fingers and leading us down the hallway. “I like how excited you are. We should check out that old bookstore in Brooklyn tomorrow. It’s the oldest one in the state, I think. If you’re interested in going, that is.”
“Really?” I asked, grinning without even thinking about it. Of course, I wanted to go. It made me happy to know that Connor seemed to know me so well. “Connor, that would be amazing.”
“Yeah, really,” Connor smiled over his shoulder at me, and we were in the lobby before we knew it, making our way to the door. “I know that you’d like it. Tons of old books.”
“Well, well,” proclaimed a high, sour voice from the direction of the lobby desk. “You two are still together, then? Connor, I didn’t think you were a one-woman kind of guy with all of the girls that come in and out of here.”
I wanted to laugh, but I bit my lip, keeping quiet. Connor let out an amused breath, turning to Lilah. “Well, Lilah, I guess you just don’t know me very well. Sadie does, though.”
At that, Lilah’s pretty face grew red and her eye twitched. “Well, it doesn’t even matter. I actually have a boyfriend, just so you know. Don’t get too jealous, you had your chance with me, and you blew it.”
“I’ll try to control myself around you,” Connor snorted, squeezing my hand. “Have a good day, Lilah.”
“Yeah,” I said over my shoulder with a grin, struggling not to laugh as we walked out of the front doors. “Tell your boyfriend we said hello.”
I heard Lilah’s voice, mocking me as we left. I did laugh then, leaning over and holding my belly for support. Connor laughed as well, grinning, and shaking his head from where we waited for Nora on the sidewalk. “She’s quite the catch, isn’t she, our Lilah.”
“She’s completely in love with you, I think,” I said, bumping into his shoulder playfully. “Like she’s really in love with you.”
Connor raised one shoulder in a half-shrug, smiling with one side of his mouth. “I’m already spoken for and she knows that now.”
My heart fluttered a little and I blinked up at him, realizing why Lilah was so obsessed with him. I did feel bad for her at that moment, being so close to him but never being able to touch him or be with him. He was a man that if you wanted him once, you would most likely want him forever. I knew that even if this didn’t work out and we parted ways, I would never forget him, even if I tried. I looked back at Lilah, as Connor put an arm around me. I could see her pretty face through the glass, infinitely sad and let down. I gave her a real smile, feeling awful for her for the first time, and then turned back around. I tried not to think about it anymore. I had Connor and he had me. Nora pulled up in her sleek black car and she turned to us immediately, spinning around in the front seat. “My darlings, how are you doing? Are you both alright? Oh, I was so worried for you after the attack. I’d like to see that awful and mugger and let him know-”
“We’re fine, Nora, thank you,” Connor told her quietly, giving her a reassuring smile from the back seat before she could rush into a violent tangent.
I reached forward, squeezing her hands on the back of the seat with honest gratitude. “We’re much better now. Thank you for being there. I’m glad to know you, Nora.”
Nora’s kind eyes glistened, and she cleared her throat, squeezing my fingers back. “I’m so very glad that we met, Sadie. You’ve been good for my Connor, so very good.”
When I leaned back in the seat, Connor was staring at me with a look that I couldn’t quite gauge. He wrapped both arms around me and pulled me in, pressing me flush against his warm chest. I held him back and Nora pulled away from the apartment building, glancing at us in the rearview mirror. Connor pulled away, touching his lips to my forehead.
“I do love you. I’m glad that you’re in my life. I’m glad that that stupid show put us together.”
I let out a soft breath and dug my fingers into his back, holding him close. “I love you too, Connor. You know that.”
“We’re in agreement then, I guess.” Connor grinned, cupping my face in both hands and brushing a thumb over my cheekbone.