“I’m really sorry, Theo.”
My eyes draw in and my mouth clenches as I breathe out through my nose and nod at the ground. I can’t meet his gaze.
“Lily . . . she’s probably going through a lot, too, huh?”
“Fuck if I know,” I fire back.
I don’t have to look at James to know my hostile response caught him off guard. Before he can dissect my response and probe any more, I step out of the laundry room and change the subject.
“Got a few minutes? I wanna show you something.”
I glance back to see if he’s following me, and he is. He gives a quick nod.
“We can grab dinner after, unless you’re eating here?” His apartment smells of homemade pasta sauce and garlic. My mouth waters at the scent.
“I probably should. Hey, you wanna stay and eat?”
I do.
I turn to walk backward toward the door, taking in the view of his family—the table set for three.
“I’m good. Thanks. We’ll just be a minute.” I open the door before his mom has a chance to work me over, convincing me to stay. I’m not sure I’m up for beingthatimmersed in a real family life tonight.
“Okay, but your loss. Hey, Dad . . . be right back.” James’ dad lifts a hand to wave us off, his eyes concentrating on the boiling water and spoon in his other hand.
I pick up the pace as soon as we’re out the door, the air starting to chill. The lights that glow along the walkways of Welles flicker on. It’s not even close to dark yet, but those days are coming soon. Summer is fading fast, fall is here, and winter is on its heels. I’ll be finishing up football practice under moonlight in a month or two. Less time for my mind to wander, more time to sleep.
I guide James to the back door behind the library and glance around to make sure nobody is watching us. Satisfied we’re alone, I usher him to get close and I pull it open enough for both of us to slip inside.
“Dude, I don’t think we’re supposed to be in here.”
“Oh, Coach’s kid, I’ve got work to do with you,” I say through a devious laugh.
“Yeah?” He sounds skeptical and a bit concerned.
I shut the door behind him and flip the lights on, the room exactly as it was when I left it a few hours ago.
“I did some investigating, and nobody is using this area right now. It’s for archives, and they finished documenting the most recent donations and collections. It’s almost totally sealed off from the main building. In fact, nobody gets in here without a key. And since I have that key—”
My brows rise slowly and James’ face flushes. He’s panicked. He’s going to need convincing.
“You stole the key to this place?” He hugs himself and moves closer to the door I just closed.
I shrug.
“You say stole. I say borrowed. I’ll put it back before we leave.” It was too easy to take. I found it in the main desk drawer, labeled with a plastic tag.
“And this door?” He puts his hand on the knob. I step close enough to grab his arm and urge him to let go.
“Relax, dude. We’re in a library, not a speakeasy.”Of course, I do think this is the perfect place to party.
James lets his arms relax and he turns slowly to take in the place, perhaps finally letting his mind imagine the possibilities.
“That lock is busted. I have some thoughts on putting up a deadbolt or a temporary lock, just for when we’re in here. But we’ll see.”
A hint of a smile tugs on his mouth as he starts to wander.
“You’re seeing it now, aren’t you?” Maybe I’m more like Anika than I said I was.