Page 19 of Degrading Her

I audibly groaned, too tired to withhold that frustration anymore. I used to believe in love and fate, back before I failed out of medical school. But now everything, including love, seemed so pointless. I scanned the barcode for a romantic comedy with one of those bright cartoon covers,annoyed with my new pessimistic self. Even if fairytales were real, it was never going to be Sawyer Feldman.

“It’s not a date,” I said.

“You’re blushing,” she said. “It’s a date.”

I reached for my earbuds, trying to end the conversation.

“Hey. Come on. I didn’t mean to upset you.” She rubbed my shoulder. “You want me to come too? Be your plus one? Your—” she cocked her head to the side, “—partner in crime?”

I laughed. It was nice of her, but I didn’t want any company for a conversation like that.

“It’s fine,” I said. “It’ll be over before we even order drinks. I’m just going to ask for a transfer, then leave.”

And as dismal as it was, Ericawasmy competition. If he didn’t help me find a transfer, then I would have to work at the New Host Library until I found one myself. And then I would be competing with Erica for that managerial position. Dinner with Sawyer might be one of the only chances I’d get to make a good impression.

“Call me if you change your mind,” she said.

I thanked her, then put my earbuds back in, resuming the recorded lecture. Peace washed over me as I finished up my tasks for the day, listening to my professor’s calming voice.

Erica seemed nice so far. A fast learner, but still a newbie at entering library card registrations, which was to be expected of anyone. And I was relieved that she had actually shown up.

And Sawyer had shown up too.

He acted like he didn’t know I worked here, but he hadn’t said anything last night when I brought it up. Had I met him somewhere else? Was there more to him?

I wasn’t sure what it was, but I wasn’t going to let him stop me from going after what I wanted.

Chapter 5

Fiona

The Spiced HarvestSteakhouse was in the middle of the financial district. I had never dined in the restaurant, but of course, Sawyer had. I parked a few blocks away in a free three-hour parking lot, then walked the rest of the way.

Inside, I held my cardigan around me like a protective shield. Flickering votive candles hung from the walls, and classical music played softly in the background. A server immediately escorted me to a private table on the opposite side of the restaurant.

“You,” Sawyer said, his jaw twitching as he stood to greet me. “You look?—”

“Like a sweaty mess?” I offered, wiping my cheek with the sleeve of my sweater. I grinned foolishly. Had I actually made him speechless?

“Gorgeous,” he corrected.

Warmth furrowed from my head to my toes. He pulled out my chair, and I sat down. As he took his own seat, his cocked smile seemed like he knew more than he was letting on, and I was curious about what he knew. His brother wascompletely stiff; how was Sawyer so friendly? I made a mental note to ask Maisie for their family story one day.

“Can we start over? I feel like we started off on the wrong foot. Thank you for taking me home.” I had to be polite to set the grounds for negotiating my transfer, right? I offered my hand. “I’m Fiona. Thanks for inviting me.”

He shook my hand, a gleam in his eye. “Of course,” he said, winking. “And have you considered my personal assistant offer yet?”

“Actually, about that,” I hesitated. I might as well dive into it, right? “I want a transfer.”

A smirk worked its way across his lips. “Oh?”

My cheeks flushed. Was this amusing to him? “The nearest library is in Spike. I’ll ask the Board for a recommendation, but with your backing too, I shouldn’t have a problem getting an interview.”

Spike was a thirty-minute drive from my apartment on a good day, rather than the ten-minute drive I was used to. But if I got to stay in the library system and avoid this awkwardness with Sawyer, then I would suffer through the commute.

He leaned back in his tall chair. “Let’s consider your options first. Over dinner,” he said.

What was there to discuss?