Page 21 of The Library of Borrowed Hearts

“Sorry, buddy, but that only works on librarians one time. Then they wise up and call security.” I pointed at a black semicircle embedded in the perforated ceiling panel above my head. “And you should probably tuck it away before you get caught on camera. That’s the kind of public embarrassment that stays on the internet forever.”

Instead of the hastened sounds of retreat, the man laughed.

“It’s not that kind of library emergency,” he said, the chuckle so ingrained in his voice that I suspected he always carried it. “And do menreallytry that? Surely there are more creative ways to flash poor unsuspecting women who are just trying to do their jobs.”

With a comment like that, I felt it was safe enough to turn around. Imagine my surprise to find myself staring up into the face of Noodle’s rescuer from yesterday—Zach of survival school fame, once again both looking and smelling as if he’d spent the night on a bed of pine needles, though he was much cleaner this time.

“That sort of thing happens more than you’d think,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could stop them. “The first porn director who decided to make ‘sexy librarians’ a thing ended up ruining community services for everyone.”

A handsome smile lit his face. I only noted its attractive quality because he accompanied it with a flutter of his long dark eyelashes and a casual lean against the bookshelves. That kind of move was so nonchalant and cool that ithadto be on purpose.

“I don’t think you can blame the porn directors too much,” he said, still fluttering those eyelashes at me. “You’re very cute when you’re muttering to yourself in the library aisles.”

Now Iknewhe was purposely provoking me. I’d been so preoccupied this morning that I’d thrown on the first clean item of clothing I could find. My tiered linen dress fit more like a potato sack than a tailored garment, and my hair was in a sloppy pile on top of my head. I looked like something the cat dragged in, forgot about, and then decided to drag back out a few days later.

I scowled at him. “Can I help you with something?”

“Yes, actually.” He wasn’t the least bit discomposed by either my tone or my frown as he reached into a rucksack slung casually over one shoulder and extracted a book. “I came to return this, but I wanted to make sure you knew that I wasn’t the one who damaged it. The writing was already inside.”

I knew, in an instant, what he was talking about.

It’s them. Jasper Holmes and the mysterious C. The Hemingway title we couldn’t find on the shelves.

“Is itA Farewell to ArmsorThe Torrents of Spring?” I asked, reaching greedily for the book. In my eagerness to discover the title, I gave too much of myself away. Zach yanked the book up out of my reach and tsked.

“Nuh-uh. Not so fast. I want something from you first.”

Since this was accompanied by another of those too attractive, too obvious smiles, I dropped my hand.

“Unless that something is directions to the reference section or my opinion on how they choose which books to put on theNew York Timesbestseller list, I’m not sure I can help you,” I said coldly.

The ice in my voice didn’t faze him. “I know where the reference section is, and I’d love to hear your opinion on lots of different things, but that’s not what I meant,” he said. Playful lines of amusement crinkled around the edges of his eyes. “I was hoping you could tell me how the little guy is getting on. He was trying to put a good face on it yesterday, but I could tell he was rattled.”

“Noodle?” I asked blankly.

“I know it’s none of my business, but I always get emotionally attached to the kids I rescue from peril. It’s a personal failing of mine.” The eye crinkles deepened. “Well, that and my attraction to pretty librarians, but everyone has his faults.”

He spoke of Noodle with such sincerity that I was willing to overlook the rest. I also spoke a lot more honestly than I normally would have.

“He’s being brave about the whole thing, but I had to leave him home alone today. Physically, I think he’ll be fine, but emotionally…” I allowed my voice to trail off. The less said about his emotional state, the better. At least while I was at work. “Let’s just say he’s never gotten into a fight at school before. Or anywhere. He’s the sweetest, most peaceable person I know. He’s taking it really hard.”

Zach nodded along with so much friendly concern that I faltered even more.

“He didn’t tell you anything about what happened at school yesterday, did he?” I asked. “I tried talking to the principal, but she doesn’t know any more than I do. Just that Noodle snapped, punched a boy in one of the bathrooms, and immediately turned himself in.”

She’d also said that the other boy hadn’t wanted to lodge a complaint, and that if Noodle had simply kept quiet about the whole thing, it would’ve blown over without any follow-up, but that part wasn’t worth mentioning. Explaining Noodle’s strong moral compass and deep aversion to violence was too monumental a task, even for a man who seemed as understanding as this one.

“Sorry,” Zach said with a roll of one shoulder. “I didn’t press him for details. In my experience, anyone running through the forest to try and escape the things they’ve done has a very good reason for doing so.”

I blinked, startled by this piece of reasoning. “Even when they’re only twelve years old? And when they’re so upset they tumble down a ravine in the process?”

“He’s tougher than he looks, your brother. I think it’ll take a lot more than one fall to break him.” He looked at me a little strangely, a tilt to his head. “You, too, come to think of it.”

“But you don’t know anything about me,” I protested. For some reason, his easy air of assurance was starting to seriously unsettle me. “For all you know, I’m broken in a thousand different places.”

“‘If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them,’” he said as if reciting a quote. It only took me a second to realize thata quotewas exactly right. “‘The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places.’”

“A Farewell to Arms,” I said, my words coming out in a long breath. “I should’ve guessed it.”