Between the Stacks

Chapter 17

Wesley, Scott and I rotated through a handful of card games over the next hour. I hated to admit that I was happy to win a few rounds; I wasn't sure if Wesley was going easy on me, or if his powers only extended to board games.

A few times, when we both went for the same card in the middle of the table, our hands brushed. I always pulled back quickly.

"That was cute," Scott drunkenly said when he saw such an instance. I wanted to shoot lasers out of my eyes and melt him.

Eventually our time was up at the table. I slung my purse over my shoulder and followed Scott and Wesley outside to the small courtyard. The night was warm and muggy.

"Thanks for saving me from a very terrible evening," I said. From this angle I could see through the window and into the board game café; our table had already been taken. "I'm not sure if I could have survived it otherwise."

"We do what we can." Wesley tipped an imaginary hat at me.

Scott gave us both a weird look before making a show of checking the time. "I've got to catch the bus," he said. "I'll catch you later. Emma, good to see you when you're not being a terrible spy."

I winced. "Sorry about that."

He shot finger guns at me. "No problem. See you."

We waved him off as he disappeared around the side of the building. Suddenly I was hyper-aware of our surroundings: a quaint, cobblestoned courtyard with fairy lights strung up along the backs of the buildings that bordered this square. A fountain, still burbling at this time of night, completed the picture.

"What were you doing back here anyways?" I said to break the silence.

"We were just cutting through. I saw you through the window. No offense, but you looked pretty miserable."

"I was. You met the guy - totally obnoxious." I shrugged. "At least I don't have to see him again."

Wesley bumped his shoulder into mine. "Not every date can be great."

"It wasn't a date!" I said, far too loudly. A few people hovering near a restaurant patio glanced over at us. I lowered my voice. "I was trying to see if he would be a good fit for an event at the library."

Wesley had smiled when I said it wasn't a date. "Interesting," he said.

I started to walk back towards the front sidewalk. This courtyard, and the way the light fell on Wesley's face, was not making me think straight. He looked kissable and I hated myself more than ever.

"Why did you steal Kermit?" I asked, trying to come up with the most unromantic thing I could think of. I had temporarily turned down the anger while Wesley destroyed Jack at board games. Now, out here in the fresh air, I could unleash the wrath that always hovered just underneath my skin.

"Ah." Wesley stepped to the side, allowing me to go in front as we navigated down the tight pathway that led to the front of the building. He didn't say anything else until we were back on the busy sidewalk. At this time of night the city was humming with drunk students and locals who were looking for fun. "I'm not sure if I can answer that right now. Here's my question for you: why is a stuffed animal so important to you?"

"He belongs to my brother," I said. I instantly clamped a hand over my mouth. The truth was something that I rarely said when it came to Alex.

Wesley's brows furrowed in concern. "I'm missing something."

I grasped for an explanation like a drowning woman searching for a life jacket. "It's not fair to my brother, right? I can't lose his stuff. I'm responsible for it. You can steal anything else you want from me. Kermit is off-limits."