Chapter 16

She stood there, looking mortified yet endearing at the same time. I could see the genuine embarrassment in her eyes. I found myself wanting to ease her discomfort.

"No harm done," I reassured her with a grin. "Your friends seem fun."

Mary Ellen let out a nervous laugh, her cheeks still tinted pink. "They definitely keep things interesting," she admitted.

I took a step closer to her, lowering my sunglasses to meet her gaze directly. Her cute sun dress and cropped cardigan weren't supposed to be sexy, but on her, it was. I couldn't help but grin. Who would've thought I'd be so into the whole librarian thing? In college, my type was usually low-riding jeans and crop tops, but there was something about Mary Ellen that captivated me in a way I hadn't expected.

I liked the mystery. I liked that she wasn't flaunting a lot of skin. It left a little something to my imagination.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," I said.

"You're not." She smiled. "I didn't know you were coming by."

"I told you I would be back on Friday," I reminded her.

"I guess I wasn't really sure."

"I think I technically said I would see you tonight, but I couldn't wait." I smiled.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here," she said. "We went to look at the house."

"The house?"

"The one we're supposed to rent," she reminded me.

"Oh, yeah. Any good?"

"It was nice. Small but cozy. It's perfect for us."

"You're not excited about it," I said.

She looked down at her feet. "No, but I'm trying."

"It's never easy to leave a place you've called home, is it?" I asked, my voice soft. I was tempted to reach out and push back the wispy hair that clung to the side of her face. I liked her hair down. She looked so natural and pretty.

"You sound like you speak from experience," she remarked.

"Just a bit," I confessed with a shrug. "It's tough, but sometimes change can be good. I love where I live now. It took me a minute to get used to things and I'm sure I could find a hundred things I don't like about it, but it's a house. It's comfortable. It's safe. I feel fortunate."

She smiled again. "Now you're making me feel silly for complaining."

"I don't want to make you feel silly," I said. "I'm just trying to lighten things up for you. Maybe add a little perspective."

"I appreciate it."

"Do you need to get back inside?" I asked. "Is your lunch over?"

"It is, but you could come inside with me," she suggested.

"I'd like that but I don't want to be in the way."

"You're not in the way," she said.

I followed her inside. "I wanted to tell you I've been busy this week."

"Busy?"

"I pulled some strings this week and managed to secure some meetings with city hall to discuss the library," I said.

Her mouth fell open in astonishment. "What?" she gasped.

I couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "Yep."

"How did you manage that?" she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "People in this town know my last name," I explained. "My father has a reputation, and I'm not above using it when I want something."

"I didn't realize I was talking to someone with connections," she teased.

I laughed. "It's not me but my family. I just use the name on occasion. I figured this was a worthy cause."

"Thank you," she said again. "I don't know what to say. I never really expected anyone else to care about the library."

"I went another step," I said. "I secured some permits for a fundraiser."

Her mouth dropped open once again. "A fundraiser? You're already planning a fundraiser."

"I thought we discussed it," I replied.

"We did, but I guess I never really expected you to take the initiative like that."

I looked her directly in the eyes. "When I say something, I mean it. I want to do it. I'm in. Trust that."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"Anyway, I pulled permits that will allow for food trucks, small business vendors, and even a beer garden," I went on. "If you think we should have more, just let me know. The lady down at city hall is sweet on me. We can get permits for anything, I think."

She laughed. "I'm sure you only have to flash that smile and she'll do whatever you ask."

"I had to flash her something alright."

Mary Ellen's mouth dropped open. "No?"

I grinned. "I'm committed to saving the library."

She laughed at my joke. "You're crazy."

"Probably."

"That's going to make it an event actually worth going to," she said. "You were serious about making this a real fundraiser. I was thinking small. I was thinking of passing a hat around and selling a few books."

"Hell no," I said. "That's not going to raise the money you need. You need something with a lot of bang. If we're smart about it, we can push the event for a month and get as many people interested as possible. We'll need to make some posters and I was thinking we should try some social media campaigns. If we can get local daycares and the schools in the area to hang posters it will get more attention."

"I think a month should be enough time," she said. "You've really put a lot of thought into this. I feel like I'm slacking. I'm just leaving everything to you."

"I have the time." I shrugged.

"Archer, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking up this fight with me. No one else cared. No one else seems to understand how important this library is. I know it's not being used the way it could be. If we could just get a little more funding, we could have programs that bring people in."

"I know," I said. "And I hope we can do all of that."

She walked behind her desk and put her purse away. I leaned against it, watching her get organized. I noticed the book I left for her with the note.

"Did you get my note?" I asked.

She blushed again. "I did." She held up the note. "I like a girl who tries things even though it scares her," she read the note aloud.

I nodded. "It's true."

"You know, it wasn't that I was really afraid to get on your bike," she said. "I was afraid of something else."

I arched an eyebrow. "And what might that be?" I asked, my voice low and teasing.

She licked her lips nervously before meeting my gaze head on. "You," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

I frowned slightly, surprised by her honesty. "Me? I don't understand."

"You came out of nowhere," she said. "You're not like anyone I've ever met before. I've never been around anyone like you. I'm a little ashamed to admit I might have judged you when you walked in here."

"That's not unusual," I answered, finding her candidness refreshing. "I'm used to being underestimated, but that doesn't mean I'm not human. I have feelings too."

She quickly shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. I judged you wrong. With the bike and your tattoos, I pegged you for a rebel, a troublemaker."

I smirked at her admission. "Believe me, sweetheart, in some circles, that's exactly what people think of me."

A soft laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head slightly. "But then you do something like this."

"I'm not a bad guy," I said.

"I just feel like, well, I guess I feel like I'm on the end of a fishing line and you're constantly reeling me in."

I chuckled at her analogy, unable to resist the urge to flirt a little more. "You're no tuna, Mary Ellen," I teased, enjoying the playful back and forth between us.

She rolled her eyes with a laugh, the tension defusing a bit. "Well, that's a relief."

"Good," I said, my gaze softening as I watched her. "Because if I'm doing this right, you shouldn't be reeled in but rather swimming along with me."

Mary Ellen was quiet for a moment before she nodded, her cheeks flushing again. "That's a nice image," she admitted.

"I'm going to save your library, Mary Ellen," I declared.

She gave me a soft smile. "I don't think you should make promises like that."

"I'm not making promises," I corrected gently, my gaze never leaving hers. "I'm stating facts."

She shook her head with a small laugh, but the warmth in her eyes told me she wanted to believe me. No one believed in me. Everyone in my life was just waiting for me to screw up again. The bar was set very, very low. If I stayed out of prison, I was meeting their expectations.

"I really hope that's true." She sighed. "But just know, I won't blame you if things don't go the way we want. I know this is an uphill battle. Maybe even a lost cause. I just like the idea of fighting back. Someone has to."

"Hey, this is not a lost cause," I insisted. "Don't give up before we even start."

She was quiet for a long time, her gaze flickering to the dusty shelves before returning to meet mine. "I'm scared that it's too late, that we've already lost."

"I don't give up so easily," I told her. "I'm going to see this through. Are you with me?"

"All the way."

I nodded. "I'll go and let you get back to work. But if it's cool, I'd like to come by when you're off. We can get dinner. We can talk about the fundraiser and nail down some more details."

She looked surprised at the suggestion, her eyebrows shooting up. "Oh. Sure, okay."

"I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable," I added. "If you don't want to have dinner with me, I'll leave it alone."

"No, it's not that," she rushed to assure me. "Are you sure?"

I laughed. "Am I sure I want to have dinner with you? Yes, I'm sure. I'll bring the helmet for you. We'll go for another ride."

She smiled prettily. "Okay. I'd like that. Thank you."

"I'll see you soon," I said and tapped the desk.

I left the library feeling like a king. Walking out under the late afternoon sun, I grabbed my jacket from the bike and put it on along with my sunglasses. I was going for a ride. A long ride. Cole was at the house, and if I was being honest, I needed a little space. I wasn't used to being around someone all the time anymore. Not since prison. Cole could probably use the alone time too.

The engine roared to life beneath me.

I glanced back at the library one last time before I left. I didn't care if I had to buy it my damn self. I wanted to see the happiness in her eyes when she learned she got to keep her job. I wanted to be her hero. No one had ever thought I was a hero. Ever.

As I took off down the road, I kicked it up a gear. The world blurred past me in a rush of colors as I let myself just feel for a moment, my mind momentarily quiet. The only thing that would have made this ride better was having her behind me.

I turned onto an old two-lane highway and opened up the throttle.

The road stretched endlessly before me, painted lines a blur as I sped on. The roar of my bike drowned out any other sound. The scent of freshly tilled fields filled the air. It was freeing, the open road, the speed, and most importantly, no one around to disappoint. It was just me and my thoughts of Mary Ellen.