POV: Evelyn Harper
The library had a way of holding its silence, like it was listening. Today, that silence felt different—less oppressive, more curious, as if the walls themselves were waiting to see what would happen next.
I'd spent the better part of the morning reorganizing the children's section. The event planning had taken up so much of my focus lately that I hadn't been paying attention to the day-to-day needs of the library. The sight of disheveled shelves and misfiled books had been enough to pull me away from my desk and into the stacks.
As I reached for a book on the top shelf, I felt a shift in the air behind me—a subtle shift, but enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.
"You know," Theo's voice drawled, smooth and warm, "you could've just asked for help instead of risking life and limb."
Startled, I turned, clutching the book to my chest. Theo stood at the end of the aisle, leaning against the shelves with his arms crossed, looking every bit like he'd just stepped out of a magazine.
He was wearing a black button-down with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his tattooed forearm. The intricate designs seemed to flow with the natural lines of his arm, adding an edge to his otherwise polished appearance. His grey eyes, sharp and watchful, seemed to catch every detail, while his neatly trimmed beard framed the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips.
The piercings in his ears glinted in the soft light filtering through the windows, and his dark hair looked artfully tousled, as if he'd run his fingers through it in a moment of casual frustration. Everything about him screamed effortless confidence.
I blinked, suddenly aware of the warmth creeping up my neck. "I wasn't risking anything," I said, straightening. "And what are you doing here?"
Theo shrugged, his smirk widening. "Thought I'd stop by and see how things are going. You're not the only one invested in this event, you know."
His tone was teasing, but there was something in his eyes—a sincerity that made my chest tighten unexpectedly.
"Well," I said, tucking the book under my arm, "as you can see, everything is under control."
Theo raised an eyebrow, glancing pointedly at the small ladder propped against the shelf. "Sure it is."
I rolled my eyes, brushing past him toward the main desk. "Did you actually need something, or are you just here to critique my shelving skills?"
"Both," he said, falling into step beside me. "I had an idea for the scavenger hunt clues. Thought you might want to hear it."
I paused, curiosity getting the better of me. "What kind of idea?"
We ended up at one of the work tables, my notebook open between us as Theo outlined his suggestion.
"What if we made the clues rhyme?" he said, leaning forward. "It adds a little extra fun and makes them more memorable."
"Rhyme?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that a little... gimmicky?"
"It's charming," Theo corrected, his grin widening. "Come on, librarian. Where's your sense of whimsy?"
"I have plenty of whimsy," I said, my tone defensive.
Theo leaned back, his expression skeptical. "Prove it."
I opened my mouth to respond but stopped short. When was the last time I'd done something purely whimsical? Something without a plan or purpose?
"Exactly what I thought," Theo said, his voice teasing but not unkind.
I sighed, tapping my pen against the notebook. "Fine. Let's try it. But if it doesn't work—"
"You can say, 'I told you so,'" Theo finished for me.
"I was going to say I'll take full credit for fixing it," I said, smirking.
Theo laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Fair enough."
We dove into the rhyming exercise, and before long, the room was filled with a mix of laughter and increasingly ridiculous ideas.
"Here's one," Theo said, his voice mock-serious. "I guard the knowledge, bound and true. Find me where the spines line the view."
I frowned, trying to decipher it. "The shelves?"
"Exactly," Theo said, looking far too pleased with himself.
"That's not a riddle," I said, shaking my head. "It's a bad haiku."
"You wound me, librarian," Theo said, clutching his chest dramatically.
"You'll survive," I said dryly.
He grinned, leaning closer to the notebook. "Fine. Your turn. Impress me."
I thought for a moment, then scribbled something down. "Okay, here: I'm home to tales of kings and knights. My cover's worn, but my words delight."
Theo read it over, nodding in approval. "Not bad. But I can top it."
"Doubtful," I said, crossing my arms.
He held up a finger, thinking. "A tale of love, a tale of woe. Beneath the moon, these pages glow."
I stared at him, surprised. "That's... actually good."
Theo smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Told you. I'm full of surprises."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help smiling.
The more we worked, the more I found myself noticing little things about Theo—the way his eyes lit up when he was excited about an idea, the way his tattoo seemed to shift with each gesture, the quiet confidence in his voice. It was... distracting.
I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. This wasn't the time to get sidetracked.
"This one's my favorite so far," Theo said, pointing to one of the clues. "It's clever, but not too hard."
I leaned over the notebook, our shoulders nearly brushing. "You mean the one you wrote?"
"Obviously," he said, grinning.
"You're impossible," I muttered, but there was no real bite in my words.
"And yet, here we are," he said, his tone light but laced with something warmer.
By the time we finished, the clues were finalized, and the library was bathed in the golden light of late afternoon. I glanced at the clock, startled by how much time had passed.
"We should probably wrap this up," I said, closing the notebook.
"Already?" Theo said, feigning disappointment.
"Some of us have real work to do," I said, standing.
"Ruthless," Theo muttered, but there was a glint of amusement in his eyes as he followed me toward the door.
As he stepped outside, he turned back to face me. "You know, you're not half as scary as you pretend to be."
I blinked, caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
"You've got this whole 'stoic librarian' thing going," Theo said, his tone light. "But underneath all that seriousness, you're kind of... fun."
I didn't know how to respond to that, so I settled for a noncommittal hum.
"See you tomorrow, librarian," Theo said, flashing me a grin before disappearing down the street.
As I watched him go, I couldn't help but smile—just a little.