Page 21 of The Librarian’s Familiar

“What’s the story with that?”

“I have no idea. Above my pay grade.” He’d learned not to go poking around when it wasn’t any of his business.

Charlie got up and grabbed a stack of books that he’d put in the system the night before, ready to start labeling them and shelving them. “Can you apply stickers and operate a stamp?”

August glared at him. “Well, I’ve never been trained, but I’m pretty sure I can manage.”

“Okay. These are the books. Here are the labels. Check the author surname before sticking it on. If you aren’t sure, ask, but they should be in order.” He did the first book on the pile, showing August exactly what he meant about double-checking before placing the sticker on the spine. Then he stamped the inside of the book. “Done and ready for shelving. Just place it on the cart.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Input the next pile of books.” He pointed to another neat stack. There were two more after that one.

“Aren’t you going to run out of shelves?”

“Probably, but my big plan is to get these all shelved, then figure out how to rearrange the furniture and get rid of the books that people haven’t looked at in twenty years. Then I’m going to close the library for a few days to paint and rearrange so I can get more books.”

“That’s a big plan.”

“It is. But it needs done.”

“Wouldn’t it have made more sense to chuck out the old books first, then do the painting and rearranging before adding more books?”

“Nope, because people need to care about the library before I can get them excited about the changes. Then, when I follow through on my promises, they engage and offer ideas about what else I can do, making it a proper community hub, not a sad old building.” He dropped the stack on his desk. “You’re here, so you’re interested in what I have planned.”

“It’s not the library I’m interested in.”

“Smooth. Still not biting.” He turned back to his computer, expecting August to try again. When he didn’t, Charlie was a little disappointed. Was he pushing him away too hard?

What did it matter if he messed around with him? It wasn’t as though August was going to tell anyone, and whilst Sinclair hadn’t said anything, he was sure that people had made assumptions about their relationship, even though they didn’t have one.

Behind him, pages and stickers rustled, and while he’d check the books after August left to make sure they were done correctly, it was nice not to be doing everything.

“Can I ask a gay question?” August said quietly.

“Sure, but I may not answer, or you may not like it.” He paused and turned. “Tell me you’re not just figuring this out?”

“No, no…I knew for sure in my rookie year.”

That was quite a few years ago. He must’ve slept with men during that time. “What is it?”

“How do you do it?”

Charlie lifted his eyebrows. “There’s the Internet for that.”

“No, I mean watching you and Sinclair—not like that. Um, you’re both so comfortable, and I don’t know how to do that. And I’m sure as hell not asking a fox shifter anything.”

“So I’m the safe gay? The non-local who will leave when my three-year shift is up?”

August snorted. “You’re more friendly than he is.”

“I found him to be very friendly,” he said to watch August squirm.

“But how did you know?”

“I don’t understand.” Charlie frowned. “How did I know he was gay?”

August nodded.