Once Upon a Shifter (114 page)

Her heart thumped in her chest as she looked up at him, his eyes inscrutable in his face.

Kiss me
, she thought, unbidden.

“I never did find my books,” she blurted out, lowering her eyes, afraid of what might happen if she didn’t.

You should have gone for it
, she thought.

“They’re not here?” Thomas asked.

He took a casual step back, widening the space between them. Sofia couldn’t help but feel sad, the moment over.

“No,” she said. “I can keep looking here, but I might need to find another library.”

Thomas was perfectly still for a moment, and Sofia thought that she could see the glimmer of
something
in his eyes — though she wasn’t sure what.

He sat back at the microfiche reader and picked up the screwdriver he’d been using.

“Is there another one in Placerville?” he asked.

Sofia swallowed. All of a sudden, he’d gotten distant, only moments after they’d almost — well, almost nothing. He’d put a book on a shelf for her.

“The other one that most people in my field use is in Truckee, on the other side of the Sierras,” she said. “It’s not as good, though.”

She started piling more newspapers into another box, and heard the slight tinkle of broken glass rattling around inside the microfiche reader.

“There it is,” said Thomas. “We’ll have to replace this lens.”

They worked side by side for the next couple of hours, chatting as Sofia put the newspapers away and Thomas cleaned the broken glass from the microfiche reader.

She didn’t know exactly what she’d said, but as soon as she’d told him that she might have to leave town, his demeanor changed. It would have been ok if he’d seemed sad, but instead he seemed almost... angry, and she wasn’t sure whether it was with her or not.

Finally, at five-thirty, as they were packing up to leave, Thomas spoke up.

“Hey, some of us are going to the Miner right now,” he said. “You know, quick after-work happy hour. Want to come?”

Instantly, Sofia felt better. All day she’d been slightly uncomfortable that he’d turned her down the day before, however innocently, but now that seemed righted.

“I’d love to,” she said, smiling.

Chapter Five

As soon as Sofia, Thomas, and a few of the other librarians entered the Tipsy Miner, Gavin waved to them, so Sofia and Thomas went over.

Gavin was already pouring them bourbon on the rocks.

“On the house,” he said, winking. “Hurry up, my shift ends in ten minutes.”

Sofia sneaked a glance over her shoulder at the other librarians, all sitting in a big corner booth, looking at the happy hour menu.

“How many can I drink before your manager notices?” asked Thomas, smiling over the rim of the glass.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Gavin, smiling as he wiped the bar down with a towel, in continual motion like always. “My manager finds you very charming.”

Gavin’s manager was his mom, of course.

“What about you?” asked Thomas. He took a swig of the whiskey and then raised his eyebrows in approval. “Don’t you find me charming?”

“Charming enough for one more, then you pay,” Gavin said.

The two men locked eyes for a brief moment, and Sofia could have sworn that she saw something pass between them.

She did a quick recalibration of everything she thought that she knew in that moment.

Earlier, Thomas had almost kissed her, hadn’t he?

And Gavin gave her a lot of free drinks, right?

Then there was the way she could always feel their eyes on her, appreciatively, and the definite
flirting
vibe that she got off of each man. Until this afternoon, she’d been certain nothing would come of it, but in the space of a couple hours she’d changed that tune, after that
encounter
with Thomas.

But now, they were flirting... with each other?

Which part am I reading wrong?
she wondered.

Then she had yet another thought.

People can be bisexual,
she reminded herself.
They can flirt with you and with each other. It’s not illegal.

For one split second, Sofia had a vision of herself, sandwiched between Gavin and Thomas, doing
things
.

Then she came back down to earth, sipping on her whiskey and banishing those dirty thoughts.

“You like this one?” Gavin asked. He still held the bottle in his hand, the veins in his forearm just visible behind his single bear tattoo.

“I do,” said Sofia, even though she’d barely tasted it.

“Eagle Rare Single Barrel,” he said. “Don’t tell your coworkers that I’m giving you the good stuff for free.”

Sofia sneaked a quick peek over her shoulder at the other librarians. They were perfectly nice people, mostly middle-aged ladies in cardigans, but not exactly the flirt-with-the-bartender-for-free-whiskey types.

She winked at Gavin, the drink loosening her up a little.

“Your secret’s safe with me,” she said, finishing off the whiskey left in her glass, the three square ice cubes clinking together.

“That’s what I like to hear,” Gavin said, pouring them each another drink. Then he poured himself a glass, stoppered the bottle, put it back on the shelf, and lifted it to Thomas and Sofia.

“Cheers,” he said.

The two men and Sofia all drank.

Something is definitely going on here
, she thought to herself, but the more whiskey she drank, the less she cared.

***

Twenty minutes later, Sofia and Thomas were sipping on beers in a booth next to their library coworkers. They’d finished their whiskey, and declined a third glass. It was only six in the evening, after all.

Gavin, still wearing his vest and dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, came out from the back and sat with them, a beer of his own in his hand. At the bar was now a slightly older woman with a nose piercing and bright red hair.

“Long day?” he asked Thomas and Sofia. The other librarians were gossiping in a little knot, leaving the three of them mostly to themselves.

“It’s been a long two days,” Sofia said. Her arms were a little sore from lifting all those boxes, even though Thomas had started helping out after a while.

Gavin shook his head. “Who the hell breaks into a library?” he asked, rhetorically. “And especially the old, boring part?”

“Hey,” said Sofia, a smile on her face.

“You know what I mean,” Gavin said.

He raised his glass to his lips and there was another moment when Sofia thought she saw something pass between Gavin and Thomas.

But then, the glass doors of the Miner swung open and two women stepped inside, blinking for a moment, looking around.

“Hi,” called the woman who was behind the bar now.

The women ignored her, walking straight for Thomas and Gavin.

“There you are,” one said. She had long blond hair, clearly dyed, and wore cutoff denim shorts and a tank top.

Sofia couldn’t help but notice that she was thin, too — long, gorgeous legs, flat belly, sculpted arms. With a body like that, it didn’t matter that she was wearing far too much eyeliner.

“It’s been a while,” said the other woman. She had dark brown, almost black hair, the same amount of eyeliner, and a crop top with jeans, showing off her perfect abs.

Sofia sat up straighter, her beer in her hands, crossing her ankles under her and sucking in her belly. Even though she was pretty tipsy, these girls made her feel like a whale.

“You don’t come around any more,” said the blond.

She snuggled right up to Thomas, putting her hand on his shoulder and then leaning her face against him.

Both of the girls acted like Sofia simply didn’t exist.

“Buy me a drink?” asked the brunette, whisking her hair over her shoulder, blinking her heavily lined eyes up at Gavin. “Or, you know, just get one for free for me?”

Then she smiled a simpering smile, her hand on Gavin’s knee.

Sofia made a whiskey-fueled decision, and got to her feet, shoulders back and head high. She felt very self-righteous.

“Hi,” she announced, her beer in her left, hand, holding her right hand out pompously. “I’m Sofia. I’m doing research at the library for the summer while I work on my Ph.D.”

Both the new girls looked up at her for a moment, then at each other. Sofia held her hand there, feeling totally indignant that these girls were ignoring her — not to mention brave for introducing herself so boldly.

Finally, the blond spoke, offering a limp right hand to Sofia.

“I’m Janelle,” she said. “I live in town.”

Sofa gave her hand a good, firm shake, even though Janelle barely offered her the tips of her fingers.

Then she turned and looked at the brunette.

“Monica,” the brunette said. She sounded distinctly annoyed, and didn’t quite make eye contact with Sofia, choosing instead to look at a spot on the wall, somewhere behind the other girl.

In the silence that followed, Sofia sat back down, sipping at her beer. Gavin and Thomas shared another look, but Sofia wasn’t particularly concerned with them at the moment.

Both the girls smirked, like they were sharing a joke, and then Monica, the brunette, spoke up, taking one of Gavin’s thick arms in her hands.

“Where’s that drink?” she asked, her voice a wheedling purr.

“You know where the bar is,” he told her. He wasn’t gruff or impolite, but it was clear that he wasn’t having any of her games, either.

“I’m broke,” she said. “Come on, one drink, for your best girl?”

“You can buy mine,” Janelle, the blond, assured Thomas.

Sofia took another few sips of her beer, totally irritated by the newcomers.

“So yeah,” she said, too loudly. “The police don’t know who broke into the library. No cameras or anything.”

Both the other girls wrinkled their noses.

“Who breaks into a library?” Janelle asked.

“Ew,” said Monica.

Both of the laughed.

Sofia hated them.

At last, Monica sighed.

“No free drinks today, sugarbear?” she asked Gavin. His face seemed to tighten for a moment, and then he looked down at her.

“Sorry,” he said.

She sighed and got up, swinging her skinny hips all the way to the bar, then bending at the waist and sticking her ass out as she ordered drinks.

To their credit, neither Gavin nor Thomas seemed to be looking at her. Moments later, she came back, setting a pint glass full of alcohol in front of the other girls.

“Long island iced tea,” she announced, and they held their glasses up to clink together. “Woooo!”

“Woooo!” answered Janelle, and the two of them took long gulps.

The men looked down at their own drinks.

“So anyway,” Janelle said, as if she’d been talking before. “Brent’s having a huge party up at his parents’ cabin this weekend. Locals only,” she said, with a quick glance at Sofia.

As she spoke, she slid one hand up and down Thomas’s leg.

Sofia drained her beer and stood, tossing money on the table.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she told Thomas, then quickly stood and left before he could do anything.

She walked the few blocks back to her apartment alone. She’d thought that maybe one or both of them would come after her, but neither did.

Sofia held back tears for most of her walk, but as soon as she was inside her tiny sublet, they flooded out.

How could I be so stupid?
she thought, looking down at herself.
They only flirt with me until something better comes along, and then it’s all about those skinny bitches.

Dramatically, she flopped down on her couch, the room starting to spin.

Then she got up, grabbed a bottle of white wine from her fridge, and flipped on the TV that had come with the place.

Chapter Six

Janelle wouldn’t stop touching Thomas. Her hand on his leg grossed him out as she went on and on about a “locals only” party that weekend. He knew that she meant
shifters only
, and furthermore, he knew that she was specifically not including Sofia.

He lifted Janelle’s hand, trying to extricate himself from her without making a scene, and then, suddenly, Sofia stood.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, even as Janelle wrapped one arm around his waist.

The door to the Tipsy Miner opened, framing Sofia in sunlight.

“Sofia, wait!” he called, rising to his feet, halfway bringing Janelle with him.

“Hey!” she said.

“Get off me,” he growled, pulling himself away from her clawing hands, but as he did, stepping around the chairs where they’d been sitting, Janelle tried to follow him and tripped instead, falling flat on her face.

How much did she have to drink?
Thomas wondered, coming back to the girl. He at least had to see if she was okay.

Then Janelle screamed.

Jesus fucking Christ
, thought Thomas.

“I think my nose is broken!” Janelle wailed.

For a moment, he and Gavin locked eyes. This was exactly why they tended to avoid so many of the shifters their age. Growing up life in isolation, away from people, and being constantly told how special you were? It was a recipe for turning out weird.

Janelle rolled over onto her back, still on the floor of the bar. Monica rushed to her side, kneeling by her friend, and the bartender came over too, bringing a towel filled with ice.

Even though he was completely, one hundred percent positive that Janelle was fine, Thomas also knelt by the girl’s head. It wasn’t like he could walk away from someone who was screaming, even if he’d much rather follow Sofia out the door.

“Put this on, it’ll stop the swelling,” the bartender was saying. As a human, she had no idea that Janelle was clearly faking it for the attention of a male shifter — she was just trying to help out.

“Should I call an ambulance or something?” the bartender fretted. “Do you have someone who can take you to the emergency room?”