Christmas in Evergreen Tidings of Joy - Nancy Naigle Page 0,20

up with her. “I guess I’d better get back to the library and check on Nan,” he said to Katie. “She’s probably already heard about what happened with the snow globe.”

“I’ve heard word travels fast in small towns.” Which had already been proven by how fast people found out she was a writer and thinking about doing an article on the town. She hadn’t even really decided.

“Oh, yes. News will beat you home if you’re not careful. Makes it tough when you’re a kid testing boundaries. Everyone knows everyone, and they aren’t shy about making a phone call or taking it upon themselves to set you straight.”

She could imagine him as being one of those kids who was always into mischief. The class clown, even. That quick wit didn’t happen overnight. It wasn’t hard to picture him as a pre-teen giving his teachers a challenge. “I never had that problem living in the city.” She thought about it a second. “Then again, it might have been a good thing if I had on a couple of occasions. I got away with so much after Mom and Dad got divorced.”

“Were you young?”

“Twelve, I think. My older brother moved out west with my father. I stayed in New York with Mom.”

“Must’ve been hard being separated from your brother.”

“It was at first, but you know, you get new routines. We were at that age where we didn’t want to be around each other anymore. He was driving. After a while, you just get used to phone calls and cards to keep up. He got married last year. I talk to him more now than I ever have.”

“I always thought it would be nice to have a brother or sister.”

“We were really close when we were little. Yeah, if I ever have children, I’d definitely want two.” She made a goofy face. “I have no idea why I just told you that. Too much information?”

“No. Not at all.”

“So, tell me about you. You’re masquerading as a mild-mannered librarian, when underneath it all—the glasses and button-down shirt—you’re actually a mild-mannered reporter?”

He rubbed the nape of his neck. He knew this would come back up. “Okay, yes, I was a journalist. But it’s not what I do now.”

“Why not? You can’t possibly think all reporters are that bad, can you?” She noticed something that flashed across his face as he paused. “What? Too nosy?”

“Yes.” But then he loosened up. “No. Not too nosy. Curiosity’s important. It means you’re good at your job.”

“Thank you.”

“Journalism was what I thought I wanted when I was younger. And I was pretty good at it. But then, I came back here to help out for a little bit and…”

Katie waited for him to finish, but he didn’t go on. “And?”

He shifted his weight, lowering his gaze to the ground. “The library is…sort of like my family. After my parents died, Nan raised me.” He said nothing else, but he lifted his gaze from his feet to her face as if searching for something.

There was pain in his eyes, an emptiness that was almost tangible. “I’m sorry. Follow-up questions. Occupational hazard.” She resisted the urge to reach out and touch him.

“Nan’s great. The best parent a kid could ask for, and as for the library, it started as a private collection from Nan’s family. It was her lifelong dream. I grew up around books, and so it’s no surprise I love them so much. Anyway, it’s a long story.”

She’d love to sit down and hear the whole thing. “So, if I need help with town history—”

“That would be David,” said Ben.

That wasn’t exactly the answer she’d expected, or had wanted to hear. Had her prying questions made him want to pawn her off on David? How could a middle-schooler be the go-to on town history over a librarian?

Ben continued with all sincerity, “That kid is the eyes and ears of this place.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” She wished she’d kept her mouth shut earlier.

“He’s always in the library though, so, I probably will see you around.”

Good. So, maybe he does want to see me again.

But Ben smiled and turned away before she could get a good read on him. She watched him walk through town square all the way until he turned the corner toward the library.

She didn’t mind getting pawned off to David for research as long as Ben was still going to be in the wings to brighten the way. She looked forward to the next excuse to go to