I stand in front of my rundown childhood home. I was a little girl when my family left. And now 3 vandals are spray painting "SLUT" on the exterior wall.
"Why are we doing this again?"
"My dad says the family who lived here were run out of town because they were pervs!"
My parents weren't perverts! And now that they're dead, this house is mine...
I jump at the troublemakers, who scream as they turn to me
"There's worse than a jump scare coming at you if you don't get the hell out of here!"
"This house belonged to the belonged to the (YLN) family! My dad hated them." One of the boys shouts at me.
"I don't care. They were my parents, and they're dead now. So get out of here before I make you!"
The smallest kid tugs at the older kids' clothes.
"Maybe we should go. I can't get in trouble with my dad..."
The 3 vandals run off, leaving me with a mess of graffiti to clean later.
Why were my parents hated? I don't remember that.
But there's no time to figure it out, because it's my first day in my new Library Director position, and I'm late. As Director, I plan to bring this small- town facility into the modern age... But first, I have to make it through the crowd of protestors outside.
"Are you a pervert like our new Library Director? Or do you stand with the Clean Books Initiative to ban all filthy books?"
"Rough crowd."
I turn to the rough voice. It belongs to a man with a wide jaw and sculpted arms.
"Follow me. Don't look at these assholes."
The man lays his hand on the small of my back, sending a brief warm shiver up my spine as he pushes me through the crowd. But one of the protestors refuses to be ignored.
"Christopher! If you and your friend go in there, you're no better than the new director!"
She doesn't realize I'm the new Library Director!
"What's so bad about this new Director?"
"She comes from a bad family, and she's added a romance section. Those books are full of sex, you know!" the lady furrows her eyebrows.
"Lay off, Marjorie." the man tells the woman.
As I enter the library, he leans against the counter, all swagger.
"I told you not to engage."
"Oh, so I'm supposed to follow orders from a stranger?"
He smirks as I settle into my front desk. From my purse, I pull out the book I'm currently reading called 'Call Me Daddy'. As I search for somewhere to stash it in case the protestors raid the library, the man laughs.
"Interesting book you have there... The names Bang Christopher, but you can call me Bang Chan."
"Can I help you, or are you planning on messing with me all day?"
He gestures at my name tag.
"Ouch, (YLN) is a controversial last name around here..."
"And why is that? No one will tell me..."
"I don't know. Old wounds. I'm unclear...but intrigued."
His voice takes a deep, domineering edge that makes me freeze.
"I'm here to fix your pipes."
As I glance upward, as if on cue, water bursts through the discolored spot on the ceiling.
"Shit! Come with me."
Together, we climb the ladder leading up to the crawlspace.
"Hold this pipe up while I reattach it."
I grab the pipe, holding it steady while he moves in to secure it. Practically nose to nose in the dark, his breath heats my skin.
"Good Job. Keep it goin'."
Goosebumps rise along my arms. He quickly tightens the wrench once more, fixing the leak. We're both dripping wet as we climb back down.
"Fuck, are you okay?"
"My parents died a year ago, I inherited their rundown house. It's my first day of work after getting fired from my old job... Which was not my fault, by the way! And I can't afford the taxes on the house unless I turn it into a Bed & Breakfast! And I didn't plan for a wet t-shirt contest."
"I've got you."
When Bang Chan returns from his truck outside, he's holding a bag of dresses. I raise an eyebrow.
"Mailman sent me the wrong package. I've been meaning to return them... They'll look better on you."
In the library bathroom, I glance over the outfits. But only one of them really catches my eye. A cute thigh length, white dress, brown belt and forest green sweater. After changing clothes, I head back to the library where Bang Chan is looking me up and down.
"Damn. While I'm here, I need some books on writing business plans. Would a future B&B owner have some expertise in that field?"
I lead him to the business section as my phone dings.
Unknown:
-Your parents weren't who you thought they were...
-You need to watch your back.
"Is someone threatening you?" Bang Chan asks with an angry look on his face.
"I don't know. I've been getting these weird messages."
"You tell me if anyone fucks with you. Got it?"
"I can handle it. But thanks for the offer. Now, about that business plan... What's the business you're trying to start?"
"Tell me what book you were hiding, and I'll tell you."
"Ha! I'm not playing that game."
"You don't like games?"
"I like certain games."
"Don't leave me hanging, (YLN). What kind of games? We're not talkin' 'Monopoly', are we?"
At his flirty tone, my body starts to warm, so I ignore him and focus on the task at hand. I set Bang Chan at a computer and lean over him, subtly angling my head so my neck is exposed. In no time, I've pulled up the step-by-step guide I used when writing my business plan a few months ago.
"Read over this for a minute while I go and grab some books for you."
I accidently turn my head toward Bang Chan as I pull back, our eyes locking together and lips inches apart.
"Thank you for all your help, Director (YLN)."
Searching the shelves, I pull out a book and head back.
"So what book would a library and business expert such as yourself recommend for a man like me? I'm ready to be wowed."
This is my first chance to help a patron! I'll give him 'The Complete Guide to Business Plans'.
I hand him the book, and he thumbs through the pages.
"Wow, you're not playing around. This book has everything I need..."
"Told you I could help. I'm here to serve!"
Bang Chan gives me a lopsided smile, a mischievousness coming through in the glint of his gaze.
"You're goin' to be a great librarian, (YLN). Prove these fuckers wrong."
"Oh, I intend to. Come back tomorrow, and there's more where that came from."
"Promise?"
"You should try it and see."
"Did you figure out what I do for a living?"
"Do I get a reward for guessing right?"
I notice Bang Chan's calloused hand twitch slightly at my question.
"Possibly."
"I want your darkest secret."
"One dark secret, coming up..."
He pauses to think.
"Done. But no cheating. So...?"
"You're a plumber."
"You're guessing that after I sprayed water all over you?"
"Maybe you found me distracting."
"Oh, she's feisty!"
"I'm going to have to be in this town..."
"You've got that right."
"And my reward? Now, I get to hear your darkest secret?"
"In time. Can't let it out too early. You're a smart cookie, (YLN)."
At that, Bang Chan stands up and walks toward me. His broad shoulders tower over me as he smirks down.
"Maybe I figured out what kind of book you were reading. So, our Library Director has a taste for erotica?"
"As the head of City Council, I have a right to know, too."
Bang Chan and I jump back from each other, startled by the unexpected presence. The woman from outside stands in the door, her red sign dangling from her hands.
"Is our new Director actually reading the filth you put in our libraries?"
"Freedom of speech."
"That doesn't apply to Blue Heaven."
"It's in the American constitution, lady..."
Bang Chan shoots me a wink as he stalks toward the woman.
"Marjorie, I've got a killer idea for this year's Blueberry Festival. It requires your full attention, so why don't we grab a coffee?"
Marjorie glances between us, then gives in, trailing behind Bang Chan as they leave. Once she leaves, taking the protestors with her, I study the damage from the broken pipe with my only volunteer, Janet. Several boxes of new children's books are soaked through.
"We can't have story time without stories... And there's no room in the budget to order new ones."
"I'll save the day."
Mere hours later, Janet returns with a car full of baked goods and a crowd of people and sets it all up outside.
"Bake sale. Instant gold."
"Janet, you're a wizard."
"I don't practice witchcraft...anymore. Don't tell these people, but I got these at the store and repackaged them. But don't get your panties in a twist!
"My panties are not twisted!"
"Library Director's talking about her panties? Have you learned nothing from the protests?"
"Bang Chan! What are you doing here?" I ask in surprise.
Bang Chan! What are you doing here?
"Buying repackaged bake good, apparently."
"That's top-secret, you know..."
"I'll keep it to myself... If you let me show you around town. There's just one thing I have to tell you first. You've got family secrets? I've got some of my own. So here it goes...