As much as Charlie hated days when the automatic checkout system broke down, he did like getting to talk face-to-face with people who otherwise had minimal contact with him when they came into the library.
When he saw Scott approaching the desk, his heart skipped. It was probably stupid to have formed a crush on him after only a few minutes of conversation, but Scott was gorgeous, with bright blue eyes and the prettiest smile Charlie had ever seen, broad shoulders leading down to a narrow waist and, Charlie had noted when he walked in earlier, a great butt. Besides, he came with five dogs.
Basically, Scott was the ideal man.
Also probably straight, but Charlie could dream.
“Just a little light reading,” Scott said as he set a pile of what must have been ten or fifteen thick reference books on the desk. Charlie was proud of his own ability to lift heavy stacks of books, but he would have struggled to lift all of them at once.
Scott was a lot bigger than he was.
“You don’t say.” Charlie smiled wryly, standing to make it easier to work his way through the pile, which towered over his head when he was sitting down.
“I guess you hear that joke all the time, huh?” Scott asked, looking sheepish.
“I do, but I’ll give you a pass this one time if you promise me the next one will be better.”
“Promise,” Scott said. “Cross my heart.”
“Good.”
Charlie started scanning books, setting them aside in a new pile as he worked. He wasn’t in the habit of paying much attention to the titles of what people were borrowing, since it felt like a breach of their privacy unless he absolutely had to know, but there was a decided theme to Scott’s book selections.
“Are you a vet? Is that why you’ve got all those dogs?”
Scott laughed a warm, deep laugh that made the back of Charlie’s neck tingle pleasantly.
“Not yet. I’m studying to be one. And I know all of this stuff is probably faster and easier to look up on the internet, but I like being able to read something cover-to-cover and get a whole overview instead of just looking up the stuff I need to know. I wanna be a good vet,” Scott said. It sounded like a speech he’d pre-prepared in his head, which was kind of cute.
“You don’t need to explain yourself to me. I’m glad the non-fiction collection is seeing some use. People mostly come in for fiction. Sometimes autobiographies, which I personally think are also mostly fiction.”
“I definitely wouldn’t tell the whole truth about my life,” Scott said. “I don’t think anyone would.”
Charlie shrugged. “I’d tell the truth to the people close to me. But not the whole world.”
“I guess if I had anyone close to me, I’d tell them,” Scott said, shrugging.
Charlie could almost feel his heart breaking for Scott in response to that. It wasn’t so much what Scott had said as the way he’d said it. Matter-of-fact, like he didn’t have anyone and that was just the way the world was. Like he’d accepted his fate.
It took Charlie exactly one second to decide that he was Scott’s friend now, whether Scott liked it or not.
“So are you studying at Hope Springs Community College, or…?” Charlie asked, changing the subject. He didn’t want Scott to be miserable. He wanted Scott to feel like they were friends.
“Yeah. I’m thinking about transferring the credits to a four-year school later if I can get in, but y’know… Hope Springs is a nice place, and the college has a good reputation. I know it’s not all that impressive, but…”
“Hey, I went there,” Charlie said. “And they put me in charge of the library after.”
“Really?” Scott raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised.
“Really. I mean, not immediately after, but when Mrs. Epstein retired and I was already working here, I got the job. As long as you’re qualified to be a vet, you should be able to get work, right?”
“Right,” Scott nodded. “Yeah, exactly. I’m new here and everything, but I like this place. If I was staying, there wouldn’t be much point in finishing up at a fancier college, right?”
“That’s up to you.” Charlie shrugged. “It depends on what you want. You seem like a man who makes good decisions.”
“Yeah?”
“Well, you have five dogs.” Charlie grinned at him. “Any series of decisions that would lead to that have to have been good ones.”
Scott snorted. “I dunno. I never get to pee in peace and every time I try to take a bath, at least one dog tries to get in with me.”
Charlie paused, trying desperately not to imagine Scott in the bath and failing miserably. He was hot, and Charlie was…
He didn’t like the word desperate, but he couldn’t think of anything more appropriate. It wasn’t as though he was at the point where he was going to hook up with just anyone. Aside from the fact that he’d worked his way through pretty much all of his options, he needed more now.
Sex wasn’t enough. Charlie wanted to be loved. He’d watched Owen and Jude get their happy ending, and he wanted one of his own.
Maybe that was stupid, but it didn’t stop him wanting it.
Not that he would have said no to sex with Scott regardless of whether or not anything else was on offer. Scott was hot.
“I’ve never had a dog,” Charlie said eventually. “My dad was super allergic to them. Then when he died I just… never got one. Maybe I should.”
Scott’s entire face lit up. “I can give you some advice, if you want? Introduce you to all the dogs that need homes right now and stuff. You’d be a great dog dad.”
Charlie had no idea how Scott could know that about him—or whether it was actually true—but the thought made his heart swell. He’d have to talk to his mom first, and it was really only an idea right now, but it was an idea he liked.
“I’ll think about it and let you know. How is Chewie, by the way?”
“He’s getting on great. Gaining weight, getting more confident. One of the other dogs took him on as her puppy, but he’s still getting formula. I think he’s gonna be okay.”
Scott was glowing as he talked about Chewie, which was incredibly cute. “I’m glad he’s okay. You’re clearly a good dog dad.”
A blush crept down Scott’s neck, disappearing into the collar of his t-shirt. “Maybe. That’s why I wanna be a vet, y’know? When I finished high school I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Picked up whatever work I could get, eventually fell into construction for a few years, and helped out at the local shelter because I was lonely. Now… this is my calling, I think. Probably not as noble as being a human doctor, but dogs are important. And cats. I like cats, too, and there are so many of them in need of homes right now if you’re more of a cat person.”
Charlie chuckled. “You’re a very good salesman. I promise I’ll think about it.”
“Good. Uh. I’ve taken up way too much of your time today, so I’ll get out of your hair, but it was good to talk to you again,” Scott said.
“Good luck with the books.” Charlie nodded at the stack he’d finished scanning a while ago. “And tell Chewie he’s a good boy for me.”
“I will.” Scott beamed, picking up the stack of books effortlessly.
Charlie absolutely didn’t deliberately check out his arms while he did it, but he might have caught a glimpse of Scott’s biceps straining the fabric of his plaid shirt.
Which was unspeakably hot.
He waved after him as he left, still smiling, and forced himself to think about unsexy things like vacuuming the staff room and dealing with the borrowing system maintenance guy.
He didn’t have the time or energy to have a totally unrequited crush on Scott. Or anyone else, for that matter. His heart seemed to have other ideas, though.
It had taken him a little too long to remember why crushes were awful, but it was all coming back now.