not just a book lover

There were certain guilty pleasures she would never admit out loud — and one would be the particular joy she had in rewatching the old Mary-Kate and Ashley movies; though, it had been years since she’d done that. “Personally, I think it’s stupid as hell that you can’t find any of it on any streaming platforms — only one you can find anywhere is that last one they did in New York,” she lamented, a feigned look of slight disappointment. New York Minute — yeah, she knew the name, but she wouldn’t let Hadlee know that. “God, can’t believe I forgot about the show — that feels like a lifetime ago,” a warm release of laughter fell from her lips, amused; a conversation about Mary-Kate and Ashley. Who would have thought?

Heat crept into his cheeks and Jack found himself contending with embarrassment on top of taste bud assault. He did his best to swallow down the rest of his coughing fit, waving a hand through the air to dismiss their worry. "Down the wrong pipe," he explained. Lie that it was, it was still easier than insulting America's love of sugar. "It was touch and go for a moment there, but yeah, I think I'll live. Sorry about that." He drummed a nervous beat against the bar top for a moment before plucking up the drink menu once more. "On a totally unrelated note, do you have any suggestions for drinks that are not neon colored?"

Monroe loved a good hunt, which made some of the requests from the library really fun for him. He looked at the shelf next to him before going back to his computer system. He usually had hand written lists, because he liked the old school paper and pencil things, but he was slowly getting everything digitized. "Straight to jail with them. Like damn, why destroy a perfectly good book? I know we are all tired of reading that one but they don't have to take the plot so seriously do they?" He shook his head as he typed into the computer. "We don't have any in stock but I'll see about getting some more for you guys."

"I know slowing down when I'm working, but everything else is full speed ahead." She joins in their laugh, shaking her head in her own shame. Cassie loves her work, but she loves talking even more. "You could alternate choices? Or get members to vote on it!" Maybe she's coming across a little pushy, but Cassie's thoughts are no stranger to her aforementioned high speed. "I'm honoured, but you're setting yourself up for disappointment when you realise my thoughts are usually just 'that was great!' or 'I understood nothing'."

Willa wanted to reserve judgement for when it was warranted — and she was trying damn near hard not to assume that this was exactly what those mean moms who drove Range Rovers would do when they weren’t spending their partner’s hard-earned cash. See? It was too hard. Then again, Starlight Oaks wasn’t exactly that type of place — not many people like that existed here, and if they did, they’d be forced to eat a plate of humble pie by one of those nice, but not really that nice, old ladies around town.

Hadlee gave her another once over, gnawing on her lip as she thought. "I'm thinking... Fantasy, but not too high, still grounded in reality. Definitely mystery or thriller, too. Not super gratuitously gory, but you're not going to say no to a well-written gross scene." She hoped that she was right, if not really close. Without knowing her better, this was the best she could do.

Monroe had wanted to have a working relationship with the library as soon as he opened up the shop. He was raised in the library and it was somewhere he could go to escape from the real world problems that he was having. He was proud of the relationship he and the library had. He looked up from the register once Hadlee said hello and he offered her a wave. "Hey Had, how's it going?" He asked before thanking the customer and turning to grab the library's order.

"What would we do without you?" She grinned. She wasn't sure how, but Monroe always managed to get them the books most publishers didn't want to sell, whether they be rare or older runs. Aside from the new James Patterson and Janet Evanovich, he'd managed to get them a couple copies of a book that hadn't been printed since the late 80's, early 90's. She started loading up her arms with the other books on hers and the library's list. "Do you have any more Fahrenheit 451? Someone thinks their smart and keeps burning our copies."

"Ah, he's probably right if he's trying to slow you down. My bosses are only ever begging me to stop talking and work a little faster." She laughs, painfully aware that it probably comes as no surprise. "Could you do it together with a co-worker to keep you in check?" She offers as a solution, though it isn't really her place. Grinning, she bites her tongue from saying something else embarrassing like 'my motto!', instead thinking it through before answering. "I'll consider it! Depends on my hours; my work schedule tends to shift around a bit."

In hindsight it's so obvious that Cassie's cheeks warm in embarrassment. How could she forget the word recommend? Didn't she just say it? "Yeah, that's the one." She eventually laughs breathily, moving on as fast as possible. "Oh, fantasy and romance ones? I might have to join them all..." Cassie hums. "Wait, why wouldn't they? I would've thought, in a library, the more book clubs, the merrier. Can't you just 'rent' the space and use it however you want?"

WHERE: cosmo bar. WHO: jack & OPEN. [ @starteroaks ]

Hadlee hadn't been to a bar in... Probably since they were in college? It had definitely been a while either way. But she'd seen a flyer for the live band playing tonight and, with the night off work and nothing better to do, figured she'd drop by for a drink and good tunes.

"You really know how to sell a book. Or— Lend, I guess? Advertise?" It's a struggle to find the right word, though she happily laughs through it. Hadlee will know what she means, anyway, even if she fumbles over it. That's why she's the mail carrier and they're the librarian. "I wonder if it gets more unhinged as it continues; you'll have to let me know!" Cassie grins. "I will definitely be back for the recommendations and the snacks. How often do you meet for this specific club? Are there different clubs or just this one?"

If somebody were to ask Amara her thoughts on — who knows... the answer to some math equation. Well. She wouldn't have an answer, so it was in her right to assume that Hadlee new little to nothing of the fashion industry either, most especially what it took to get to where she was. Amara hadn't come from a fashion background, and frankly, while she would have loved to benefit from some nepotism, she clawed her way to her level of success. Part of that journey included — yes, macrame. Pressing her lips together to form a frown, confusion knitting her brows, "Which Mary Kate & Ashley movie? I can only remember 'Winning London' and 'Passport to Paris,' but that's because I made my dad go to the local Blockbuster to rent out those tapes out every week."

A book club, huh? Like the ones she saw in those shows and movies, filled with uppity Stepford wives and stay-at-home moms? Not that there was anything wrong with being either, but — it wasn't Willa's thing. Though, to Lightyear Library's credit, neither type of women appeared to be present. "I'm not sure book clubs and I are a good match — I have a lot of unwanted opinions," she admitted with a forced grin; because, honestly, Willa spent half the time in her books, seething, cursing at the protagonist.

"They're only unwanted if the person listening is stubborn." She smiled. Hadlee had their own opinions that people didn't like to hear either, but that only stopped them about half the time. "Honestly, I'd like to see more people like that at these; there's a lot of people with the same bo- opinions that you'd find in any review online."

"Exactly! I think it's better to try something and regret it than regret never trying." She answers with a soft smile. She wishes she actually thought that far ahead in the heat of the moment, but it's a mindset she keeps in general. "Oh, that actually sounds really interesting. Sounds like it could be kind of a thriller maybe? I imagine that has to do a number on you, having to swap over every month." Though she's not sure she could stomach something like that just yet, the idea intrigues her enough to ask more. "Ooh, I'd love that! I'll definitely be back for another meeting, and maybe I'll start dropping by a bit more often in between, too."