Tell Me No Lies

Before Tessa could respond, another teen, Jill, came up to them. Dark-eyed and intense, she said, “Hunk alert.”

Tessa laughed. She’d gotten used to the girls drooling over her brother-in-law. Nick was the center’s school liaison and focused on keeping troubled kids in classes, steering them away from drugs and into healthier endeavors, helping them keep their grades up. Dan, who’d had contact with Nick over the years, had been shocked to find out that he’d earned a degree in counseling in Rockford. “Is Nick here already?”

“Yeah.” Jill sighed. “He wants to see you when you’re done steering us to lesson-laden literature.”

“Great alliteration.” She cocked her head. “Do you mind so much? I thought reading about teenagers your age might help you figure things out.”

“You’re such an easy mark, Mrs. L. We’re cool. We like it better than those classics you had us reading when we first came here. Except maybe that doll’s house play, where the chick finally blows off her deadbeat husband.”

Tessa left them and found Nick staring at a glass-enclosed case full of books. From a distance, she could admire the long lines of his build, his dark hair and his almost navy eyes. In some ways he looked like his brother, and in some ways they could be complete strangers.

“Hey, how’s my favorite brother-in-law?”

Nick winked at her. “I’ll bet you say that to Brad, too.”

“That’s right. I’m an equal opportunity sister-in-law.”

“How are you feeling today?”

Nodding to the stacks where the girls had been drooling over him, she said, “I’m well enough to do this. I’m coming back to work here tomorrow.”

“Bruises look better.”

Self-consciously, she touched her face. “Finally!”

“How are my girls doing?”

“They’re on to me.” She told him about Jill’s remark.

Nick laughed. “You’re pretty transparent. I think that’s why they like you. What you see is what you get.”

She had to clear her throat. “I like them, too.”

“I’m ready to take them back, then go pick up my nieces at their friend’s house.”

“Thanks for watching them tonight.”

“Dan said he wanted an evening alone with you.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I think you scared him half to death with that accident. Me, too.”

“Still, you have better things to do than babysit.”

“I have nothing better to do than spend time with my two nieces.” He glanced at his watch. “You can return the favor, though.”

“Anything.”

“The guys at the center are jealous of this little Thursday excursion the girls get to take. They want equal time. Could you manage that somehow in your schedule? They could come to the library when you’re working your part-time shifts.”

She hesitated only a split second, but Nick must have caught it. Sometimes, he was too good at reading people.

“You don’t like working with the boys, do you?”

“I prefer to be with the girls.” The boys reminded her too much of someone else, long ago.

“Forget it then. I can do something else with them that they’ll like as much.”

“No, no, I want to help out. You never ask me anything.”

“Tessa, really, it’s okay.”

Dan came bursting through the front door of the library, precluding any further discussion. His face was lit with excitement. Anticipation. She knew him so well, had studied his moods, so she could prepare for them.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hello, sweetheart.”

“Hi.”

“You look like you could scale Mt. Everest,” Nick said. “Did something happen?”

“Yeah. I’m glad you’re both here.” He grinned at his brother. “And that I have Tessa alone tonight. We’ve got something to celebrate.”

“What?” Tessa asked, already smiling.

“I’m being named Citizen of the Year.”

“Oh, Dan, that’s terrific.” The award had been instituted two years ago, and Tessa was hoping it would fall his way.

“Yeah, terrific.” Nick tried to sound enthusiastic, but Dan’s need for respectability always grated on him.

“Come on, Nick. It’s my thing, even if it isn’t yours. There’s a banquet honoring me next month. I want everybody there.”

Tessa had caught his excitement. “The girls, Janey and her family…”

“And our mother, right?” Nick asked.

“Of course.” Dan said.

“I’ll let you know.” Nick clapped Dan on the shoulder. “Congrats, Dan. I’m happy for you.” He started to walk away. “I have to find the kids.”

“Nicky?” Tessa called out.

“Yes?”

“Will you come to the award dinner?”

“Sure.”

After he left, Dan said, “He won’t. Not if Mom’s there.”

“Oh, dear.”