When you’re done, could you go and help that gentleman over there? He’s looking a little lost.’
‘Which gentleman?’ Gracie asked in confusion.
‘The one with his back to us, wearing a grey coat.’
Gracie stared across the library and frowned. There was something very familiar about the man’s lean frame and messy brown hair, not to mention the battered satchel he was carrying. Gracie approached him slowly, an odd feeling in her stomach.
‘Excuse me,’ she began.
The man turned around, and his mouth dropped open in shock.
‘Reggie!’ Gracie exclaimed. ‘It is you.’
Reggie looked startled. ‘Hello, Grace,’ he began nervously.
‘It’s Grac-ie,’ she retorted, pursing her lips into a fine line. ‘What are you doing here? Making notes on us outside of the book club too?’
‘No, of course not,’ he replied, angry spots of colour appearing on his cheeks. ‘Besides, you’re the one who came over to say hello to me. I didn’t even see you.’
‘I work here,’ Gracie shot back. ‘My manager sent me over because he thought you looked like you needed some help.’
‘Oh, I see,’ Reggie replied, caught off-guard. ‘Well, I could do with some help actually. I … um … I can’t seem to find a copy of Lady Chatterley’s Lover.’
Gracie raised her eyebrows. ‘So you are planning to come to the next meeting?’
‘Yes, most probably. After all, it’s very important for my—’
‘For your thesis. Yes, you mentioned that,’ Gracie finished sarcastically, and Reggie blushed even deeper. ‘I’m afraid Lady Chatterley’s Lover isn’t in stock.’
‘How do you know without checking?’ Reggie shot back suspiciously, worrying that she was trying to fob him off.
Gracie tried hard to keep a straight face, but couldn’t hide her triumphant smile. ‘Because I’ve already borrowed it. Librarian’s privileges, you see. It means I get first dibs.’
Unable to help himself, Reggie began to laugh. ‘Well, I can’t compete with that, can I? I suppose I’ll have to buy it instead. Isn’t there a little bookshop around here? Bainbridge Books, or something like that?’
‘It closed down,’ Gracie told him glumly.
‘Right. Well, I’ll have to go to the big Waterstones in town. Or maybe I could look in the university library next time I’m in.’
‘I can check the system if you like,’ Gracie offered, taking pity on him. ‘See if it’s in stock in any other libraries nearby.’
‘Would you?’ Reggie asked gratefully. ‘That would be very useful.’
‘Of course.’
‘I used to have a copy,’ Reggie explained, as he followed her over to the main desk. ‘But I don’t know where it is now. It’s probably in a box somewhere at my parents’ house, with all the other books from my undergraduate degree.’
‘Did you study English?’ Gracie asked.
Reggie nodded.
‘Me too! I specialised in feminist writing. My thesis was on First Wave to Second Wave: Feminist Writing from Mary Wollstonecraft to Simone de Beauvoir.’
Reggie looked amused. ‘Now why doesn’t that surprise me?’ The words slipped out of his mouth almost before he realised what he was saying, and Gracie turned on him angrily.
‘There’s nothing wrong with having a little self-respect. Not all women are as pathetic and submissive as books like Ten Sweet Lessons imply.’
‘Ah, you weren’t a fan of that, were you?’ Reggie grinned, his eyes twinkling as he teased her.
‘Look, you can’t deny that books like Ten Sweet Lessons are a totally unrealistic representation of a male-female relationship,’ Gracie began hotly. ‘They offer an unhelpful stereotype that women – and men – simply can’t live up to.’
‘In what sense?’ Reggie challenged her.
‘In every sense!’ Gracie was becoming increasingly frustrated. ‘They imply that everything – in the bedroom – is going to be amazing, and sometimes it’s just not. I mean, you can’t just – you know – so easily and so frequently. Not every time,’ Gracie faltered, tying herself up in verbal knots and wishing she’d never started this rant.
‘It’s supposed to be a fantasy,’ Reggie continued, aware that he was infuriating Gracie, and enjoying watching her become increasingly animated. ‘Anyway, maybe some people can – you know – so easily and so frequently.’
‘Well I haven’t ever … like that,’ Gracie retorted, eager to win the argument, but revealing more about herself than she intended.
‘It’s all a question of chemistry. Maybe with the right person you could … It’s about buttons. Pushing them, I mean …’ Reggie finished awkwardly, jabbing at the air in a clumsy mime.
‘Great technique, Reggie,’ Gracie broke down in helpless giggles.
‘It’s not … I mean … That’s not what I do …’
‘Really?’ Gracie shot back, relishing the fact that the tables had turned, and Reggie was now the one squirming with embarrassment. ‘What do you do? Maybe you could outline your technique for us at the next book club meeting.’
Their voices were growing louder, and Gracie’s manager looked across sharply.
‘Gracie,’ he hissed. ‘It’s not very often that I have to tell the staff to be quiet, but you and your friend are disturbing people.’
‘Sorry Simon, I—’
‘And I’m not sure your conversation is entirely appropriate for the workplace either,’ he added pointedly.
Gracie caught Reggie’s eye and saw that he was trying not to laugh. It was impossible to keep a straight face, and soon they were both grinning naughtily at each other, like schoolchildren being told off by the headmaster. Gracie found herself wondering how on earth they’d ended up on this subject. The last person she’d have expected to be discussing sexual chemistry with was Reggie.
‘So do any other libraries have it?’ Reggie whispered, his eyes dancing as he leaned over, resting his elbows on the counter.
‘Have what?’
‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover.’
‘Oh, yeah, I’d forgotten about that!’ Gracie quickly typed in the title and squinted at the screen. ‘There are three copies in the central library. We can order one for you, and it’ll be here tomorrow after three, or I can reserve a copy and you can pop in yourself to collect it.’
‘Um …’ Reggie pondered the issue for a moment. ‘I’ll call in. I’ll be over that way this afternoon.’
‘Okay,’ Gracie nodded, feeling unexpectedly disappointed. ‘I’ll put it on hold and it’ll be there waiting for you.’
‘Great. Thanks, Gracie.’
‘No problem.’
‘Well … I guess I’ll see you at the next meeting.’
‘I guess you will. If you turn up, that is.’
‘Oh, I’ll turn up,’ Reggie insisted. ‘You lot aren’t so bad after all, you know.’
‘Oi!’ Gracie exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. ‘And don’t worry – I won’t tell everyone