Loan Periods
Point Place, WI(2 months later)
2:00PM
Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights: Heirs of the Force (#1) along with Brown Bag
Success: Making Healthy Lunches Your Kids Won't Trade were a month overdue so
instead of grabbing some fast food on his lunch hour he was the Point Place public
library to return the books and pay the fine.
"I'm sorry," Eric stated when he put the books on the counter, "I forgot that I still had
these. So, I figured I would skip lunch and return them right away."
The forty two year old librarian with the dirty blonde hair and brown eyes felt weak in
the knees. She had a crush on this Forman, Eric ever since he walked in with his
son for toddler story time, which had to be over ten years ago.
"It's quite alright, Mr. Forman. And you should never skip lunch."
Eric smiled, "Please call me, Eric."
"Would you like to pay your fine now in cash or would you like to put it on your credit
card, E-eric?"
"The last thing I need is another charge on my card. I'll pay in cash."
She typed some commands into her computer.
"It'll only take a few minutes to print out a receipt."
She never saw a man so handsome before. His date book must be constantly full.
His eyes were the brightest shade of green that she had ever seen. When she took
his money she figured she could away with a slight touch of his hand. He didn't seem
the type that would sue her for sexual harassment.
She ripped the paper off the printer and took out her purple inked rubber stamp
wondering if she could again get away with touching his hand. She stamped "PAID"
on the receipt as she folded the receipt in his hand. She ditched the clichéd librarian
shyness for just a few second as she placed her other hand under his and squeezed
both hands together to enclose his. She looked up surprised that his eyes were
twinkling.
"I hope that you don't mind me saying," her voice went into whisper mode, "that you
have beautiful eyes, E-eric."
She hated letting go over his hand but it wasn't very professional work place
behavior and she could get in trouble with her boss if she was caught flirting.
"Thank you, Miss…"
"Paige Allen."
"Thank you Miss Paige Allen," he whispered back, "You just made my day."
"Goodbye, Eric."
She stared dreamily as she watched Eric leave the library.
"Paige! May I speak to you?" Asked her younger nosy co-worker Gwen who worked
in the reference department upstairs.
"If you are going to yell at me that I should know better; I'm already aware of that. But
I just find that man very beautiful."
"If you were in a restaurant or bar that would be fine but this is a place of business
and you are old enough to know better."
"Are you saying that you'll report me to Wanda?"
"Take it any way you want."
"You just want my job and think you'll get it because your mother goes to same
beauty salon as Wanda."
"Just watch yourself, Paige. Inappropriateness at the workplace must always be
reported, so just watch yourself."
"Gwen why don't you just watch yourself? Now if you excuse me I have work to do."
Her feelings for the patron known as Eric Forman were starting to rise to the surface
maybe it wasn't professional to flirt with him in the workplace, but she still found him
attractive and she wondered if he could possibly feel the same way?
(a week later)
Eric didn't see Paige anywhere when he came to the library on his lunch hour.
He promised Jacen that he'd find him a book on the solar system but only if it was for
recreational reading and not for a school paper because he would never learn how
to study properly if his father got the books for him. It was important for him to do all
aspects of the research himself.
He saw Paige the woman that flirted with him and gave his self esteem a much
needed boost last week staring out of the window with her clipboard resting on the
shelf. Eric took a deep breath and thought to go over to her and say hello.
"Hello, Paige."
The man she was thinking about brought her out of her thoughts of the man she was
thinking about.
"H-hello, Eric."
"A penny for your thoughts?"
"I was just thinking it's a nice day." She was embarrassed. He had to be able to tell
that she was really thinking about him.
"I was wondering if you could help me? Can you a recommend a book on the solar
system for my thirteen year old son?"
"Your boy is thirteen? Seems like only yesterday when the two of you came in here
for toddler story time."
"I know. His birthday was a month ago."
"Follow me, I think I have a book that he might like."
"Thank you."
"Did you skip lunch again, Eric?"
"Yeah. I know I shouldn't but sometimes you get so busy. You know?"
"I know. Here you are," She handed him a copy of Milky Way &Mars Bars:
Astronomy for Kids, "I know you said your son just turned thirteen and the cut off
point is age twelve, but I think he'll still enjoy it."
"Thank you."
"Now if you excuse me, Eric, I have to get back to my inventory. Have a nice day."
This was the time of the day that Gwen made her spying rounds and she just couldn't
be caught socializing on the job. She just hoped that Eric wouldn't find her rude.
"Oh. Okay. Thank you for the book recommendation. I'll make sure to return this
one on time. Bye, Paige."
"So long, Eric."
When she was sure that he had left. She sat down on the floor and cried and she
didn't care if Gwen reported that.
Eric's office
Eric's desk was a mess the only things that he liked on it were the pictures of
Jacen. He had files everywhere they were on his desk, on his chair, on his client's
chairs, and even on the floor. He was never going to finish the Friday deadline. He
hated staying late at the office because how many nights was he going to have left at
the dinner table with his son? His brown work blazer was over his desk chair, his tie
was wrinkled, and his sleeves rolled up. He even had a pencil behind his ear but he
always seemed to use the pen on the desk instead. Eric wasn't paying attention
when someone knocked on his office door.
"I'll be with you in a second as soon as I find the Miller file."
"Okay, I can wait." she closed the door for privacy.
He looked up surprised, "Paige? Hi! What are you doing here?"
"I just wanted to apologize if I seemed rude at the library today and there was a
reason for it and you seem to be extremely busy. So just accept this with my
compliments." She put the bag from the corner bakery on the one free space that
was on his desk.
"You don't have to leave."
"I can only stay for a few minutes."
"Thank you for buying me lunch."
"It was no problem really."
He opened the bag to find a wonderful smelling blueberry muffin and a cinnamon
coffee.
"Thank you. I couldn't possibly eat all this. Would you like to split it with me?"
"Sure."
He opened up his bottom desk drawer to take out a paper plate, plastic knife, and a
styrofoam cup.
"I just didn't like the idea of you skipping lunch. I hope I'm not overstepping."
He smiled as he poured half of the cinnamon coffee in the styrofoam cup.
"I welcome the company. I'm sorry about those folders on the chair you can put them
on the floor."
She had to be dreaming the way he looked at her with eyes that just melted every
cell inside of her body. It was the best lunch date that she ever had.
"I have to get back to the library," Paige said as the door swung open and one of
Eric's co-workers demanded the important Miller file to be put on Stacey's desk.
"And that's my cue too. Thanks for the muffin and coffee."
"You're quite welcome, Eric," he had a piece of muffin on the inside corner of his
mouth and she gently flicked it away with her thumb, "My number is in the book."
"That's good to know. My number," he reached behind his lucky R2-D2 figure to get
a business card out of the plastic holder, "is on this card."
"Maybe you'd like to come the library open house on Saturday? Bring your son."
"And maybe afterwards we could go out to dinner? Without my son."
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she left his office. If she got fired
when she got back to the library it would be worth it. Eric Forman asked her out.
Eric grabbed the Miller file that was under his desk as he thought about the events
that just transpired. A beautiful and intelligent lady was interested in him. Eric
Forman. He would spill his guts in an email to Jackie later on: I don't know what she
can possibly see in me but Paige and I like each other and we're going to go out on
Saturday night. I haven't been on a date in years. I think I need to put all my energy
into The Force. I'll talk to you soon. Love, Eric.