it could be something

Kayla kept a watchful eye on the new Young Adult librarian the first few weeks. Really, Asa caught on fast and had no problem working 40 hours a week. Unlike the other guy who only got 30 hours and usually could  manage 20 due to hangovers, colds and the like.

Asa wanted to work, and soon everyone trusted him. He didn't work one Sunday out of the month, but a full weekend which gave the old assistant director never having to work a weekend nor a night, again. Yes, he certainly had a way to please people. And she couldn't help, but like Asa. It was as if he'd taken a load off for her too. He did his share. He was good with people. Teenagers were always there wanting to be a part of any event he might have going.

He'd started them out with a parody novel and now had them reading the real Jane Austen without it being a graphic novel.

No, Kayla couldn't think of a bad thing about Asa.

But then there was all this talk between he and Ian. What was that about? They'd hush up as soon as they saw her. She'd caught them more than once talking so close together. Was there something going on? She felt left out. She thought there was this commodore at work.

It seemed so. Asa was good at asking how things were going with Oliver and her. He'd even serve up some of Oliver's goods to the teens at their book clubs. But this was getting odd. He and Ian, together so much.

"You don't think he's seducing him, do you?" Kayla asked Oliver one night when they were getting ready for bed. She already had her Hello Kitty pajama pants and pink tank as she lathered up a bit more moisturizer on her face, hands and arms.

"Why would he?" Oliver winced as if he didn't even get the word seduced. He went to brush his teeth as if she must be making this stuff up. He quickly did his thing in the bathroom and came back to yawn at Kayla as if this was the signal to get in bed and turn the lights off.

"What if-" She didn't want to think of Asa talking Ian into something. "Maybe I should talk to Ian. See if-if..." She was suddenly seething, thinking Asa might be too friendly with Ian. "Bastard. I bet he's..." She didn't want to think it. It made her feel sick. She didn't budge from standing by the bed.

"I don't think they're a couple." Oliver touched her shoulders then as if to wake her up to reality. "Besides, Ian's seeing someone."

"He is?" She hadn't seen any new girlfriend waiting for him, lately.

"Yeah, I thought you knew." He gave her a kiss on the cheek, yawned once more and crawled into bed in his white T-shirt and dark green plaid flannel pants.

"Who? I don't know." She'd tried her best not to know what was going on with Ian for months now.

"You're going to keep me awake about this? Aren't you?" He was waiting for her to come to bed. She gave him a dead stare.

"Derrick." He brought the covers over his head then, but then flopped them back as if a game of peek-a-boo. "Happy now?"

No, she wasn't. This was the worst news she'd ever heard. She couldn't help but scowl when she turned away and finally turned off the light before getting into bed.