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isn’t,” Reese said.
    Actually, it was. Nolan was pressed warm against her and if she forgot everything that had happened and repressed all her common sense, it was almost like they were together again, and that felt good. Pathetic, she thought, but she didn’t move away from him.
    â€œWhat’s in the other bag?” Nolan said, looking into her first shopping bag. “Is that a cow?”
    â€œYes,” Trudy said. “It says, ‘Eat chicken,’ when you pull its string.” He looked at her in disbelief, and she said, “Well, earlier in the evening that was hysterically funny.”
    â€œIt is funny,” Reese said, tightening his arm around her. “It’s very funny.”
    Nolan frowned. “I hadn’t figured you for the stuffed-animal-giving type,” he said, taking the lanky spotted cow out of the bag.
    â€œReally,” Trudy said coolly. I hadn’t figured you for the grave-disappointment type.
    â€œMore the educational-toy-giving type. You seem so … practical.”
    It was embarrassing to think what she had figured him for. He’s smart, he’s funny, and he’s got swivel hips, she’d told Courtney. Just imagine. Yeah, that was the kind of statement that came back to haunt you.
    â€œYou know. You seem pretty … straight,” Nolan said. “Being a librarian and all.”
    â€œI’m the assistant director of library sciences,” she told him, trying to crush him with disdain.
    â€œRight.” Nolan nodded. “A librarian.”
    â€œYes,” Trudy said, giving up. “I’m a librarian.”
    Reese tightened his arm around her. “I never thought of you as a librarian. I think that’s a terrible thing to call you.”
    Well, yeah, except I am a librarian, Trudy thought, and then her cell phone rang and she answered it.
    â€œ Three toxic wastes,” Courtney said, her voice much looser now. “I want to bury Evil Nemesis Brandon in the stuff.”
    â€œThere’s no need to be unpleasant,” Nolan said to Reese over her head. “It’s Christmas Eve. Goodwill to men.”
    â€œNot to you,” Reese said.
    â€œHere’s the situation,” Trudy said to Courtney, putting one hand over her ear to shut out the cab radio— gimme gimme gimme —and the two guys bickering over her head. “I met one of Dad’s old research assistants in the toy store and he says he knows where they have this year’s MacGuffin, but it’s out in some dangerous deserted warehouse on the edge of town.”
    â€œHe can get one of this year’s? Yes. Go!”
    â€œGood to know you’ll sacrifice me for a homicidal toy,” Trudy said. “But that’s okay; I’m already on my way.”
    â€œWhat’s this guy’s name?”
    â€œReese Daniels.”
    â€œDid you check his ID?”
    â€œNo, Courtney, I did not check his ID.”
    â€œAlways a good idea,” Nolan said. “You never know with research assistants. They can turn on you like that.”
    â€œWho’s that?” Courtney said.
    â€œNolan.”
    â€œStill?”
    â€œYes,” Trudy said repressively.
    Reese took his wallet from his jacket, flipped it open, and showed her his driver’s license.
    Trudy squinted at it. “His driver’s license says ‘Reese Lee Daniels.’ Born 1982.”
    â€œA younger man,” Courtney said, distracted. “Is he cute?”
    â€œSort of,” Trudy said. If you like surfers. Dude.
    â€œI really think you and I should go out again,” Nolan said. “Let’s give us another chance.”
    Trudy closed her eyes in the dark and thought, No, it will not work out, he’ll just forget you again.
    â€œDo you mind?” Reese said. “She’s with me.”
    â€œForget cute,” Courtney was saying on the phone. “Does he have a job? Does he look like he’ll