Chapter 3 3

The smell of sawdust filled the air, mingling with the scent of damp wood and aged paper. Emily stepped into the library, her boots crunching on debris scattered across the floor. A distant hum of power tools vibrated through the walls, accompanied by the occasional burst of laughter from Jake's crew. She clutched her clipboard, determined to focus solely on the task at hand.

She moved to the central reading room, where the morning light streamed through the stained-glass windows. Dust motes danced in the air, giving the room an almost ethereal quality despite its state of disrepair. Something about this space tugged at her memories, faint and distant, but she shook it off. There was too much work to be done.

A faint creak drew her attention to the far corner, where a large bookshelf leaned precariously against the wall. Its shelves sagged under the weight of forgotten tomes, their spines faded and titles barely legible. Emily approached cautiously, her fingers brushing against the rough wood.

"You might want to step back before that thing topples over," Jake's voice called from behind her.

She didn't bother to turn, choosing instead to examine the nearest book. "I think it's stable enough."

Jake strolled up beside her, his tool belt jingling faintly with each step. "Famous last words. Don't blame me if it crushes you."

Emily huffed and pulled a thick, leather-bound volume from the shelf. A cloud of dust puffed into the air, making her cough. She waved a hand in front of her face, glaring at Jake when he laughed.

"Are you always this helpful?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Just doing my part," he replied, leaning casually against a nearby beam. "What's so fascinating about those old books, anyway?"

"They're part of the library's history," she said, flipping the book open. The pages were yellowed and brittle, but the handwriting inside was surprisingly neat. "This one looks like a ledger. Maybe it belonged to the library's founder."

Jake tilted his head, his curiosity piqued. "A ledger? For what?"

"Donations, maybe?" Emily squinted at the entries, written in looping cursive. "Or possibly a record of the books they acquired. It's hard to tell without going through all of it."

"You sure you're not just stalling to avoid working with me?"

She shot him a look, snapping the book shut. "Don't flatter yourself."

Jake chuckled, crossing his arms as he surveyed the room. "Alright, book detective. If you're done playing historian, I could use your input on the structural changes."

Emily reluctantly set the book down and followed him to a set of floor plans spread across a makeshift table in the main hall. Jake pointed to an area near the east wall, where one of the beams had cracked under years of neglect.

"We need to replace this entirely," he said, his tone all business now. "The current design isn't up to code, and it's a safety hazard."

Emily studied the plans, her fingers tracing the lines. "What about reinforcing it instead of replacing it? That would preserve the original structure."

Jake shook his head. "Reinforcing won't cut it. The damage is too extensive. I get that you want to keep the historical feel, but sometimes you've got to let things go to make it safe."

She frowned, biting the inside of her cheek. He had a point, but the idea of removing something so integral to the building's character didn't sit well with her.

"We'll need to find a compromise," she said finally. "Maybe we can replicate the original design with new materials."

Jake nodded slowly, his expression softening. "That could work. We'll run the numbers and see if it fits the budget."

For a moment, they stood in companionable silence, studying the plans. It was a rare truce between them, but Emily knew it wouldn't last.

---

The afternoon sun was high when Emily decided to take a break. The library was quieter now, with most of Jake's crew working outside on the scaffolding. She wandered back to the corner with the leaning bookshelf, unable to shake her curiosity about the ledger.

The book was heavier than she remembered, and as she flipped through its pages, something slipped out and fluttered to the floor. She bent down, picking up a folded piece of paper. The edges were frayed, and the ink had faded, but the words were still legible.

It was a letter, written in the same elegant script as the ledger.

*Dearest Evelyn,*

*The library is nearly complete, and I cannot wait to show it to you. It is a place of knowledge, yes, but also of dreams. I hope it will inspire you as much as you inspire me. One day, perhaps, our names will be etched into its walls, remembered for the lives we touched here.*

Emily's chest tightened as she read the words. They were filled with such hope and passion, a stark contrast to the dilapidated state of the library now. She couldn't help but wonder who Evelyn was and what had become of her dreams.

"You alright?"

Jake's voice startled her, and she quickly tucked the letter back into the ledger. "I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You looked like you'd seen a ghost."

"It's nothing," she said, brushing past him. "Just found something interesting, that's all."

Jake followed her, his curiosity evident. "Interesting how?"

She hesitated, debating whether to share the letter. Finally, she handed it to him without a word.

Jake read it slowly, his expression unreadable. When he finished, he glanced at her. "This Evelyn-she sounds like she meant a lot to whoever wrote this."

"Exactly," Emily said, her voice tinged with excitement. "What if we could find more letters or records like this? It might give us a better idea of the library's history and help shape the restoration."

Jake nodded, his skepticism giving way to intrigue. "Could be worth looking into. I'll ask around, see if anyone in town knows about the original builders."

Emily smiled, surprised by his willingness to help. "Thanks. I'll do some digging in the archives here."

"Just don't let it distract you from the actual work," he said, his grin returning. "This place isn't going to fix itself."

"I think I can manage both," she replied, rolling her eyes.

Jake chuckled, heading back to his tools. For the first time, Emily felt a flicker of hope-not just for the library, but for the possibility that she and Jake could work together without constantly butting heads.

---

By the time the crew packed up for the day, Emily was deep in the archives, surrounded by stacks of old documents. Most of them were mundane-financial records, meeting minutes, and inventory lists-but every so often, she'd come across something that hinted at the library's past life.

She was so engrossed that she didn't hear Jake approach until he cleared his throat.

"You're still here?" he asked, leaning against the doorway.

"I could say the same to you," she replied, not looking up.

"Just finished cleaning up outside," he said. "Figured I'd check in before heading out."

Emily glanced at him, her curiosity piqued. "Find anything interesting?"

Jake shook his head. "Not yet. But I did talk to Mrs. Callahan-she runs the historical society. She said she might have some old photos of the library from when it first opened."

"That's great," Emily said, her excitement returning. "The more we know, the better we can restore it."

Jake's gaze lingered on her for a moment, his expression softer than usual. "You really care about this place, don't you?"

She hesitated, caught off guard by the question. "I guess I do. It feels... important, somehow."

Jake nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're not what I expected, Monroe."

"Neither are you," she admitted, surprising herself.

For a moment, the tension between them eased, replaced by something unspoken. But the spell was broken when Jake straightened, his smirk returning.

"Don't let it go to your head," he said. "I'm still going to call you out if your designs don't make sense."

Emily rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. "And I'll still tell you when you're being stubborn."

"Deal," Jake said, giving her a mock salute before walking out.

As the library fell silent once more, Emily turned back to the ledger, her determination renewed. She didn't know what the future held, but she was beginning to believe that restoring the library might be more than just a job. It might be a chance to rediscover something she hadn't realized she'd lost.