The Waitress and the Wolf (Book 1 of The Guardian series)

Chapter 11. The Beast

hey guys! I'm updating pretty dang fast lately xD even if the chapters are short which I know bothers a great many of you but please bare with me, I do shockingly have an outside life haha

Well we're already at 5k reads!!! Just the other day we were at just 1k and now here we are!! Thank you guys for reading! <3

Pic of cute little Henry to the side (:

As I walk into the library, Richard is in his usual spot, yet his dog is missing. I walk in, the book in my hand ready for return.

"Ah, Venus, good to see you dear," He chimes with a wrinkled smile that I return.

"Where's your dog?"

"Ah, poor old Henry isn't feeling too well lately so I've left him at the vets for a little. A few nights ago he ate something he shouldn't have," He explained, never once meeting my eye. I raised an eyebrow but left it be.

"I'm sorry about that," I told him. He seemed a bit more downtrodden than he was letting on, so I quickly changed the topic. "I was going to return this. It was very good," I said with a light smile. Richard's eyes traveled down to my hand where I clutched the book.

"My granddaughter loves that book. She must have read it at least 10 times," He said with a chuckle.

"Oh, I wasn't aware you had a granddaughter," I said with wide eyes. You'd think that after my years of living in this small town that I'd know about his family, especially since I make it a point to come here often - well as often I can what with my work schedule.

"She's visiting here actually and staying with a friend," He said with a grimace. Whoever the friend was, it was apparent he wasn't her number one fan.

"That's nice," Is all I can say.

"Yeah, her names Jess, she'll be working a bit in here while she stays with her friend Brooke and her father," He went deeper into the topic, but it seemed like he was more-so talking to himself. I looked around awkwardly, unsure of what to say. The name "Brooke" and "Jess" rang off bells in my head. How small was this world, or rather town getting? I shook my head.

"Anyways, enough of my old blabbering. I'll take that," He said, holding his frail hand out. I nodded, and handed him the dusty book. He grabbed it and tossed it into a bin that he later would sort through.

"Brooke's dad, he was the one that was here a while ago right?" I asked. Richard's face twisted into one of doubt. Perhaps he was doubting whether or not to tell me the truth about it all, or if he was wishing he didn't have to.

"Her father's name is Landon Silver, and he's a very manipulative man," He said as his eyes trailed off into the distance as if recalling a memory. I frowned.

"He seemed very angry the other day," I said quietly, hoping I wasn't crossing any boundaries. Then again when I had seen him at the diner he was much more reserved and put together. Which side of him was the real him? I had seen two completely sides of him yet a lot of people had a great many sides to themselves but it was up to us which side to act on.

"When he doesn't get what he wants he gets angry, as many foolish men do." Was all he said. I decided not to be nosy any more or else I'd be acting like Moira.

"I didn't mean to pry," I muttered.

"Oh it's alright, really. He's just about as strange as the Williams fellow, if not the same," He replied, turning his back to me. Williams? Now why did I seem to remember that name? I shook my head. I needed to stay out of other people's business anyway.