Page 52 of Wild Card

“I feel like you’re going to fall off of that one of these days.”

“Nah. I’m like an archives ladder gymnast. Depending on what museum you work at, how old it is, and when the last time was that they had a supply budget you never know what the hell kind of ladder you’re going to have to climb in any given warehouse. It’s ladder roulette. Then you have to balance taking objects down while not falling or bumping them. You learn a lot of tricks fast.”

“Tricks, eh?” I smirk at her, and she glances over her shoulder and shakes her head.

“Your mind would go to the dirtiest place possible.”

“It’s a gift.” I grin and she turns back to what she was doing. “So… Darcy? Knightley? Wentworth?”

“Have you actually read them or are you just repeating your sister’s knowledge?”

“I’ve read them. It’s been a while, admittedly.”

“Then who do you think I pick?”

“Darcy.” I don’t hesitate.

“Darcy over Knightley and Wentworth?” She tilts her head as she works.

“He’s very main character. You seem to like that.”

“But the quiet pining is so hot.”

“Yes but pricks who do the quiet rescues seem to be a thing for you.” I make a more pointed comment and watch for her reaction.

She pauses as she moves to put a book back on the shelf.

“I think I’m more of a Knightley girl. Fighting with her now and again, but always there for her. Quiet pining.”

“Quiet pining is your thing. Got it.”

“Yes. It is. So which heroine then for you?”

“None. All too proper for my tastes.”

“Of course they are.” I can see the eye roll from here.

“So have you had time to go through any of my great-grandfather’s stuff?” I decide to switch subjects before we’re fighting again.

“No. Not yet. I’ll make sure I get to it soon though. Do you want me to prioritize that? And do you want me to wait for you to do it when you’re not at PT?”

I’m back to PT full time now and around the house less, but I asked her to stay on those hours anyway and work in the library. It means she’s still around and she has work, so I figure it’s a win for both of us.

“No, you can start it without me. I don’t mind. Just if you find anything interesting—keep me posted.”

“Of course. There’s a box of it on the table over there. All the letters and a diary in it. I’m going to put it in archival boxes and put them in order. Then you can go through it when you have a chance.”

“Over here?” I move to the other side of the table where the box is.

She looks down at me and nods. “Yep.”

Sitting on top of the box is a printout with a bunch of annotations on it—highlights and notes scribbled all over. I pick it up and skim it, realizing quickly it’s nothing to do with my great-grandparents and everything to do with her history channel. I’d been watching episodes of it while I’ve been laid up, and I’m nearly caught up on them now.

“Next episode is Morse Code, eh?”

“What?” She stops abruptly and looks down at me, noticing what I have in my hand. “Oh. Um… Yeah.”

“How are you going to sex that up for your Filthy Friday episode?” I ask absently as I’m still half reading her notes. She does a normal educational episode on Tuesdays, but Fridays she has a subscriber only episode that’s more in line with the harlot side of her History Harlot channel.