Monotony.

Work became a punishment –– Emily really just wanted to sigh like some lovelorn teenager and relive every moment in Kayden’s arms. Humming, she replaced books on the shelf. Lost in her thoughts, the hand on her shoulder startled her.

“Daphne!”

“Hey, Ems. Why are you all sunshine and fucking unicorns today? Humming while you put books on a shelf? I mean…Really?” Daphne, her best friend, sneered in true Daphne-fashion. Her shining dark hair, pulled back tight from her birdlike face, only emphasized the expression.

“Sorry. Off in a daydream, I guess.”

“Musta been one hell of a daydream. Tell me about it over lunch? I’m thinking Arby’s.”

“You’re thinking cheap. Let’s get some sandwiches at the deli. At least they have decent coffee.”

“Snob.”

“Yeah, right.” Snagging her purse, Emily called back to her boss, “Heading out for lunch. Need anything?”

“Winning lottery ticket and a pool boy,” Mrs. Cress answered, her traditional response.

“On it.” Emily followed Daphne out of the double doors to the parking lot.

“So, the daydream,” Daphne prodded. “Tell me about it. Since me and Rich broke up, I need to live vicariously.”

“Come on, like my daydreams compare in the slightest to the adventure that is Daphne’s life.” Ducking her head, she hoped she hid the heat creeping up her neck with her hair. Torn between desperately wanting to share the most erotic moment of her life and fearing censure, Emily chose evasion.

Daphne snorted. “Yeah, danger, sex, traffic tickets. My life is oodles of fun. Spill.”

Emily never told anyone about Kayden, but what harm could it do? Besides, she was bursting to share her story with someone… “Okay, so there is this librarian.” Beginning the story and only pausing to order her food and pay, she told Daphne about a wizard prince living in a far off land who paired up with a librarian, saved the kingdom, and ended the condensed version of years’ worth of dreams with the mirror scene. She avoided mentioning her role in the story––much too personal. Maybe Daphne would have some good advice on what the librarian should do next. “So, what do you think?”

Instead of offering up advice, Daphne fanned herself. “Girl, why haven’t you written all that down? I mean, great imagination. I know I’m not a big reader, but even I would love to read that story.”

“Story?” For a moment, Emily fought confusion. “Oh, the story.”

“Yeah, the wizard prince and the sexy librarian…I think you could really smut it up, but it would make a helluva book. Lots more like the mirror bit, of course. Way more original than that Fifty Shades of Duct Tape and Handcuffs type of stuff.”

“You loved that book, so don’t pretend otherwise now. Seriously, what should the librarian do next?” Who cared if Daphne didn’t believe her, if she had decent advice?

“How should I know? It’s your story.” Daphne picked up her sandwich and went back to eating.

Emily plucked at her sandwich. “I think the librarian might be in love with the wizard prince.” Confessing it in broad daylight made her breath catch.

Daphne, oblivious to the importance of the conversation, just waved her sandwich in a circle. “Well, duh. Why else would she travel to his world, have monkey sex in front of a mirror and all that crap?”

“But what if it is real?” Confiding, she caught Daphne’s hand. “What if—?”

Laughing, Daphne patted her hand. “Real life goes like this…you’re born, you grow up and pay bills, and one day you die. Real wizardry, and royalty? Yeah, go to England for the latter, and read some Harry Potter for the former. You’re not finding any around here.” Daphne reached across, snapping her fingers in Emily’s face. “Earth to Emily. Girl, it really is a fantastic story idea and, if it trips your trigger, you should write it out. But you also need to get out more. Date. Find a lover in reality, one who’ll leave your legs shaking instead of your imagination. Know what I mean?”

“I know.” Emily sighed, glancing around the restaurant. “I’m not like you, though. I can’t just go up to a man and—”

“Why the hell not? Hey, you!” Daphne waved to their waiter, a dark haired guy, nothing special—not as hot as Kayden—and pointed from him to Emily. “You wanna take my friend out to a movie tonight?”

The guy scanned her, then Daphne, with her low-cut shirt. “Like, all of us? Together?”

“You sick fuck. Seriously? You think a couple of women are in here surfing for a threesome?” Daphne laughed and the guy blushed.

“I-um.” Seeming at a loss for words, the guy fumbled for a second and then fled.

“Well, that worked great.” Emily snorted. “Yeah, I’m invisible.” On one hand, she was resigned because no one saw her and it wasn’t surprising. On the other, Emily’s pulse slowed in relief at both the confirmation of her frumpiness and the fact she wouldn’t have to cheat on her dream man.

“You need a makeover.” Daphne smiled. “Tomorrow, after you get off work, what are you doing?”

“Same thing I do every night, Pinky. Trying to take over the world,” Emily snarked.

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, we go get you a makeover. New duds, new hair, pluck those woolly mammoths you call eyebrows. We’ll sex you up and go out. I know this place—”

Emily shook her head. “I don’t like clubs.” The noise, the crush of bodies, even the sound…all of it made her a little nauseated.

“You don’t like anything that involves normal human interaction. No buts, no discussion. Makeover and one night out. Do it for me.” Daphne batted her eyelashes.

Unable to deny her one real friend anything, Emily conceded. “One night. Then, once you see what an epic failure it is, you drop this.”

“And you write that story.”

“Deal.”