Page 25 of Unforgettable Player

I nod.

“Because … I was serious about this being your house more than it is mine. The last thing I ever want to do is make you feel weird here, or like you can’t hang out, because you can—I promise I’ll never do that again. I’m not a creep. I can take no for an answer.”

Everything twists inside me. Did I say no? I said ‘we can’t.’ That’s a little different. But it should have been a no, and that’s the main thing.

“I know you can, Connor. And I don’t feel awkward. I promise.” Liar.

8

ELLIOT

“Grady Hendrix? Yay or nay?”

“Huh?”

Scout waves a book with a tacky ‘80s horror movie cover in my face.

“Yay, looks cool.”

She adds it to the pile building under one arm.

“You haven’t got anything.”

“What?”

She repeats herself slowly, like I’m an alien or hard of hearing. “You. Don’t. Have. Any. Books.”

“I haven’t seen anything I want.”

“What’s wrong with you today?” she asks, side-eying me.

“Nothing, I’m just tired.”

“Hmm.” She moves along the shelves, pausing at the Js.

She glances behind her, her face changing in an instant. “Don’t look now, but Cute Bookstore Guy’s been checking you out for the past thirty minutes.”

My face gets hot. “No, he hasn’t.”

“Uh huh, has too.”

I shake my head and try to focus on the books in front of me. I’m wearing my glasses again and I feel less uncomfortable, but also less attractive, than I’d felt wearing contacts.

“Eli, this could be the summer you finally hook up with him.”

“Pfft.”

“What? Don’t scoff. He’s legit looking at you.”

I try to ignore her and pick up the nearest book, pretending to study the blurb. But she spins me by the shoulder and looks me dead in the eye. “Elliot, you are a smart, hot, capable man.”

I laugh.

Her lips twitch. “I’m being serious! You could totally nail Cute Bookstore Guy.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but⁠—”

“Listen, you grab something sexy to buy and I’ll go get the skinny on him for you.”