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Wyatt’s grin widened. “Sure.”
While he wrote a short message inside each, Johann turned to me with a look of expectation. “And you are?”
I held out my hand. “I’m Everly. Wyatt’s…” Acquaintance? Ex-best friend? I was at a loss for words. Wyatt and I had once been close, but we were only just getting to know each other again.
Wyatt looked up, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. “This is Everly. She’s one of the most special people in my life.”
I smiled, touched by his comment.
Johann gave my hand three hearty pumps. “Any friend of Wyatt Alexander’s is a friend of mine. I sure do appreciate both of you stopping in.” He slipped the signed books back behind the counter, then gestured toward two towers of cardboard boxes near the back of the store. “Apologies for the chaos, but a bunch of your books and merch arrived today and I haven’t had time to sort through everything. Truthfully, we couldn’t have planned your talk for a better time. Not everyone can attend FanCon, so the opportunity to meet such a popular author in a more intimate setting is a dream come true for so many fans, myself included.”
While Johann showed Wyatt around the store, I stayed back to admire the artwork on the walls. There were numerous dragon prints, quite a few anime posters, and a couple of superhero posters. A bulletin board on the wall behind the cash register caught my eye. It was covered with scraps of paper, and in its center sat a bright orange pamphlet advertising a speed dating event.
“Ah, I see someone’s interest is piqued.” Johann appeared beside me. “The speed dating event’s something new this year. I’m hoping it will bring more customers into the store. The plan is to get single men and women who love fantasy and sci-fi together in one place and boom! Watch the sparks fly. More heat than a nuclear reaction.”
“That’s a fantastic idea,” I said, appreciatively. “And it’s right before Halloween, so it makes sense that it’s a costumed event.”
Johann nodded, his long hair flopping in front of his face. “I wanted it to be like a mini-convention event. Unfortunately, there’s one huge kink in my plan. The guy slots are almost full, but we don’t have too many interested females.”
“How many do you have?”
“One.” Johann’s cheeks reddened. “My sister.”
Oh. That could be a serious problem.
“You’re in luck.” Wyatt walked over and placed an arm around my shoulder. “Everly can help with that. She and her friends are currently on the market and very open to meeting new people.”
I squirmed under Johann’s expectant stare. “Well, none of us are super into comics… or fantasy, for that matter…”
“That’s not a problem,” Johann insisted. “We’ll take any girls. Really. Just wear a costume, and you’re set. Or if that’s too much trouble, don’t wear anything at all.” His face froze in a mask of horror, and he spluttered, “I mean. Costumes are optional. Clothing is not.”
Poor guy. It looked as though he was about to implode. “I get it,” I said. “Let me talk to my friends.”
Johann shoved a clipboard into my hands and urged me to fill out my name and phone number.
“You know what, Johann?” I said while writing. “I bet Wyatt would love to help out too.”
Johann gazed at Wyatt with utter admiration. “Would you? Having a famous author there would really elevate everything.”
I smirked. Ha, two could play at that game. That’d teach him to throw me under the bus.
“I’d love to attend, but it would make the book signing less special.” To Wyatt’s credit, he appeared genuinely contrite. “Speed dating should be about meeting people, not meeting me.”
Johann ground a fist against his forehead. “Mother of dragons! You’re right. I hadn’t thought of that. Your fans would mob you. It would be a bloodbath.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far,” Wyatt said with a chuckle. “I’m not that popular. But if you need more guys, I know a local who might be interested. Everly’s brother Ben is a huge fan of superheroes and Star Wars.”
“He would love to come.” It was the perfect payback for my sneaky brother. “Ben also knows heaps of girls. I’ll talk to him about it.”
Johann beamed. “Wonderful. I’ll see you and your friends then, Everly.”
As Wyatt and I left the store, I let out the laughter I’d held in the entire time. “I can’t believe you volunteered us as tributes.”
“Just helping out the cause and playing the odds. You’re guaranteed to meet plenty of men at that event. Who knows? One of them might be ‘the one.’”
“Maybe.”
Wyatt arched a brow. “Isn’t that why you made the dating pact?”
