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“Do you want to think about it?” I joke, a smile tugging on my lips.
“It’s my favorite. What are you getting?”
“Hawaiian,” I reply without hesitation.
“Eww, that’s gross! Pineapple on a pizza shouldn’t be allowed.”
“What? Pineapple on a pizza is the best.”
“It’s fruit on a pizza. It’s wrong on every level.” She opens her soda and brings it to her lips, swallowing a mouthful.
“You can try a slice of mine. I bet you change your mind.”
“Not gonna happen.”
I let out a laugh as I dial the number on the front of the menu. Ordering the two pizzas for delivery, I give over the address before ending the call.
There is only one sofa and a footstool in the small living room, and I have no choice but to sit next to Hallie. She turns on the television, flicking quickly through the list of channels. Inwardly, I groan as she stops on a channel showing a cheesy reality show where women compete for a guy’s attention. The women are bitchy, and within five minutes, they’re arguing over who kissed Brandon in the hot tub. I glance sideways at Hallie, seeing she’s transfixed by what’s happening on the screen.
“You like this?” I ask, unable to hide the disdain in my voice.
“I love this!” she says, her eyes never leaving the screen. “You’d better get used to it if you’re going to be living here for a while. It’s the start of a new series, and it’s on every night for a month.” I groan loudly and drop my head back against the sofa. Hallie laughs, her eyes still on the screen. “I bet you’re hooked by the end of the week.”
“I seriously doubt it!”
“Trust me, it’s addictive.”
“I’ll take your word for it.” I let out a sigh and drag my hand through my hair. “I think the stack of romance books in my room is favorable to watching this.”
She turns to look at me, her eyes wide. “Those books aren’t for reading.” She looks a little crazy, and I hold my hands up.
“Okaaay… what are they for then? Surelyyou’veread them?”
“I’ve read them on my Kindle. I haven’t read the paperback copies.”
“So, you paid to read them on your Kindle?” She nods. “Then you paid again for the paperback copy, but you neverreadthe paperback copy?” She nods again. “Okay, I’m confused. Why would anyone do that?”
She laughs, and I turn slightly in my seat next to her. “Oh, God! You make me sound insane!” She drops her head in her hands and laughs.
I laugh too. “I’m just saying it as I see it. So, why don’t you ever read the paperbacks?”
She lifts her head from her hands and shrugs. It’s a strange conversation to be having, but I’m glad I’ve finally got her talking. “Most of them are signed by the authors. I don’t like to read them once they’re signed. I don’t want to crease the spines.” She looks at me out of the corner of her eye and grins. “I know that makes me strange. I like to see them on the shelves. I flick through them from time to time, though.” I smile, thinking how cute she sounds trying to justify her massive collection of unread books. “I’m shutting up now. It’s clear you think I’m nuts.”
“No, no. Not at all,” I rush out, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. “I sort of get it. I used to collect comics when I was a kid.”
“Unread comics?” she asks, a smile pulling on her lips.
“Well, no… I’m not that weird.” I bump shoulders with her and wink when she looks at me. “Okay, enough teasing.”
“Thank you.”
“One more question, though?” She rolls her eyes and looks at me skeptically. “How did you get them all signed?”
She turns in her seat to face me. “I’ve met a couple of the authors at signings at Barnes & Noble. Others I’ve ordered from the author’s website, and some I’ve gotten through book box subscriptions.” Her whole face lights up as she talks about her book collection. I suddenly feel bad for teasing her.
“What are book box subscriptions?” I ask, loving seeing the excitement on her face.
“Each month I get a box in the mail with a couple of signed paperbacks inside, along with some author swag. It’s always a surprise to see which authors are included, and I’ve found some great new-to-me authors in those boxes.”
