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Joy rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s not like you evenhavea sex life right now.”
“What the hell!” I smacked her arm and she laughed. “Thanks a lot. I guess I’ll ask Sydney to be my best friend now since you don’t want to be anymore.”
Joy laughed. “I’m sorry, but you know it’s true. We gotta find you someone. I just want someone to appreciate how awesome you are.”
I made a face. “I’m good.”
I liked the idea of dating. Getting pretty and going out to dinner with a hot girl. Flirting. Maybe getting laid. But then my life would change, and I might not get to read as much as I wanted to. I’d have to share my California King. And what if they wanted me to move? What if they got a job in Alaska and I had to decide if I wanted to leave everything behind?
Just considering all that gave me stress hives.
“You know, one of these days love is going to bite you in the ass and you’re going to change your tune,” Joy said, and then headed back to the counter. I decided not to buy anything and followed her.
“Yeah, I very much doubt that,” I said.
* * *
I counted downthe hours until book club on Thursday night. The twins were being especially ornery for some reason. I was chalking it up to them adjusting to being out of school and not having their normal structure. I had talked with both Mark and Sadie to figure out what we could all do to make sure they didn’t spiral into chaos demons. Lots of activities, keeping bedtimes and mornings regular, and making sure they saw their friends. It was a full-time job, and Mark and Sadie paid me good money for it.
By the time I was heading to the bookstore, I was ready to have a few drinks and think about nothing but books for a few hours. Oh, and gush about how much I loved this month’s book.
I’d worn my green silk shirt and was feeling pretty fancy.
I pushed through the door and smiled at the people who were already here.
“Look at you, all on theme,” Kendra said, doing a little shimmy in her green silk dress. It was short and really pretty. “I tried to get Theo to join me, and all I could get was a green silk tie, but that works. It really works.”
She let out a happy little sigh and then Theo walked by. Kendra let out a whistle and Theo glared at her.
“You’ve got to stop doing that,” Theo said. “It’s getting out of hand.”
Kendra skipped over and gave Theo a kiss on her cheek. “You love my hands. You love what I can do with them.”
I looked away, trying not to blush. Kendra and Theo were definitely in love. I’d even caught them about to hook up in the bathroom once. That had been extremely embarrassing for all parties involved.
“I’m going to get a glass of wine,” I said loudly, but Kendra and Theo didn’t hear me. Theo was now whispering something in Kendra’s ear, and she was giggling.
I grabbed onto Joy, who was setting up the drinks table in the back of the store. The other employee, Erin, was setting up chairs (also made by Theo).
“Rosé?” Joy asked me.
“All day,” I said, accepting the little plastic cup of wine from her. Kendra had been smart to get a liquor license so she could serve alcohol during book club if she wanted to.
“Thank you, my dear,” I said and went to greet some of the other members. Sydney had saved me and Joy a spot.
“I’m loving this,” Sydney said, touching the sleeve of my blouse. She’d gone a more subtle route with emerald earrings and necklace, but she still looked amazing. Sydney was gorgeous, and I wasn’t just saying that because she was one of my best friends. People on the streets of Arrowbridge literally stopped and stared at her when she walked by. Her hair fell in dark ringlets down her back, and her shape was the most perfect hourglass. Seriously, she should be studied by science.
We were just about ready to start, and I’d gotten up to replenish my plate of snacks when someone else pushed through the door and walked between the shelves and joined us in the back.
I was just putting another piece of cheese on my plate when I looked up to see who else was joining us. When I registered who it was, I almost dropped my plate.
“Fuck,” I said as Honor Conroy sashayed her way over and took the last empty chair, which happened to be on my right.
Fuck again.
Kendra announced that we were going to start, and I had to go sit down.
Right next to Honor.
