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“Shame,” he murmurs, his shoulder falling limp. “She needs a little Alpha male in her life.”
A strange part of me can’t help but feel ridiculously happy about that statement.
“Are you saying she’s not happy in her marriage?” I ask, trying to step lightly. I don’t want her unhappy, but that would be good information to know.
“Honey, she hasn’t been happy for a very long time.” Quinn swipes his hand through the air between us.
“Why not?” I turn to face him now, wanting to hear more.
Quinn follows suit and turns to face me. “Between you and me, Seth—her husband—is gone a lot. He cares more for his job than anything else.”
“What does he do?”
“He’s some big-shot travel blogger. Travels, like, nonstop.” Quinn rolls his eyes.
“You don’t like him?” I ask, probably overstepping, but it slips out.
“Seth’s fine. I mean, as far as human beings go, he isn’t terrible. I just think Lily’s lonely and deserves better than she’s admitting to herself.”
“Why doesn’t Lily travel with him?”
“I think she did in the beginning. But it’s hard to run a successful event coordination business when you’re never in town to coordinate the events.” He shoots me a pointed stare. “Lily is an independent woman who still wants to make her own mark. The last thing she wants to be is just arm candy for some travel influencer, however adorable she might be.”
I tip my chin. “Makes sense.”
Lily never was someone who would sit idly by. She was always full of enthusiasm—chasing one interest, then another.
Quinn watches me for a moment, then offers, “Let me do the inviting. Once they realize you’re here, the girls will want to chat you up. Well, more like interrogate you … All the good stuff. Once the other B’s go, I’ll invite her to dinner at Fitger’s. I’m closing up soon anyway. Then, I’ll invite you, too. She won’t feel crazy pressured because I’ll be there as a buffer—and the invitee.”
I scratch the side of my right eyebrow. “That’s actually … not a terrible idea.”
He feigns being heartbroken. “Are you kidding? It’s brilliant.”
I laugh at his confidence. “You’re not wrong. So, will you stay the whole time or—”
“I’ll read the room.” He smirks at me. “If it seems like the two of you are in the clear, I’ll make up an excuse to go.”
“You don’t have—” I begin.
Just then, the doors to the bookstore open, and out stumble five slightly tipsy women. They’re all chatting amongst themselves, without a care in the world.
Of course, Lily holds my attention in the back, as she leans against a shorter woman with red hair and wraps her arms around her.
My heart hammers in my chest and I take a big inhalation to try to tame it.
“Showtime,” Quinn says under his breath. He bumps me with his shoulder. “Don’t freak her out.”
“I’ll try not to,” I whisper, swallowing hard.
“And remember, you throw me under the bus and I’ll return the favor tenfold,” he hisses in my ear right before he plasters on a big grin and calls out, “Ladies! Which book boyfriend do I need to fall in love with this week?”
“Quinn—” the group of women croon in unison.
“Oooh,who’s your friend?” a tall blond asks when her gaze lands on me. She’s dressed in skin-tight teal leggings and a top that looks like it was picked out of Rebecca’s wardrobe.
Quinn turns back to me and extends his right arm. “Actually, this is Lily’s friend, London.”
The entire group pauses to give me a solid once over before exchanging a significant glance with one another. The look they share is something I can’t quite decipher, so I’m hoping like hell it’s not a bad thing.
