Page 12 of Rating the Book Boyfriend

The flight attendant brings our drinks, and I smile when Libby thanks her and calls her by name. She seems really sweet and treats people with respect, unlike…

Fuck. I rub a hand over my face and lean my head back, staring at the round air vents above me. I’ve really got to do something about this situation with Lucinda. It’s becoming untenable.

The flight attendants begin their safety talk, and I prepare myself to zone out like I usually do. But the woman beside me is listening attentively, nodding and smiling at Cara as she goes through all the motions that I’m sure she gets bored with after doing it numerous times a day.

When she’s done and picking up the glasses from the first-class passengers in preparation for takeoff, Libby reaches out and touches the woman’s hand.

“Cara, I’m in awe of how you buckle that safety vest around your waist during your presentation without even looking. I’d look like a bumbling fool.”

Cara literally beams at the praise. “Thank you, Ms. Hill. I feel like no one even pays attention anymore.”Yeah, dickheads like me.“It’s nice to know someone does.”

“No problem. I just wanted to make sure you know how much I appreciate you and the crew. I know it’s a hard job.”

Jesus, who is this woman? She’s got a face and body that won’t quit,andshe’s kindhearted?

“Did she call you Ms. Hill?” I ask, turning to look at Libby.

She blinks a few times with those hazel eyes before speaking. “Oh, yes. That’s my real surname. Libby Cox is my pen name.”

“And is Libby your real first name?” I ask and then catch myself. “Sorry, that’s a bit personal.”

“No, it’s okay,” she says, tilting her head and allowing all those wavy locks to spill over the shoulder of the sunshine-yellow sweater she’s wearing. “My full name is Liberty Hill, but most everyone calls me Libby, in real life and in the book world.”

“Liberty Hill.” I let the name slip from my tongue. “I like it.”

She rolls her eyes and giggles, and I’m captivated by the sound. “It sounds like somewhere Custer would surrender the troops.”

A rush of laughter bursts from my lips as she joins my hilarity in a completely self-deprecating way. I adore a woman with a sense of humor, but I don’t have many of them in my life.

Except for my sister, Silvia, and my grandma, who are my two favorite people in the world.

I smile just thinking about my grandmother. Viviana Romero was a renowned ballbuster in her day, breaking through glassceilings and running my grandfather’s business with an iron fist after he passed away at age forty. But to me, she’s just Nana Viv, the woman with a wicked sense of humor and a deep love of family.

“What about you?” Libby asks, smiling at me with brilliant white teeth surrounded by full pink lips. “Is Riggs Romero your real name?”

“Yes, though when I started doing cover modeling, my sister, Silvia, decided to try and come up with astage name, as she called it.”

“You didn’t like any of her suggestions?”

Closing my eyes, I shake my head. “Nope. We couldn’t get on the same page, so I decided to just use my real name.”

Libby’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “What were some of the names Silvia came up with?”

“She wanted the first name to start with an R like my last name. Said she liked the alliteration.” I pull out my phone and scroll to my notes app before lifting a challenging eyebrow her way. “I have a list, if you’d really like to hear some.”

“Ooh, I love lists,” she says with an enthusiasm that makes me laugh. “And I’d love to hear.”

“Okay, here we go. Prepare yourself, Liberty Hill. Some of these are doozies, but I’ll start you off easy.”

She points a finger gun at me. “Shoot. I can take it.”

“Remus.”

Her nose scrunches adorably. “All I can think of is Professor Lupin fromHarry Potter. You’d need a sketchy porn star mustache to pull off that name.”

A snort escapes from my throat. “These next ones aren’t too bad. Roman, Rufus, and Rogue.”

“Rogue is trying too hard, and Rufus is a hard no, but Roman is nice. Not as sexy as Riggs Romero though.”

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