Page 20 of Rating the Book Boyfriend

My shoulders hunch up with excitement at the prospects. I adore this darling one-and-a-half-story bungalow and was shocked that I’d gotten such a good deal on the rent.

“My lease says I can paint the walls and hang stuff as long as I don’t make huge holes.”

With his hands on his hips, he surveys the living area. “What are you thinking as far as art? Like photos or paintings or what?”

“I want it to be a true beach house with local photos of the water and sunsets, stuff like that. I guess paintings would be okay too, but I really love photos.”

His eyes shift from side to side. “I think that would look great, but don’t buy any. I think I can hook you up.”

Despite me telling Riggs he can just leave the boxes on my wide front porch, he insists on carrying them inside and even takes each labeled box to its designated room.Chalking up bonus points for chivalry.

When we’re done, we collapse onto the steps leading down to the sidewalk. “Thank you so much for everything, Riggs. Will you let me treat you to an ice cream?”

He leans back on his hands, and I have to force myself not to look at the veins in his forearms. “I never turn down ice cream,” he says, “but I’ll buy.”

“Nope, not gonna happen,” I insist, standing and clapping him on the shoulder. “Let’s go, McSnugglebuns.”

“So what’s the plan for the BBB lessons?” Riggs asks around a mouthful of the salted caramel ice cream as we sit at a small, round table.

“Oh, you better shape up, mister. Coach Libby is a taskmaster.”

He laughs. “I’ll do my best, Coach. When do we get started?”

“I can meet with you on Saturday to go over my spreadsheets.”

Riggs pauses with his cone an inch from his lips. “You have spreadsheets?”

I swipe my tongue around the top scoop of my ice cream and don't miss how Riggs’s eyes follow the move. “I have spreadsheets and graphs as part of my rating system. I’m very… organized.”

“Will I be your first client?”

“Actually, I’m meeting my first client tomorrow. I’m going to work with you and her concurrently. But on different days of course.”

“Her?” he asks in confusion.

“Yes, she’s in a same sex relationship, and she messaged me personally and asked if I would be willing to take her on as a client. After messaging back and forth, I told her I’d be happy to. She sounds like she honestly just wants to be a better partner for her girlfriend.”

“That’s kinda cool. I assumed it would only be men.”

“I did too, but after thinking about it, don’t we all want the same things? It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman. You want someone to be attentive, someone who treats you like you’re important to them.”

He chews on the inside of his cheek. “That does make sense.”

“I mean, I know our business is called the BookBoyfriendBuilders, but I think it’s just as important for us to be good bookgirlfriends. Relationships are a two-way street, and men—no matter how strong they are—want to feel treasured too.”

His grin stretches across his entire face. “You’re pretty damn smart, Liberty Hill.”

I laugh and pat my hair. “Thank you, sir. Why don’t you tell me a little about you and your girlfriend. Lucinda, right?”

“That’s right. She’s thirty, and our families are in business together. She’s Salvatore’s granddaughter.”

“Oh, your grandfather’s best friend?” I ask, remembering his family’s story.

He nods and takes another lick of his ice cream. “Yes. We’ve known each other all our lives, but she asked me to go with her to a charity event a year ago, and we started dating after that. It made our families very happy.”

“What does Lucinda like to do?”

“Her favorite things are shopping and traveling,” he says with a chuckle.

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