Page 7 of Rating the Book Boyfriend

For the next three hours, we brainstorm. Some of the ideas are silly as fuck because we’re all pretty much trashed on vodka wine— which at some point had become vodka vodka—and we laugh hysterically until the wee hours.

We also make lots of promotional videos, and at some point Gemma spanks me with a hairbrush and calls me a good girl.So many shenanigans.

Eventually, we come up with a name and a game plan.

While I design an engaging website, Ava, the marketing genius of the bunch, makes us a gorgeous logo.

“Okay, Gemma. You’re the lawyer. Make sure this client contract is how you want it.” I pass her my laptop.

She squints drunkenly at the screen before closing one eye and slanting her head to the side. Approximately twelve seconds later, she nods her head. “Yup. Looks good to me.”

“All set then. Activate the website,” JoJo instructs, and I do. “We made some graphics and reels, and Gemma wrote a script. Sending it to your phones now.”

Everyone’s devices ping, and we pick them up. “This looks soooo good,” Ava drawls, tipping over sideways against me. “Can we share to our social media accounts now?”

“Let the marketing commence,” I yell, and Ava startles.

“Shit, you get loud when you’re drunk,” she complains as we all begin posting on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

When we’re done, four sets of eyes find each other, and we burst into spontaneous laughter.

“That may have been the most idiotic thing we’ve ever done,” Gemma crows, swiping tears of mirth from her bottom lids with her thumbs.

“It was your idea,” I point out.

“We’re business owners,” Ava says, her drink-flushed face beaming with pride. Then her eyes round, and she slides dramatically to the floor. “Oh my god! We’re business owners!”

“Don’t start freaking out,” JoJo warns.

“But what if everyone thinks it’s stupid?”

“Then we say it was just a joke… an early April Fool’s gag.” It’s currently October, but whatever. “I can delete the website like it never happened.” My shoulders lift and fall in a shrug.

“We probably need to do that anyway,” Gemma slurs. “In the morning. This was a dumbass idea.”

“And it was yours,” I remind her again.

“Yeah, well I’m hammered, babes. You shouldn’t listen to a thing I say when I’ve been drinking.”

JoJo lifts her almost empty glass. “Well, for the next few hours anyway, we own a business like the boss bitches we are. More toasts!”

“Here’s to the floor. It’ll hold you when no one else will,” Ava calls from her position on the rug.

“Here’s to being naughty and saving Santa a trip,” I say before turning to JoJo.

“Here’s to all the liquor we drank tonight and the Advil we’ll swallow tomorrow.”

“That’s probably the most accurate toast of the evening.” Gemma’s face softens as she raises her glass. “Here’s to the nights we’ll never remember with the friends we’ll never forget.”

“Hear, hear!” Ava says, snagging her drink and spilling half of it on her head.

A sloppy grin overtakes my face when we all clink glasses and yell, “To the Book Boyfriend Builders!”

CHAPTER 1

Libby

“Gem…”

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