Page 30 of Faking the Book Boyfriend

We texted a handful of times throughout the past two weeks and met two more times for drinks. He’s certainly taking this seriously, asking a ton of questions about book boyfriends and their tendencies.

As I pack two towels into my bag, my phone pings with a text notification. I see that it’s my text group titledPerverts. That means it’s my author friends.

JoJo: Quick, I need something that could have only been invented by a man, besides individual coffee pods. Those are offensive.

Libby: Metal toilet seats. Those are the devil’s work.

Ava: LOL. True. I had to use one at my nephew’s soccer game. My ass hasn’t been the same since. I can tell you firsthand that the iFart app is the dumbest invention and clearly a man must have invented it. My ex-husband thought fart noises were hysterical.

Me: Crotchless panties. Only a man would think those are a good idea.

JoJo: True. So uncomfortable.

Libby: What about pet rocks? How dumb do you have to be? It had to be a man.

Me: We’re missing the most obvious answer. High heels.

JoJo: Ooh. Good one. I’ll use that. Thx!

We always text each other when we need something for a book and the answer isn’t coming to our minds. I love how much we help each other.

Trey knocks on the door to my walkup brownstone at the agreed-upon time. Despite the chilly fall weather, he’s in bathing suit bottoms and a Philadelphia football hoodie with aviator sunglasses. His legs, which I’m seeing for the first time, are extremely thick and muscular.

Maybe I’m used to more uptight men, but there’s something different about Trey’s masculinity and confidence, which I find very attractive. Jenna is a lucky woman.

He smiles as I open the door. “This place is great.”

“Thank you. I bought it two years ago. I love the location.”

It’s right in the heart of Center City. I’m near all the shops and a few parks. Earning enough money to pay for a place like this is a tremendous source of pride for me.

He hands me a cup of coffee. “With a splash of skim milk, just as you like it.”

I’ve known him for three weeks, and he knows how I take my coffee. I dated Aiden for two years and he never knew. Unreal.

“Thank you.” I grab my cup and wave for him to enter. “Come in. I need to grab my bag.”

He walks in and looks around before letting out a whistle. “Wow. You have amazing taste. I suppose it’s not surprising, given how you dress, but this is gorgeous.”

“It’s my sanctuary. I guess I have an eye for interior decoration. I enjoy it.”

“More than an eye. I feel like I’m walking into a magazine. Truly, it’s one of the nicest places I’ve ever seen. Maybe I’m used to twenty-something, single-man, frat-house vibes, but this place is so…grown up.”

I let out a laugh, knowing the exact kind of bachelor pads he’s talking about.

I gather my belongings, and we head out to my car to begin our twenty-five-minute ride.

“This is your mom’s boyfriend’s house, right?”

“Yes. Byron is kind of stuffy, but so is my mother. I guess they’re a good match. They’ve been together for a few months.”

“I’ve gathered you don’t get along with her?”

“I do, but I’m closer to my grandmother. The two of them are like oil and water though. I’m usually the referee. They grew up very comfortable. While my grandmother always remained humble, my mother didn’t.”

“And your father?”

“He remarried. Three times. He lives in London now. I usually visit once a year if I can. What about your family? Besides your sister in Connecticut.”

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