Page 8 of The Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad

She waved me off. “Now, what’s this about a convent?”

Betty pursed her lips. “Sadie got some terrible news today.”

“Oh no…another rejection?” Cora asked, looking to me. She knew all about my goal to be included onDancer’s Edge, the world’s biggest online dance community. Yet another person to see me fail. Lovely. “They turn you down again?”

“Yes,” I said, “and a Career Aptitude Test advised me to become a nun.”

“Bah.” Cora pursed her lips. “There’s nothing wrong with being a nun but only if youwantto be a nun. I’m guessing you haven’t heard the Call?”

I shook my head.

“She hasn’t,” Betty confirmed. “And correct me if I’m wrong, Sadie, but I don’t remember ‘Join a convent’ being on your Carpe Diem List.”

“You’re right. It’s not.” Unintentionally, my hand went to the pocket where I kept my list. They’d done an activity at Shady Grove back in July called “Carpe Diem” where the senior citizens wrote down all the amazing things they’d accomplished in life and all they still hoped to do. It inspired me to do a list of my own with the adventures I’dhopedto have before graduating. Right now, it felt as heavy as a lead ball, none of the items checked off yet. “Plus, I’m not even Catholic.”

“That’s alright, dear. Nobody’s perfect.” Cora patted my hand. “Sadie, what you need is a man.”

“A man?” I repeated.

The little old lady nodded, eyes sparkling. “A man who will sweep you right off your feet. Preferably a handsome devil, someone to show you the ways of the world.”

“Don’t you dare settle for someone plain,” Betty said. “You need someone who won’t be intimidated by your beauty.”

“Betty. Cora.”

“Yes, dear?” they said in unison.

“I do not need a man,” I said. “It’s the twenty-first century. Who needs men when you have birthday cake?”

I’d thought it was funny, but the joke sailed right over their heads.

“A man might help you get over that crush you have on Kyle,” Betty said.

“Who says I have a crush?”

The two women just shook their heads, and I felt my cheeks warm. I’d never actually told them I loved Kyle. But I talked about him all the time, couldn’t help it. They were my girls after all. It hadn’t taken long for Betty and Cora, who seemed to knoweverythingand were possibly the biggest gossips ever, to catch on even if I never spoke my feelings.

“Anyone who hears you talk about Kyle would know you have a crush,” this from Cora. “And from what you say, he sounds wonderful. But…”

“But you need someone who can love you, too,” Betty said gently.

Gentle or not, that one still hurt.

“I think men are overrated,” I said, trying to lighten the mood. When you were unlucky enough to be afflicted with unrequited love that you knew, for a fact, would never be requited, sarcasm was the only defense available.

“Your problem is you’ve never had one before.” Betty looked wistful for a moment, running the pearls of her necklace along her fingers. “Men can be lovely distractions.”

“They most certainly can,” Cora said then shot me a lascivious wink.

I couldn’t help it. The laugh bubbled up and out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“Back to business.” Betty cleared her throat while I pulled myself together. “We were discussing Sadie’s love life.”

Cora smiled. “Does our Sadie have any prospects?”

I sobered immediately. “Right now, my only options seem to be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

“But you haven’t even lived yet!” Cora declared.

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