Page 40 of The Do-Over

“No. I actually hate coffee.”

That made me snort. “Of course you do.”

“I’m more of a tea guy.”

“Lying again?”

“I seriously drink four to five cups of Sleepytime every day.”

“Youhaveto be lying.”

“Swear to God.”

I tried picturing him drinking tea and frankly, it was tooadorable. He gave off strong Jess Mariano vibes when he talked about books, and the tea just made it bigger. I said, “I hate tea.”

“You would.”

“You aren’t going to try to convince me that I’m wrong?” Josh loved tea and was always trying to get me to try his. “Tea drinkers are usually pushers who swear by the fact that if you just try tea the way they drink it, you’ll like it.”

“Why would I care what you drink?”

“I… have no idea.”

“Listen, I have to go. I just didn’t want you freaking out and losing your ever-loving shit over your ChapStick.”

“I was about to, so your call is most appreciated.”

“You seem the type.”

“I know.”

He made a little laugh sound and said, “Sorry about your terrible Valentine’s presents, by the way.”

“It’s fine.” That made me laugh again. “What’d you get your girlfriend?”

“Girlfriend—please. I don’t have time for that.”

“But if you did…?”

I don’t know why, but I really wanted to know.

“If I did? I don’t know—not chocolates and anaphylaxis, that’s for sure.”

I laughed again and said, “Come on. Commit already.”

“Fine.” He made a growly sound and said, “Uh, something that mattered to her, I guess. I mean, if she was a bookish person like you, I’d try to find a special edition of her favorite book or something.”

“Oh.” I wasn’t even going to let my mind go there, to the utter fantastical gift possibilities.

“But someone recently told me that I’m kind of a surly person, so gifts and Hallmark holidays kind of aren’t my thing.”

“Ah.” I thought back to that morning at his truck and said, “Bummer on the surliness, but the girl sure sounds cool.”

That made him fall into a charming hoarse laugh that trickled through my veins and dipped all the way down to the tips of my toes. “G’night, Emilie Hornby.”

“G’night to you, Nick Stark.”

I’d just pressed end when a text came through.

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