Page 1 of Enemy Crush
Chapter One
Stella
“Hank and I broke up,” my best friend, Lola, says as we sit across the table from one another at our local bar and grill.
“What? Why?” I ask, feeling for her. I hate that she can’t seem to find the right man for her. She may be my best friend, but she’s also the most giving, sweetest person I’ve ever met. She doesn’t give herself enough credit and is often hard on herself about her weight. So what that she isn’t a size two, it doesn’t mean a damn thing. She’s beautiful just the way she is with her fire red hair and heart of gold.
She rolls her blue eyes and blows a strand of her hair out of her face as she picks up her mug of beer and takes a sip. “He’s just a jackass. I always had a feeling that he was only with me for a place to stay anyway. He ended up moving back in with his ex who weighs like one hundred and ten pounds.” Her lips curls in disgust.
I reach across the table and place my hand on hers, rubbing my thumb back and forth across her hand to soothe her. “You know he left because he’s a douchebag, right? It didn’t have anything to do with your weight. You’re looking good in them jeans tonight.” I shoot her a wink and flash her a smile.
Her cheeks flush pink with the praise. “It was about my weight but I’m okay with it. Not every man can handle this much woman,” she jokes. “Sure, I’m not one hundred pounds but who cares? More to love.”
“One of these days you’ll find your dream man who loves you just the way you are because you’re drop dead gorgeous. Don’t give up.”
She rolls her eyes again and laughs. “Are you flirting with me?”
I chuckle. “Maybe!”
With a sigh, she meets my eyes. “I know you’re right, but in the meantime, I’m going to live through you. So, tell me. Been out on any dates lately?”
I laugh. “No. Don’t you think I would’ve told you if I had? This town sucks for meeting men.”
“Tell me about it,” she agrees. “I’m so sick of looking around and seeing the same old faces we grew up with. It has to be easier in a big city, right?”
Lola and I have lived in Loveville, Colorado our whole lives. Our parents were the best of friends and we lived next door to one another. We were always more like sisters than friends. Growing up in a small town has perks. Everyone knows everyone, but it also means that it’s hard getting into a serious adult relationship because many are already taken.
I shrug. “No idea, but I don’t see either of us moving any time soon so we better lower our standards or something,” I joke.
She laughs. “Well, how about if we’re not married by the time we’re forty-five, we say screw it and marry each other?”
“Deal,” I agree, tipping my beer to her.
“Here’s your food,” the waitress says, placing our dinner in front of us. Neither of us wastes any time on digging in.
“So, how’s work going?” I ask as I shove a fry into my mouth.
She nods as she chews her bite of burger. “Good, super busy. I just took photos of the bookstore. It’s not doing so good and rumor has it that it will be closing soon if they don’t start making more money. I took some pics for the website rebrand.”
“What? The bookstore?” I ask, suddenly concerned. Well, not overly concerned. I hate the owner with a passion.
She nods. “Yeah, everyone buys e-books now. It really sucks for those of us who still prefer to have a book, to hold a book, to get the pleasure of flipping those pages and watching as you slowly make your way toward the back.”
I nod as I chew. “Yeah, but the owner is a complete dick. Maybe if he wasn’t such an asshole, more people would come in.”
She laughs and rolls her eyes. “Admit it, you’re upset by the news.” She tilts her head as she studies me.
I shake my head. “Nope, not in the slightest. In fact, I’ll be happy. Maybe with the store gone, the stupid owner will kick rocks and leave town. This place really isn’t big enough for the both of us.”
She rolls her eyes at this. “Okay, picture this. The bookstore is closed. That means no running out on your lunch break to get something to read. You’ll have to either switch to downloading books and reading them on a device which you hate or you’ll have to order books and wait days, sometimes weeks for them to come in. By that point, all kinds of spoilers will be posted online and it will totally ruin the story for you. You want that?”
My face pinches as I think about what she said. “No,” I finally admit.
“Well, then maybe you could offer to put your skills to good use and help the man out.”
I snort. “Help out Paxton Reeves? You have to be kidding!”
She shrugs as she picks up her beer. “Help or lose your bookstore. The choice is yours.”
