Page 18 of The Best Book Boyfriend
“Are you serious? I have actually thought about setting one up a few times, but it’s always been a low priority.”
“You’d be doing me a favour. I’m happy to hold it here but wouldn’t know where to start with hosting one or choosing books. The three you’ve recommended are the most I’ve read in years.”
“The thing is, I’d want it to be a romance book club.”
“Do romance readers drink coffee?”
“Oh, we live on it,” I say, slapping my hand against his arm. “Caffeine and smut are our primary food groups.”
Luke stares down at my arm until I realise how awkward I’m being and I let it fall to my side.
“So, um, OK, this is exciting. Shall I send you some ideas or something? What’s your email address?” I pull out my phone to note it down.
“How about...” he scuffs his shoe back and forth along the ground. “Um, how about I make you dinner. Next Saturday? We can talk about it more then.” Oh my God. Dinner?Dinnerdinner? My heart pounds behind my ribcage.
“Dinner?” I repeat, thinking that maybe yes, this might be a thing I can do.
“Would that be OK? I’d like to see you sometime when I’m not working.”OK, this is definitely flirting.Is it? No, he’s grieving, right? I can’t think straight for all these mixed signals, but do you know what? Fuck it. It has been nearly a year. If nothing else, I’ll have a lovely meal and it will get Hattie and Megan off my back with their nagging.
“Yes, I’d like that.”
“Do you want a lift home?” he passes his keys back and forward between his hands. “My car is just out on the street.”
“I like to walk, actually.”
“OK. Will you text me when you get home safe?”
“Sure.”
I can’t stop smiling. We head off in opposite directions and I practically sail home.
Chapter 9
Kara
“Shit,Icompletelyforgotto ask,” Hattie mumbles through a mouthful of noodles that she’s trying to swallow as fast as she can. “Did you ever text that Luke bloke?”
Here we go.“I did.”
“Ahhh!” they both shriek at the same time. I love and hate the shrieking. It’s extremely uncomfortable to hear, but super cute that they both do it without warning at exactly the same time, at exactly the same pitch. They’re sitting across from me around my coffee table and I now feel like I’m being interviewed.
“And did he text you back?” Megan probes.
“He did.” I pretend to scratch my cheek and cover my mouth to hide my smile.
“Stop being so cagey!” Hattie leans across the table and pokes me in the arm with a chopstick. I know I’m being cagey. Talking to him has been the highlight of my week, and I feel a bit like if I talk about it out loud I’ll burst the bubble.
“There’s not much to tell. I texted him, he replied. Then I replied, and he replied and I replied and so on and so forth. You know how texting works.”
“Yes but what did he say?” Megan pleads.
“Honestly, not that much. I sent him some book recommendations, and he’s been sending me his thoughts as he reads them.”
“Thoughts? Sexy thoughts? Oh my God. Did he send you a dick pic?” Hattie is wide-eyed. “Please show me the dick pics!”
“Please tell me he did not send you photos of his penis. That is extremely not good Book Boyfriend behaviour.” Megan always has my back. “Unless you consensually requested them during a mutual exchange, of course.”
“Calm yourselves. He did not send me dick pics and nor did I request them.”
