Page 69 of Not Your Girl
“That’s what I said!” Jo exclaims, bumping shoulders with me. “Also, the professor/student thing. So fucking hot.”
“Jesus, Jo,” I mutter, feeling my cheeks heat.
“Oh, honey, we’re all family here,” Cece says. “My grandson is very, very good looking. And, I would imagine, very irresistible.”
Jo nods sagely. “It’s the hot nerd thing.”
“And also the tiny dog. And the plants. He’s quite the catch, my son,” Pam says, grinning broadly.
“For so, so many reasons,” I mumble, then slap a hand over my mouth as Pam and Jo burst out laughing.
I’m saved from my humiliation by the doorbell. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Cece sit up straight in her chair, glancing around the room before getting up and walking to the door. The door is just out of eyeshot, but I hear it open and Cece say, “We’ve been waiting for you.”
Ten seconds later, Cece walks back in, followed by a woman with a long brown ponytail and very familiar green eyes, wearing leggings and a bright pink sweatshirt. “Look who’s here!” Cece announces.
“Oh, my god, Hannah!” Jo squeals, jumping up from her seat and throwing herself at the woman, who I assume is her older sister. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
She shrugs when Jo pulls back. “Needed to get away. I thought I would come surprise you.” She’s going for casual but doesn’t quite get there. Instead, her tone borders on desperate, her eyes just a little too bright, her smile a little too forced. From the looks of the other women in the room, they notice too. “Ihope that’s okay,” she says, a little nervously, curling the sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands.
“Hannah, dear, if here is where you need to be, then we are thrilled to have you,” Cece says, studying her like she knows all her secrets. And let’s be honest. She probably does.
“Well, of course it’s okay,” Pam says, getting up and giving Hannah a hug. “Welcome to Boston, Hannah Evans. I’m so happy to meet you in person. I hope you can stay a while.” I think Pam might be magic too, because the second she says that, it’s like Hannah’s entire body relaxes.
“I’m not sure how long I’m staying. I didn’t make any real plans, except just to get here.” When Jo pulls her down on the couch, she sits, turning to me. “I’m so sorry I just barged in like this. I’m Hannah Evans.”
I smile at her. “You didn’t barge in on anything. It’s really nice to meet you. I’m Amelia Sullivan.”
Jo leans over Hannah to look at me, smirk on her face. “She’s dating Jordan’s younger brother, Elliot.”
Hannah smiles for the first time since she walked into the house. “Nice. Smoking hot nerd vibes on point.”
We all crack up, Pam pours more drinks, and for the rest of the evening, we drink margaritas, eat sugar, and talk about everything in the world except the book we all read.
It’s one of the best nights of my life.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ELLIOT
“What do you think we’re walking into?” Cooper asks as the four of us make our way up the front walk of my parents’ house.
“What do you mean?” Noah takes off his gloves and shoves them into his pocket, hopping up the stairs like a puppy dog.
“I mean, Mom and Jo have been pretty close-lipped about what happens at book club. Who knows what’s going on in there?” Cooper glances at Jordan, who holds up his hands.
“Don’t look at me. I’ve asked Jo. She always just tells me to mind my own business.”
Cooper’s face screws up in concern as he stops on the porch just short of the front door. “Maybe this was a mistake. Book club has realno boys allowedenergy.”
I chuckle, shoving his shoulder. “Mom said it would be fine to come by later. Stop worrying so much.”
“Yeah, but this isn’t later,” he says, shoving me back. “This is definitely sooner because someone decided he wanted to see his girl more than he wanted to have brother time.” He whipsaround at the sound of Jordan’s laugh. “I’m talking about you too, asshole. You and Jo literally live together, and you were staring at your phone at lunch like you were counting the damn minutes until you could see her face again.”
The incredulity in Cooper’s tone has me laughing too, and then Noah joins in. “Just look at them, Coop. They’re all in love and shit. We love to see it.”
“I never said I was in love.”
Jordan grins, tossing an arm around my shoulders. “Takes one to know one, little brother. You are head over heels in love with that girl. It’s useless to deny it.”
