Page 11 of Can We Skip to the Good Part?
“Nice to meet you,” Olive replied, leaving it there. She appeared more shy than unfriendly.
“Sorry for babbling over your entrance,” Ariana said, turning to Ella fully. She was the bubbly one, Ella decided. “We fall into this room and just get going. It’s like a light switch. Or Pavlov’s dog.”
“Runaway trains,” Morgan said. She had a kind smile and a gentle demeanor.
“No. I encourage the debate,” Ella said. “I’m not exactly clear on the term meet-cute, though.”
Morgan and Ariana exchanged a look. Even Olive raised her eyebrows.
“We love a newcomer,” Stevie hollered through the window, which kinda reminded Ella of a restaurant’s pickup window. “Who wants this one?”
“Oh, me!” Ariana said, without missing a beat. “A meet-cute is this completely unexpected, sometimes awkward, sometimes awesome first meeting between the two main characters in a romance. It kicks everything off.”
Morgan nodded enthusiastically. “It’s honestly one of my favorite parts of the story. Their first glimmer. They might bump into each other at a coffee shop and spill things all over each other. I love a good spill.”
“Ah, I see,” Ella said. “I don’t think I realized there was a name for that kind of thing.”
“I like the moment, too,” Olive said. “Sometimes there’s an argument. What if there were only one cup of coffee left? Shouting can be sexy.”
“Or they both wanted to buy the same lamp at the rummage sale?” Morgan asked with a smolder.
“Oh, lamp wars are the best!” Ariana said, sitting up taller. “Two women wrestling over a lamp is the stuff of my fantasies.”
Olive frowned. “I’ve never read wrestling in a meet-cute.”
“And isn’t it about time?” Ariana asked. She returned to Ella. “Whatever happens in the meet-cute, the reader wants to see the characters interact more in the future.”
Ella held up her copy. “There’s no wrestling, but I like how this book’s meet-cute is a little fiery.”
“Oh, maybe we should wait for Em before diving into this week’s talk,” Olive said, her brows pulled in.
“Wait no more. I’m here.”
At the sound of the new voice, something sharp and electric zipped down Ella’s spine, an involuntary reaction, as if her body had registered something significant before her brain caught up. She turned toward the door.
The missing member of the club had apparently let herself in. Ella’s breath caught. The woman was stunning. Not in a loud or obvious way, but in a manner that made Ella momentarily forget what she’d been saying. Dark, dark hair with a subtle curl. Eyes that seemed to take in everything at once. Confidence, but not arrogance. Ella straightened, like her spine had suddenly remembered its job.
“That’s Em,” Stevie yelled.
“True.” The woman smiled, and her voice, low and smooth, settled under Ella’s skin like warm honey. “Joining us?”
“Yes, I am.” Ella heard herself speak before she knew what she was saying. Heat bloomed just below her collarbone. Not the time to be super gay and drooling, but, apparently, that was the plan.
“Yes, I am,” she repeated, and winced inwardly at the echo. What was that? Her voice sounded weird, a little too eager. “I’m Ella. Nice to meet you, Em.”
Stevie brought in a tray overflowing with cheese, crackers, popcorn, Hershey’s Kisses, and grapes. “All the best snacks for wine.” She hurried back into the kitchen and returned with two open bottles, including the one Ella brought. “The important stuff. Makes the conversation flow.” She ran her hand through her beautiful hair and sat on the couch next to Olive, leaving the two chairs free for Em and Ella. That had an interesting ring to it. She settled in, now totally familiar with the term “meet-cute,” and excited for this discussion. It also felt good to be diving into something new while out of the house, seeing people other than just Rachel.
Ella raised her hand halfway. “Can I start by saying thank you for having me? I’ve never been a part of a book club before.”
“A cherry pop,” Olive said quietly to a raised eyebrow from Morgan and a laugh from Stevie.
“I guess that’s true,” she added. “In fact, I’ve gotten away from reading. Hoping this might change that.”
“We love that you’re here,” Ariana said. She seemed the most outgoing in the group and somewhat of a leader.
The others nodded.
“What did you think ofLife in the Fast Lane?” Morgan asked, referencing the book, and moved until she sat cross-legged on the couch.
