Page 1 of The Nicest Thing
CHAPTER 1: Finn
"I need a husband."
My heart stopped dead at the words.That was Rose, my Rose, the girl I loved, the one I'd been secretly pining after for years.Body frozen on the threshold of Magnolia House, I closed the door softly behind me and leaned in, peering around the corner and listening hard.
My sister Emmy looked just as shocked as I felt.She sat across from Rose on the couch, blinking at her roommate.
"Well, that was unexpected," she said.
"I know." Rose sighed.
"You can't just say something like that and expect me to drop it."
Emmy raised her brows, and for once, I was thankful that my sister never let anything go.
"Do you have a guy in mind?" she said with a wink."I didn't know you were seeing anyone."
Me neither.
I frowned, instantly hating whoever the person was that got to be with her.
"No, that's not it," Rose said morosely, and I could breathe again."I just wish I had a guy I could do reels with to help sell my books."
Emmy released a surprised laugh."I didnotsee that coming."
Rose just shrugged.
"So, not a real husband then?"
"Obviously not."
"Nothing about that was obvious, Rose."
"It would be if you were on social media," she said, crossing her arms."A bunch of the authors I follow use their husbandsthat way—or boyfriends, but I think the hubs do better.Makes me wish I had one."
Emmy laughed again while my heart started racing.
"I also may have lied in an interview and implied I was happily married to my soulmate," Rose mumbled.
"Rose, you didn't."
"I did."She groaned, dropping her head into her hands."And I can't take it back."
"Why not?" Emmy asked.
"Because it was livestreamed."
"Maybe no one saw it."
Rose shook her head."The woman's a well-known book influencer, Em, and there was a popular romance author on the panel.The video already has over 50k views.Plus, I told my readers about it beforehand, and I know they tuned in because a couple wrote to me about it."
"Why would you lie anyway?"
"At first, I just mentioned my husband—you know I love calling them book husbands not boyfriends."
Emmy nodded."It's more committed."
"Exactly," Rose said."Then…I don't know.They assumed it was a real guy, and I didn't correct them.Next thing I know, they're inviting him and me to this romantic couples' brunch."
