Page 24 of Guys Can't Write Romance
“A good little, or a bad little?” Chloe leaned forward, clearly sensing there was more to the story than Daisy was readily offering.
“It wasn’t terrible,” Daisy reluctantly admitted, sliding her pages from her bag and skimming over the notes Chad had written in the margins. They really weren’t that bad; surprisingly insightful, actually, pointing out places where her dialogue felt stiff or where her characters needed more authentic reactions.
But then she remembered Rhino’s appearance and frowned. “But then his barbarian roommate showed up, and that was the end of that. Can you believe Chad told him I was neurotic?”
Chloe gave her an amused grin that spoke volumes. “I can’t imagine why.”
“Liking to have things organized and chaos-free does not make me neurotic,” Daisy insisted, as much to herself as to Chloe. She sat up straighter, as if her perfect posture might strengthen her argument. “It makes me orderly.”
“Right,” Chloe said with her characteristic sarcasm. “Because how would we know where to put the ramen noodles without those labels on the shelves.”
“Exactly.” Daisy either missed or ignored the sarcasm.
At that moment, their doorbell rang.
“I got it,” Chloe said, hopping from her stool and hurrying to the door in a flash of blue hair, already ninety-nine percentcertain of who it would be. And she was right, opening the door to find Ava standing in the hallway outside.
“Ava,” Chloe said breezily, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Just in time. Daze was just telling me about the evening she spent at a boy’s apartment. Hint — it wasn’t Ethan.”
“Chloe!” Daisy groaned from the couch as Ava followed Chloe into the living room.
“What?” Chloe said, plopping back on her stool. “Just giving her the recap.”
Ava stopped in front of the couch and stared down at Daisy with concern. “You were at a boy’s apartment?”
“It wasn’t a boy,” Daisy groaned, shooting her troublemaker roommate a frown. “It was my demon writing partner.”
“And she’s going back tomorrow,” Chloe added with a mischievous grin, clearly enjoying the drama she was creating.
“No, I’m not,” Daisy said with a big shake of her head. “Tomorrow, it’s my turn to pick our writing spot. And I pick the library.”
Chloe did a double-take. “Does Chad even know what a library is?”
“He will tomorrow.”
“Will you bring your phone and film it?” Chloe said, clasping her paint-stained hands together in exaggerated pleading. “Please, please, please.”
“What for?” Daisy asked.
“Because I’m betting he re-shelves all the books so no one can find them. Or tries to order pizza to the reference section. Or mistakes the water fountain for a beer tap.” Chloe’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. “And I want to see it. All of it. For the sake of art and cultural documentation.”
Daisy sighed, considering the potential chaos of putting Chad in a place as orderly as a library. “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Be sure to get all of it,” Chloe pleaded.
Ava, who had been observing this exchange with increasing concern, set her purse down and took a seat in the armchair opposite Daisy.
“Is Chloe right about his behavior?” Ava asked.
Daisy gave a reluctant nod. “Sadly, yes.”
Ava frowned and shook her head. “Why do you put up with it?”
“I don’t have a choice,” Daisy said, a note of resignation in her voice. “The moderator paired us up, so I’m stuck with him.”
“Why would your moderator do that?” Ava pressed.
“Because she’s evil,” Daisy said.
