Page 61 of Guys Can't Write Romance
“You’re right. He’s much more boring.” Chloe closed the dinosaur book with a dramatic snap. “Less British accent, more human calculator.”
“Chad coaches baseball,” Daisy said, before the two killed each other. “It only makes sense for me to watch an actual practice for research.”
“Research.” Ava’s tone couldn’t have been more frosty. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
“Yes, actually,” Daisy said, a rare edge creeping into her voice. “That’s exactly what we’re calling it.”
“Though we could call it other things,” Chloe mused, spinning in the child-sized chair. “Like ‘Chad-watching.’ Or ‘Operation Hot Coach’.”
“Not helping, Chlo.” Daisy shot her roommate a warning look.
“Wasn’t trying to, Daze,” Chloe grinned.
A knock at the classroom door made them all turn. Chad stood in the doorway, decked out in his coaching gear of a baseball cap, team jersey, and cargo shorts. His usual easy smile faltered only slightly as he caught Ava’s cold eyes scrutinizing him.
He turned to Daisy. “You ready, Fields?”
“You have no idea how ready I am,” Daisy said, relief filling her voice as she shot from her desk and began pushing him toward the door before Ava could speak. “Bye, girls,” she called back over her shoulder. “We need to run, so we’re not late.”
“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your... friend?” Ava’s sharp voice cut through the classroom.
Daisy paused and took a breath, her shoulders visibly tensing. Oh, crap. Here we go. She turned slowly, keeping a firm grip on Chad’s arm as if afraid he might bolt, or more likely, say something outrageous.
“Chad, this is Ava. Ava, this is Chad, my writing partner.” Her emphasis on the last two words was subtle, but unmistakable.
“Charmed,” Ava said in a tone that suggested she was anything but.
“She majored in bitch in law school,” Chloe said from her front-row seat, “if you couldn’t tell from the glare.”
“Chloe!” Daisy hissed.
“What? I’m just providing context.”
Chad bit back a laugh, his eyes dancing with amusement as he watched the exchange. Rather than seem intimidated by Ava’s frosty demeanor, he appeared thoroughly entertained by the entire situation.
Ava straightened to her full height, which would have been more intimidating if she wasn’t still shorter than Chad, despite her heels. “I understand you’re helping Daisy with her novel.”
“We’re helping each other,” Chad said.
“Chad’s helping me understand sports and guys in general, and I’m helping him with the romance beats of his novel,” Daisy added quickly.
“Which means, she made me take out the monsters and put clothes on my female characters,” Chad added.
“You had a girl shopping in a bikini,” Daisy said. “That was a little much.”
“Maybe you can get her to put the scene in her book where the dinosaur eats Ethan,” said Chloe. “I mean, Rick.”
“Working on it,” Chad grinned, giving Chloe an appreciative nod.
“No. No dinosaurs eating Ethan,” Daisy said, smacking Chad with the back of her hand; a playful move that didn’t go unnoticed by Ava. Daisy quickly corrected, her cheeks flushing. “I mean, Rick.”
“I think you had it right the first time,” Chloe said.
“Shush,” Daisy said, her teacher voice making a brief appearance.
Ava watched this exchange with narrowed eyes, her gaze shifting between Chad and Daisy. Something in their dynamic clearly bothered her. It was the ease, perhaps, or the playfulness that seemed to have developed between them.
“Tell me, Chad,” Ava pressed, stepping closer, “what exactly are your intentions with this partnership?”
