Page 18 of Love, Untangled

“Come along on Friday. It’s here, at Brewed with a View,” Birdie said.

“That’s where we hold book club now that we have so many members,” Trixie piped in.

“And bring some of your yarn so we can get you a few more customers,” Hattie added.

“Seven, sharp,” Trixie said with a firm nod.

Pen nodded, too shocked to do anything else.

Once she managed to sneak away from the women an hour later, she dashed into the grocery store before driving home on autopilot. Carlo was in her yard, working on the outdoor pen for Alpaca Man—the one Penelope wasn’t sure the animal would ever deign to stay in.

“What’s this about Leon?”

“Well, I’m not sure. I just know he’s not too keen on Alpaca Man.”

“Has he given either of you any trouble when you take him into town?”

Pen shook her head.

“Will you let me know if he does?”

“Sure.”

She fidgeted, unsure if she should bring up the next topic. “The ladies invited me to book club,” she blurted.

Carlo’s brows shot up. “The one at Brewed with a View?”

“Mmm hmm.”

He cleared his throat and looked away. “I hear they like to read romances.”

Pen’s shock slid into amusement. “Oh, that’s what she meant by ‘racy.’”

“Who said that?”

“Trixie.”

He sidled over enough that she could see the curl of his lip upward. “She’s looking out for you.”

“I…guess. But there’s no need. I’ve been reading romances for years.”

He pulled off his work glove and rubbed his hand along the back of his neck. “I don’t need to know that.”

She frowned, unsure how this conversation had gotten so far away from her. “What? That I know about sex? Or that I have high expectations for my future lover because of the books I’ve consumed?”

His dark eyes smoldered even as his lips quirked. “Yeah. That. You’re just so…”

She raised her eyebrows, waiting, almost vibrating with the need to know what he’d planned to say, but he shook his head, jaw clamped tight.

“I hope you have a good time.”

“I plan on it,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Carlo turned back to his task, slipping on his glove. “I’ll be finished here in an hour.”

“I’ll make some lu—”

“Don’t worry about it. I have some things to do at my place.”

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