Page 35 of Love Rescheduled

“Mainly fiction novels. My clients write in a wide range of genres.”

“Which one is your favorite?”

“Well, considering one of my best friends writes rom-coms, I’m obligated to choose that one.” I smiled. But Regency was my truest love. I kept trying to convince Tara to write in that genre. Honestly, though, I loved rom-coms. Probably because they gave me hope I wasn’t the only person who continually found herself in awkward situations causing mass embarrassment. And they were the only romance I’d experienced over the last few years. Unless you counted my love affair with Lord Mac.

“I like a good rom-com.” He took a sip of the wine he’d ordered.

I decided against drinking any alcohol. I wasn’t a big fan in the first place, and there was no way I was risking being incapacitated in any shape or form.

“Really?” Josh loved them too. Ugh. I had to stop comparing Seth to Josh.

Seth set his glass down. “I have three older sisters I shared a bathroom with, so I basically lived in a rom-com.”

“That’s fun. I’m an only child.” So was Josh. Seriously, stop.

“Do you feel you missed out?”

“I suppose so.” I had missed out on a lot of things, but I didn’t mention it. I felt it best to ease him into the dysfunction that was my family. First, we would have to see how he handled my quirks. That said, I was thankful my parents didn’t have any more children. No child should have grown up in the environment I had.

Seth grabbed a piece of complimentary ficelle bread placed neatly in a basket between us. “You will never know the true joy of having four mothers,” he said with an air of sarcasm.

Thank goodness for that. The one I had was awful. “Do you live close to family?”

“I feel like this question is fraught with peril,” he teased.

“Why’s that?”

“What if I tell you I do, and that with my sisters now come husbands and hordes of children?”

“I would say you’re very lucky.”

“Now, see, some women may find that to be a turnoff.”

It was sure to be chaotic. Tara came from a large family, and their gatherings were crazy. But there was also something wonderful about it all, even if I hid in a corner most of the time. I loved seeing the shared affection and inside jokes. I especially loved the laughter of children. “For some, it might be a selling point.”

He tilted his head. “Which category do you fall into?”

“I’ll have to see how the night goes,” I said in my best flirty voice, which may be questionable, but I was trying.

The way Seth’s beautiful eyes lit up, it must have been a decent attempt. “I will do my best to be a great salesman, then.”

I bit my lip, flattered he was already thinking he might want to see me again. Hope flared inside at the thought I might just be able to pull off scheduling love. It got doused real quick when …

“OMG, Natalie Archer, is that you?” Josh was using the girly-girl voice he had perfected in so many of his videos when making fun of women for everything from how much they loved Target to the obsession we had with having perfect eyebrows.

I clenched my fists and looked up to find the man I loved waltzing our way with the most devious grin of all time plastered on his face. I was going to strangle him.

Josh landed at our table, and Seth’s eyes went wide and then kind of dreamy. “Josh Keller?”

“The one and only.” Josh loved to be recognized.

“Man, I went to your show last year in New York with some old med-school buddies. We’ve never laughed so hard. That bit you did about how to write a country song was hilarious.” He paused and pointed between Josh and me. “Wait. You two know each other?”

I was at least grateful he didn’t seem to know we were acquainted or have knowledge of that video. Surely he would have connected those dots already.

“We go waaay back,” Josh exaggerated. “We used to be like BFFs,” he used his girly voice again.

“No way.” Seth seemed astonished by the news.

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