Page 2 of The Boyfriend Material Novellas

Spoiler alert—I love spoilers.

I adore them like they’re a new pair of sexy, stylish shoes that fit like they’re made for me.

Less of a surprise—I hate surprises.

My sisters know to never throw me a surprise party, and my brother is on notice—no uninvited pop-in visits to my apartment.Or else.

Because I know all their childhood secrets and I’m not afraid to use them.

But as long as my sibs comply, Iwon’tlet slip when exactly my brother stopped running around the house naked (he was six), or how many posters of Mr. Darcy my little sister pinned to her walls (more than ten).

Or maybe I wouldn’t. I’m notevil.

I simply can’t stand the suspense of not knowing what’s going to happen.

Like how I googled the ending of the most recentAvengersmovie. I don’t even watch Marvel flicks, but I was dying to know why my social media feed was suddenly full of shocked reaction gifs. (And I’ve got to say—holy smokes—I didn’t seethatcoming.)

Whywouldn’tI read the endings of books first? I wasn’t going to devote all that time to Matthew and Elizabeth inA Discovery of Witchesotherwise. And settling in on a Friday night withMementoon Netflix, my popcorn tasted so much better after I checked the plot summary for a road map to that twisty-as-a-DNA-strand flick.

When it comes to holidays—well, it will shock no one to learn that I was the kid who opened her Christmas presents in advance.

Sorry, Mom and Dad.

I crept out of bed in the wee hours of the morning, tiptoed downstairs, and slid my finger under the wrapping paper to peek inside.

So, yes, that puts me on the naughty list. But I learned to wrap presents like a Macy’s gift-wrapping counter pro and impress my friends. Show me a champion gift wrapper, and I’ll show you a former present-peeker.

I need to know what’s around the corner and five steps ahead. Given my aversion to suspense, I’d make a terrible adventurer, ghost hunter, or cop.

But I make an excellent event planner.

Planning is my jam, and organizing feeds my soul.

Even better, I love celebrations, people, and good conversations that last long into the night.

It’s the perfect job for me, keeping me sane, and lately it’s been the perfect medicine. After my last relationship went up less in flames and more in an epic bonfire of pain and sadness, my business—Quinn Summers Events—was a salve.

I refuse to let my heart be blindsided again, which means steering clear of love and men for a long time to come.

That’s a cinch for a spoiler-loving gal like me. All it takes to avoid love and romance is a little forward thinking. For instance, when my brother asks me to work with his business partner to plan a series of holiday parties for his new firm, I do what I do best.

I peek.

I have to know what’s in the box, so I lift the curtain and google his business partner, a certain Vaughn Channing, former Super Bowl-winning tight end for the San Francisco Renegades.

Oh me. Oh my. Hello, handsome.

Just look at him there in his football uniform, catching a touchdown pass.

And wow. Check him out these days in the tailored suit he wears as a dealmaker. Why, yes, the former pro-baller-turned-sports-agent is just my type.

Well, I do like men who are handsome as hell, fit as fiddles, and smile like they’re legitimately happy.

He ticks all three boxes.

This is why it’s good to know what’s around the bend. Now I’m prepped for peak resistance when I head to dinner to meet him for the first time.

I’m armed with mantras and positive affirmations.

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