Page 33 of From Jerk to Perk

I know I’ll have only one shot to pressure Levi into agreeing, so I have to make my pitch a good one, especially in light of his disdain for romance. Which is stupid as hell, if you ask me.

“Thank you, Henry. Levi offered to do the same when I saw him at last week’s signing. I haven’t gotten any updates. Maybe you can talk to him? See if he knows anything?”

She looks so hopeful I want to sayyes, that we’ll do whatever she needs, because she deserves a break, and this would be a big win for her. Only I can’t do that yet.

Levi’s finished his Q&A and is seated behind a table where people have queued in a long line for his autograph. This is going to be a long night. One of many long nights.

“I gotta find my roommate,” Amalia says, craning her neck to see over the crowd. She waves to someone in the distance, then turns back to me.

She takes my arm and smiles, and I swear I feel this jolt of… something I don’t have words for. But I like it. A lot.

“Thank you for listening, Henry. Sorry to burden you with my bullshit.” She laughs.

I think fast, scrambling for some way, any way, to get her to stick around. I wouldn’t mind taking her for a drink afterwards…

But a bubbly redhead bounds up to us, extending her hand to me. “I’m Daisy. Nice to meet you.”

“Dais, this is Henry. Levi’s agent.”

Her eyes grow wide. “Oh, that is so cool. I bought a copy of his book,” she says proudly, pulling it out of a bag to show it off.

“Nice to meet you, Daisy, and thank you for being a reader.”

That’s what I always say.

Amalia yawns. “I’m so tired. Let’s get out of here.”

“No!” Daisy exclaims. “I have to get my book signed.”

We look at the line snaking up to the table where Levi’s scribbling as fast as he can. Yeah, that’s an hour-long commitment, at least, to reach him.

“Daisy, why don’t you leave the book with me? I’ll get him to sign it and get it back to you.”

Her face brightens. “Oh my god, you’d do that? I really appreciate it, thank you.” She scribbles her name on the shopping bag and thrusts it into my hands.

They head for the door but before they’re gone, I stop Amalia. “Hey. I mean what I said. I’m going to see what I can find out about the Ryder Night manuscript.”

She smiles and nods, probably thinking I’m full of shit, and they disappear into the crowd.

Dammit. Had she told me the anonymous writer was Ryder Night? Not sure I was supposed to know that.

Did I just screw myself?

19

HENRY

“Why look,it’s Henry Monroe. Thought I might bump into you here.”

I turn to see my ex-wife hanging on the arm of her beau. He’s a new one, not my former best friend whom she initially took off with. Wonder what happened to that guy. Hopefully he was hit by a bus.

I’m not this woman’s biggest fan. Nor my former best friend’s.

“Andee,” I say, looking over the crowd like I’m trying to find someone. I do not want to chit-chat with this woman.

“You remember Adam, don’t you?” she purrs, rubbing against him.

Really?

---