She hops on the stool next to me and we order tequila to sip. She sets down a worn copy ofPride & Prejudiceon the bar top.
“You didn’t bring your book?” she asks.
“I, uh, actually listened to the audiobook. Does that count as reading?”
A warm smile appears on her pretty face. “Of course that counts. Audiobooks are awesome. They allow people to read who otherwise wouldn’t have time to sit down with a book.”
I smile, feeling more relaxed. “Glad you think that. Some of my teammates were giving me shit about how audiobooks don’t count as reading.”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t listen to them. They definitely count.” She takes a sip of her tequila and taps the cover of her book. “So. What did you think?”
“I really liked it.”
She beams wide and my heart feels like it’s slingshotting around my chest. Kendall never smiles like that around me, like she’s brimming with joy.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I mean, I haven’t read many books, but I was hooked from the very beginning. I was wondering how Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy would ever get together. He was such a dick to her when they first met.”
She laughs into her glass. She grabs a napkin and wipes her mouth.
“I’ve taught this book in my classes for years and I’ve never heard anyone call Mr. Darcy a dick. That’s amazing.”
“Yeah? You don’t think that’s a dumb take?”
“Not at all. You’re right. He kind of was a dick to her in the beginning.”
“The more I read, the more I realized it was a misunderstanding. He just came off like an awkward guy who has a hard time expressing himself.”
Kendall’s eyes light up and she nods along excitedly. “Yes! Exactly! Nice observation.”
Pride swells in my chest. I’m not used to getting complimented for a random observation I make about a book I just read. I wasn’t a very good student. I never spoke up in class when teachers would ask questions about the assignment. I was too scared that they’d figured out how stupid I was.
But with Kendall, it feels different. I know she’s not going to make fun of me. And I can tell she genuinely cares about what I have to say.
“What?” Kendall asks after I’ve been quiet for a moment.
“Nothing, it’s just…” I let out a flustered laugh. “I’m not used to getting such a positive reaction when it comes to stuff like this.”
“What do you mean?”
“I never talked much during class discussions. Usually because I didn’t do the homework. I didn’t have to because of that agreement my coaches had with my teachers and professors. But even when I did the assignment and knew what the teacher was talking about, I was still afraid to speak up and participate. I thought I’d sound like an idiot.” I pause. “So it means a lot to hear you say nice things about me.”
Sincerity flashes in Kendall’s big brown eyes. “Listen to me. You’re not an idiot, Liam. What you’re saying is really insightful and I’m enjoying talking to you.”
Warmth puddles in my chest. “Thanks.”
“So what did you think about Mr. Darcy as a character?”
“I liked him.”
“Yeah?”
I nod. “He’s a little rough around the edges, but his heart was in the right place. You could tell he was a good guy at the core. Like when he went through all that trouble to make sure that Mr. Wickam would actually marry Elizabeth’s sister and not screw her over,” I say. “Sidebar, marriage sounded wild back then. It was all about status and money and securing the best position for you and your family.”
“Yeah, it was definitely different from how it is now,” Kendall says.
“I was kind of surprised that Mr. Darcy didn’t tell Elizabeth what he did. But then I realized it was because he was a genuinely good guy. He didn’t do it for the praise or as a way to get Elizabeth to like him. He did it because he wanted to help her family. Because it was the right thing to do.”
