“Uh-huh,” Michelle says, eyeing my coffee-stained outfit and Scott’s defensive posture. “Very separate.”
“Why are you all awake?” I demand.
“Morning power walk,” Hazel explains. “We had concerns.”
“About my cardiovascular health?”
“About you avoiding the book club group chat for three days,” Jo says gently. “We worry.”
Scott is looking at this crowd of women like they’re a puzzle he can’t solve. Which is fair. They are a force of nature.
“I should go,” he says, backing away slowly like one might retreat from a bear. “I have...work. Things. Property assessments.”
“Already? The day has barely started,” Grayson says, far too innocently.
“Early bird. Gets the...property values.”
He’s still backing away and nearly trips over Sigmund, who has apparently forgiven the tail incident and is back for more drama.
“Jessica, I—” Scott stops. The entire book club is watching us like we’re a particularly engaging reality show. “We’ll talk later. About the property situation.”
“The property situation,” I echo.
“Yes. The building. The lease.”
“Business only,” I quip.
“Nothing personal.”
“Okay.”
He finally turns and walks away, and the moment he’s out of earshot, the Bookaholics descend.
“What was that?” Michelle demands.
“Property negotiations.”
“Yeah right. That was flirting.”
“That was not—we were just talking!”
“You were doing that thing where you both pretend you’re not melting for each other,” Amber says. “It’s obvious.”
“Whatever.”
“Honey,” Grandma Hensley says kindly, “you’re covered in his coffee, and you both looked at each other like you were the last two people on earth.”
“There were seagulls. It was an accident.”
“What’s with the bird?” Jo asks.
“That’s Sigmund. He’s my therapist.”
“Of course he is,” Michelle says. “Because you’re having a mental health crisis about your feelings for Scott Avery.”
“I don’t have feelings for him!”
All seven women just look at me.
