Lifting his backpack onto his lap, he pulls out the novel and holds it up.
“How the…” My voice trails off.
Son of a bitch.So that’s where I left it. In his car.I spent the whole of last night wondering what I did with it. I’ve never lost a book in my life. I was driving myself crazy trying to figure out where it was.
“I found it in my car, along with a flyer for the reading group,” he says lightly.
“So, you thought, ‘Hey, I know what to do here! This would be the perfect opportunity to do some casual stalking!’?” I burst out.
My friends flinch.
“No,” he drawls. “I thought, ‘Hey, I know what to do here! Carrie left this book on purpose! What a sweet girl, gifting me a gold mine!’ Didn’t you tell me to figure my shit out like a big boy? Well—that’s what I did.”
“So, you read it? The whole thing?” I raise a skeptical eyebrow.
“When I want something, I go for it,” he replies. “Even if I have to stay up all night long.”
“What are these twotalkingabout?”
I glance at Amanda. “Go on, Wolinski. You tell Amanda exactly why you’ve been busting my balls all week!”
I was hoping this would make him feel awkward, but he just smiles.
“I asked Carrie for some tips, and she refused.”
Lynn leans in closer. “What kind of tips?”
“I want to be the best version of myself I can be.”
My mouth falls open. This guy has got these girls wrapped around his finger. I start to slow-clap.
“Wow. Wolinski for President!”
He blows me a kiss, and I mime barfing in return.
“He thinks I can turn him into a good boyfriend.”
Lynn lets out a bark of laughter. “You? Sorry, girl. But out of all of us here…”
I give her a dirty look and she clams up.
“Great! You read the book—I’m happy for you, Wolinski. But you’re not welcome here.”
“Carrie!” Shelby widens her eyes. “Don’t talk to him like that.”
“Yeah, Carrie.” Donovan makes a sad face at me. “Don’t be such a meanie.”
I bring my cappuccino to my lips, though I know I’m going to need something a whole lot stronger than caffeine to get through this.
Lynn shoots him a sweet smile. “I’ve never met a guy who reads romance. That’s cute!”
“He’s only read one—”
“I’d love to know what you thought of it,” Shelby cuts in, resting her chin in her hand.
I roll my eyes. “I’d love to know whether you got the answers you were looking for, and whether that means you can crawl out of my ass now.”
He winks at me, sparking images of me stabbing my pen into his eye.Take it easy, Carrie…
