“But if you could read, would you?”
“Probably.”
“What would you read?”
“I don't know, Brooke. I didn't realize the subject of reading would turn into us playing twenty questions.”
She lets out a long sigh. “Really, Dutton? The whole point of this is for us to get to know each other.” She leans in closer, her body pressing against mine. “And we have to get to know each other. I'm not faking this friendship. I'm not just going to sit here and pretend like we're friends if you're not even going to make an effort. I’m starting to regret the nice things I said about you today to Mrs. Buckley.”
She talked to Mrs. Buckley about me? Shit. I’m starting to think a lot more happens in Brooke's day than she’s going to tell me. And if she’s already putting in the work to help me, the least I could do is try to be less of a dick.
I nod. “You're right. I'm sorry. I'm doing my best.”
A moment passes, the two of us just staring at each other.
Her blue eyes have a little extra shine. Is that from the fact that she finished her drink so quickly?
Her cheeks begin to turn a light shade of pink.
This should be weird, right? Two people just sitting here looking at the other and not talking.
But oddly enough … it’s not.
She breaks the trance first.
“Come on.” She slides off her barstool, grabs my hand, and pulls me behind her. “Let's pick out my next read. Then maybe I can help you pick one out. And next time you're at my house, we could set a timer or something to read at the same time.”
“We're going to get together to … read?”
“That is something I would enjoy doing. So yes.”
“Sounds eventful,” I say, but she ignores me.
As soon as we cross into the bookstore, Sadie glances up from behind the checkout counter.
Her grin is ear to ear as she watches Brooke and I approach.
“Hi,” she says, and I swear her smile only grows.
“Hi.” Brooke lets go of my hand, forcing me to follow now of my own free will. Which I do as if it were the most naturalthing in the world. Sadie meets her halfway to give her a hug. “How’s your day going?”
“Boring, until now,” is Sadie’s answer as her gaze shifts back to me.
“Hi, Dutton.” Sadie crosses her arms and does a piss-poor job at hiding how entertained she is at the idea of Brooke and I being friends, but at the same time, she’s clearly not as surprised as one would be at just learning this news. Which means Brooke has already spoken to her friends about this. About me. And that intrigues me.
What did she tell them?
If it were the full truth, my phone would have already been blowing up with texts and phone calls from my sister.
I pull my gaze from Sadie and pin it to Brooke, who is walking away toward the bookshelves.
“Dutton is going to help me pick out my next book,” she announces over her shoulder. “And then we are going to find one for him to read.”
“That’s kind of him,” Sadie replies. Her sarcasm makes me snort.
“Now you’re both in the bookstore,” Hudson says, making his way to Sadie and pulling her in for a kiss. It lasts longer than a public kiss should, so once again, I find myself searching for Brooke. Her gaze flickers from the couple in love to me, but it doesn't last longer than a second before she looks away from me, too, with a forced smile on her lips.
I’d be lying if seeing my friends didn’t spark something inside me. Dating just isn’t my thing, and I don’t know if it ever will be. Sure, I’m not celibate, but relationships? I’ll pass for now.
