Vivian claps her hands together.“Oh my god.Itisabout Joel!Iknewit.Spill.”
“There is nothing to spill,” I lie, reaching for the wine again because,fuck it.
Quinn sighs dramatically.“Anna.Doll, we are here to support you.If you can’t lean on us, who can you lean on?”
I glare at all of them as I take another sip, savoring in the taste of regret and bad decisions as it washes over my tongue.“There isnothinggoing on.”
Tasia eyes me suspiciously.“Then why do you look like you want to sink into the floor?”
I open my mouth.Then close it.Then consider launching myself out the nearest window.But it’s at the front of the store and that’s too far away.
This isfine.Everything isfine.
Then—my phone buzzes.
“Oh, see?Me, being totally normal,” I say, making a show of picking up my phone.I glance down, and immediately, I go back to wanting to die.
Joel: Have fun at Dirty B’s.Don’t forget to ask if any of the men wanna band together to form Dirty Bastards.
Ihatehim.
Ireallyhate him.
But… unfortunately, my traitorous mouth twitches.Just a little.
Andunfortunately,Viviansees it.
She gasps, slapping the armrest on her chair.“Oh mygod.”
I straighten.“What.”
“Oh-ho-ho.Oh.That was a smile.Was the text from Joel?I want see,” she says, untangling her legs and attempting to beeline my direction.
I school my face into neutrality and shove my phone under my thigh.“No, it wasn’t.It was work.And I don’t smile.”
“It wasabsolutelya smile,” Lily confirms, her eyes lighting up like she just cracked the case of the century.“I saw it.”
I roll my eyes, but my heart is pounding in my ears so loud it might actually drown out this conversation if I let it.
“Prove it,” Vivian says, leaning over me.“If it wasn’t him, show me.”
“Rude.No,” I say, shoving her back as I press my leg down for good measure, You never know, she might make a grab for it.Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past her.
“Come on, Anna.Youneverget weird about book club unless something’s messing with your head.”She pauses.“Orsomeone.”
I shake my head aggressively.“Nope.Absolutely not.”
Quinn smirks.“Oh, I bet it is.”
Lily grins like a mad woman.“I second that.”
“Oh my god, you don’t know anything,” I attempt.“You’re all just?—”
Vivian cuts me off.“Anna.Dear, sweet, Anna.You arespiralingover a man.And not justanyman.Joel Price.The guy you swore you’d never speak to again.The guy you havehatedforyears.”
Oh my god, she just used air quotes.
“Istillhate him,” I say automatically, my face deadpanning.