“OH.MY.GOD.”He slaps the table, thrilled beyond measure.“Heseesmy potential.Heknowsmy worth.I feel so honored.”
“He doesn’tseeanything.He hasn’t even met you in person yet,” I slap back.
“Yet—” Quinn gasps, “You all heard that right?She saidyet.There will be a meeting coming soon.”
Vivian is actually wiping away tears of laughter.
Carlie just shakes her head, grinning.“Honestly,thisI’d put in a book, too.”
I groan loudly, hating everything.Absolutely everything.
My stupid phone buzzes again.Can’t he take the hint?I haven’t responded to any of these asinine texts.
“What now?”Vivian asks, rocking on her chair.
I glance down, and immediately want to die.
Joel: Oh, also—already asked Ethan.He’s in.
I choke on air.
“Oh no,” Carlie gasps in what sounds like delight.“What did he say?”
I grab a napkin off the table and scream into it.
“Oh my god,” Vivian claps her hands together, absolutely losing it.“WHAT.DID.HE.SAY?”
I lift my miserable gaze.“He asked my brother already.Apparently, he’s in now, too.”
“This is the absolute best day of my life,” Quinn says, fanning himself.
Carlie’s expression is one of awe.“Oh my god, Joelmoves fast.”
Vivian leans in, grinning so wide it’s terrifying.“So.Just to summarize.Joel, number one—keeps texting you.Number two—invented abook club for mento match yours.And number three—has immediately recruited Quinn and your brother.”
“And apparently London,” Lily says, holding up her phone.
“Holy shit.Someone kill me,” I mutter under my breath.
Vivian bats her eyelashes.“But you stillhatehim, right?”
I groan, leaning back and resting my gaze on the ceiling.“Ihateeverything about this.”
Lily pokes my arm.“Are yousure?”
I lift my head just enough to glare at her.
But then I make a fatal mistake.
I glance back down at the text thread.And there it is.Another new text.
Joel: I think this makes us book club rivals.That means we need a tournament.What’s the best way to prove superiority—dueling?Feats of strength?Reading comprehension?
And god help me—my stomach does a little flip and…
I smile.
I feel my face betray me in real time.