Plot Twist(24)

“I should go,” Sophie said, pocketing the phone. “I’ll text when we’re done?” She searched his eyes for confirmation.

He didn’t want her to leave, though. He wanted her to get back in the car so they could keep talking about nothing and everything. And, if he was being honest, he didn’t like the idea of her meeting up with some ex she could still have feelings for. So when she got out he said, “Soph?”

She turned back. “Yeah?”

There was that little canine tooth, cresting the corner of her lip and teasing him. Was it possible to find a tooth attractive? Yes, apparently, it was. He so badly wanted to pull her back in, but she wasn’t his, not even close. So he cleared his throat and simply said, “Good luck.”

She paused, as if waiting for more. And maybe he should’ve told her that something felt like it was shifting between them. He no longer saw her as just his sister’s friend, and he wanted to figure that out with her. But after a beat of silence, she just turned and headed toward the bookshop. He should’ve driven off immediately, but he found the thought of leaving her almost impossible.



SOPHIE’S TIKTOK


Ex number two


Name: High-School Sweetheart


Occupation: Sommelier


Length of relationship: Eight months


Reason for breakup:


Disagreement over who Buffy should’ve ended up with—I was Team Spike and he was Team Angel


Weeks until book two is due: 5




“Crushes are bizarre, aren’t they?” Sophie stood outside the entrance to Bart’s Books, in front of a simple wooden door with a carved sign hanging from the top, flanked by ivy vines on both sides and an overhang draped in thick green flowering strands. “In high school there were people I liked and pined after for years. Years! I would just stare at the backs of their heads, write their names in little hearts, and try to partner with them on school projects, and this was totally acceptable. But as an adult? I don’t think staring would be as welcomed.” She blinked a lot, then added, “Even if it would be fun.”

Sophie cleared her throat. “Anyway, High-School Sweetheart was my first real relationship, but we were more like friends who watched Buffy and went to school dances together. Leave me any thoughts you have in the Comments.”

Sophie’s smile faded as she turned to look toward the store.



COMMENTS:

@lalalifebookclub Team Spuffy over here too. I think it was his hair. Or cheekbones?

@hadeelthereader Spike is the only hot vampire ever. Fight me on that.

@1995forever I once had a crush on a cartoon ghost. His name was Casper. I still have a crush on him, actually.

@nostalgiahour Can I keep you?

@1995forever Why did I almost faint at those words?

@nostalgiahour idk, but you’re kinda cute

@1995forever oh...you too.

@nostalgiahour oh... ??

@tokcrafty2me I’m Team Sophie



9

SOPHIE

Sophie walked through the entrance to Bart’s Books and leaned against a wall for support. She’d filmed her TikTok video as quickly as she could—not as fast as she’d run from Dash’s car, but in a rush, nonetheless. Because after the way he’d looked at her with those aviators halfway down his nose, his full lips quirked up in a smirk, and the hint of tattoos poking out from under the rolled-up sleeves of his button-down...

Holy tingling lady bits, Sophie had found him attractive before, but now she might have a crush on Dash Montrose, her landlord and best friend’s brother. No, she...she definitely had a crush on him. Physically, emotionally—she was all in.

A hot summer breeze kicked up the smell of old books. She inhaled sharply, closed her eyes, took in another deep breath, and let the overhead sun warm her face. This place had always been so magical—an outdoor bookshop with endless rows of red-painted shelves. Sophie followed the vines that wrapped around the courtyard from one shelf to the next, wandering over to a section with softcovers in pastels.

Which is when she stopped in her tracks. There, standing next to a shelf and holding a copy of Whisked Away, was Ned. He noticed her and a steely expression crossed his face. Well, she’d been nervous to see him before, and now those nerves were absolutely confirmed. Ned hated her or something. He placed the book back on the shelf, rocked on his heels, and gestured toward an empty patio table. “Shall we?”

Sophie supposed they would, even though confrontation was something she actively avoided. Now that she was here, and just a few feet from Ned, there was no getting around talking to him.

They sat in the courtyard and the hard metal of the chair pressed into her back. Ned rested his chin on his fist. To Sophie, he still looked like the guy she’d dated in high school—skin tanned from working outside, leather bracelet, thick black hair, and high cheekbones—but he’d added a beard and a collared shirt.

“How are Isabella and April?” Sophie figured she might as well keep trying to dodge why they were really meeting, and Ned’s sweet moms were almost a bigger draw than Ned was, back in those days.

He took in a sharp breath and brushed a yellow flower petal from the table. “They keep talking about retiring and selling the ranch, but I’m not sure they ever will.”

“Will you tell them I said hi?” She could almost picture their kitchen table, where she’d sat for a meal so many times.