The Neighbor Favor(48)

Lily figured the chances of someone arriving anytime soon were slim. So far, they were the only two browsing sci-fi and fantasy. It was a Wednesday evening. They probably should have enacted this plan on a Saturday afternoon for better results, but she was enjoying this, and she was genuinely interested to see if Nick’s method would work.

“Are you buying that?” she asked, pointing at the book he held.

He nodded. “I’ve heard good things. Have you read it?”

“I inhaled it during Christmas break last year. You know what you should also read, though?” She scanned the rows of books until she found Riot Baby. She plucked it from the shelf and held it up for Nick to see. “This book. It’s about two siblings, and the sister Ella has these powers—”

“Oh shit, I’ve read this!” Nick said excitedly, not even giving her a chance to finish her pitch. He grabbed the book from her and turned it over in his hands. “I found a copy at the American Book Center in the Netherlands. It’s dope. That opening scene had me.”

“When the gang member walks onto Ella’s school bus, right?” Lily said, equally excited. “It sucks you right in. My boss always says that a good book will hook you instantly from the first page.” She smiled ruefully and added, “That’s the one useful piece of information I’ve learned from her.”

“True.” Nick walked farther away, looking closely at the shelves. “I want to show you this other book I read a few months ago that I liked. Something about a time war.”

“This Is How You Lose the Time War?”

“Yes! Have you read it?”

“Not yet, but I’ve been meaning to.”

“Oh, you’re not leaving here without a copy. I don’t see one, though . . .” He turned the corner and she heard his voice travel to the aisle beside her. “Maybe they have it shelved in the fiction section. I’ll be right back.”

While Nick went in search of the customer service desk, Lily continued to browse the shelves. She spotted the third book in the Dragons of Blood series by Elena Masterson and pulled it down to show Nick once he returned. Her phone vibrated in her bag and she pulled it out to see that Iris had sent a selfie to their sister group chat. She was grinning from ear to ear and holding a charcuterie board.

    Guess who’s ready for the Real Housewives of Potomac reunion???

Lily: Omg I forgot that was tonight!

Iris: What?! I can’t believe you almost forgot. I’m disappointed and so is the grand dame Karen Huger. I’m glad I texted you. It starts in three minutes!

Violet: I won’t be home for at least another hour! No spoilers!

Lily: I’ll have to watch it later too. I’m at the bookstore with Nick.

Violet: Who’s Nick?

Iris: Oh, you’re at the “bookstore” with Nick. Okay.

Lily: Don’t start.

Violet: Hello?? Who is Nick?

Iris: I didn’t say anything! Quick question, is he still making you smile?

Lily: Bye!

Violet: WHO IS NICK?



Lily sighed and dropped her phone back in her bag. Why did she have to slip up and mention Nick again? It wasn’t like she could tell them the real reason they were hanging out tonight. Iris still believed that Lily and Nick were more than friends because she saw Lily smile at his text one time . . . and Lily stupidly revealed that she and Nick had kissed weeks ago. She’d just have to let Iris think whatever she wanted. And she definitely wasn’t going to give any information to Violet. She’d take it and run.

“I heard they’re turning those books into a movie series.”

Lily startled and glanced over. A guy with light brown skin and curly hair was standing a few feet away from her, pointing at the Elena Masterson book she held. He kind of reminded her of a shorter Michael Ealy but with brown eyes.

“I heard that too,” Lily said, overcoming her nerves and finding her voice. “I’ve read it so many times.”

The guy smiled and walked closer. “I read the first book. It was okay to me. My younger sister really likes it, though.”

“She has good taste.” Lily smiled too. So he didn’t love Elena Masterson, which was a bit disappointing, but not completely unforgivable. Everyone was entitled to their own preferences. What was important was that the topic of Elena Masterson had been enough to spark a conversation. Could it be that Nick’s method might actually work?

“But isn’t it frustrating that they always shelve her with adult fantasy?” he asked.

Lily raised an eyebrow. “No. Where else would her books go?”

“YA.”

Lily blinked. “Elena Masterson doesn’t write YA.”

“Yes, she does.”

“I—” Lily wasn’t even sure what to say. He was wrong, but she didn’t want to argue with a stranger. “That’s actually a common misconception made about women who write fantasy. Elena Masterson writes adult fantasy and always has.”

The man scoffed. “No. She writes about protagonists in their late teens and early twenties. And they’re all so whiny. It’s annoying when you go into a book expecting one thing and you get something else. That’s all I’m saying.”

Lily was speechless. He doubled down on his opinion like it was an obvious fact. Wrong and strong, as Iris liked to say.