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I laugh, but the dread forming a knot in my stomach is hard to ignore. “Why do you want me to have a date to this so badly?”
I’m stalling. Her reason doesn’t matter. I’m going to crumple like a spaceship succumbing to a black hole either way.
Theoretically. No one really knows what happens inside a black hole.
Not the point.
She stills, and her smile loses its challenge. It’s just bright, sweet Georgia. “Because you’re a wonderful guy, and more people should know that.”
Under any other circumstances, those words would knock me out.
She takes my hand like she’s making a vow. It twists the ache in my chest even deeper, but I hold on tight.
“I shouldn’t be the only one lucky enough to keep you company.”
She’s not, but I appreciate what she’s saying.
“And we really need to break the unlucky streak in this store. Getting you a girlfriend would be a big win for Dogeared’s morale.”
Both of our other employees were recently dumped. Hannah and her boyfriend ended their engagement, so she quit to regroup—I’ve been picking up her hours in the store ever since. And Arlo’s been a sad, mopey mess since his breakup, living in a bubble of the most depressing country music he can stream. His shifts change the whole aesthetic of the store from light and cozy academia to foreboding bookshop of cursed souls.
But I focus on her more troubling point. “I thought you wanted to find me adateto the gala, not a girlfriend.”
It’s semantics, but hey—we work in a bookshop. I can quibble over word choice.
Georgia just grins. “One naturally leads to the other.”
“I love your optimism.”Among other things.
“I can tell you’re leaning toward letting me be your matchmaker.” She squeezes my hands tighter, pleading with me.
I don’t bother asking whyshedoesn’t try to break Dogeared’s employee unlucky-in-love streak herself. It’s the same reason I haven’t been more upfront with my feelings for her. Georgia is a firm believer in romance—aslong as it’s fictional. Bring her a book with a couple on the cover, and she’s ready to fall in love.
But a real, living, breathing person? She loses all interest. She’s gone on fewer dates than I have these last few years, and that’s saying something. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard her say, “The only good boyfriend is a book boyfriend.”
Last I checked, I’m fully non-fictional.
Letting her set me up goes against my ultimate goals…but maybe I can still salvage this.
“I’ll agree to let you set me up.”
She squeals, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
“On one condition,” I add. She sobers, waiting. “If the dates don’t work out, you’ll go to the Andromeda Awards ceremony with me.”
She laughs, patting me on the shoulder like I’m talking nonsense. “Trust me. You won’t need me to be your backup gal.”
Georgia Donnelly is the main character in the love story I want to write, and she has no idea. If only I could admit to her she’s anything but my second choice.
Chapter 3
Georgia
I get out my phone and start scrolling through contacts, looking for someone who could be a good match for Miles. Now that I’ve got this idea in my head, I’m super excited about it. He’s seriously the best, and although he never mentions it, I’m wondering now if he might be lonely.
He needs more than a couple of guy friends and me in his life. He’s the first one to drop everything for someone else—he deserves to get something back in return. He should be appreciated and adored for exactly who he is. He deserves big, open, all-consuming love.
So yeah, I might be looking to find him more than just a date to a party.
