Page 19 of Book Club Confidential

Kate bit her bottom lip but didn’t speak.

“Please?” Tessa asked, feeling her friends’ reluctance begin to crack.

Hallie rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

“Really?” Tessa asked. The buzz of anxiety she’d carried from the gala turned to butterfly wings in her chest.

“Yeah. What the hell. Count me in,” Hallie confirmed. “We’re confident, capable women. We should be doing more of what we want.”

“Agreed!” Tessa said.

“After the wedding, I’ll finally have the time, money, and influence to launch my dreams. I’ll just have to get Bryce on board. Maybe I can request his support as a wedding gift.”

They turned to Kate, who didn’t look convinced.

“I think it’s time we all do better,” Tessa said carefully. “Or we’ll be meeting for book club at fifty, still wishing our lives were different.”

Kate took a long deep breath and straightened before raising one pinky finger.

Hallie leaned across the table and pressed the tip of her right pinky finger to Kate’s.

Tessa completed the triangle with one little finger of her own. “Thirty days of nothing but main character energy,” she said. “The heroine in my book wouldn’t settle for the crap I’ve been settling for. She’d walk into every room knowing her worth, instead of looking to others for reassurance and attagirls. And she’d dress how she wants and act how she feels, instead of trying desperately to blend in with the good old boys who have no interest in including her.”

“I’ll try to speak up more,” Hallie said. “The heroines in my stories always tell their partners exactly what they want and how they like it.”

Kate released a reluctant breath. “I’ll look for a bridge between online authenticity and paying my bills.”

“Or you can just build the bridge yourself,” Tessa said. “I’ll bet the heroines in your rom-coms take big chances and win.”

“Yeah,” she said. “But first, they usually fail miserably.”

“We won’t do that part,” Hallie said.

“Thirty days,” they agreed.

Tessa hoped this was the beginning of something beautiful. A story for the ages.

Not the first chapter of How to Blow Up Your Life.

Chapter Six

Tessa joined the line inside Roll with It the next morning as usual and waited to see Hallie’s smiling face.

She shuffled slowly forward with the line, as Hallie and her coworker Eloise chatted with customers and served coffees, pastries, and a selection of breakfast and brunch options with verve, and a roll included. The space between the counter and kitchen was long and narrow, but the women moved in harmony, a vibrantly choreographed dance. An odd pang of regret hit Tessa’s chest as she watched. When was the last time she’d felt so in sync with another human?

Around her, murals of nearby bridges over the river filled the walls with shades of muted gray. Large, old-fashioned typewriter font showcased the café’s name on the front windows, probably a nod to the fact the local newspaper once resided in this building.

Tessa could think of a dozen ways to use the unique locale to drive business, but Roll with It wasn’t one of her clients, and she really needed her morning coffee.

“Hey!” Eloise chirped when Tessa reached the register. “We were just talking about you. We usually see you an hour earlier. Oh, goodness, you look so cute! Hal thought you might stay home today. She said you were a little sick after the gala.”

Tessa felt one side of her mouth tip upward, caught somewhere between a smirk and a scowl. She certainly had wanted to puke for a moment, but she was on a mission now. “I’m feeling better. Looking forward to my latte.”

Eloise winked. “Coming right up.” Her rosebud lips curled into a grin. “Love the outfit.”

“Thanks.” Tessa straightened, enjoying the compliment and the fun and figure-flattering ensemble she’d chosen in lieu of one of her usual pantsuits. She’d paired a floral-print tan-and-cream halter dress with a cropped red cardigan and matching heels. She felt feminine and fierce instead of like someone trying too hard to be one of the guys. “Thanks. It has pockets.” She slid a hand into the opening on one hip and grinned.

“Love,” Eloise sang. “Love. Love. Love.”