Page 11 of Hot Girls Read Book Club

Somewhere along the way, our conversation drifts away from the book. We talk about the town, the library, his garage, and my apartment with the perpetually broken air conditioner, which he immediately offers to take a look at. By the time I glance at the clock on the wall, nearly an hour has passed since book club was technically supposed to end.

“Oh, my God.” I sit up straighter, touching my fingers to my lips. “We should’ve been done forever ago.”

Jax looks over his shoulder at the clock. “I’ll be damned.”

“I should probably let you get home.” I sigh, not wanting the night to end but knowing I’ve taken up far too much of this man’s time already.

“Probably.” He agrees with a nod.

But neither of us moves from where we sit. He holds my gaze as he leans back in his chair. I slide my fingers along the smooth surface of the table.

The corner of his mouth twitches. “You hungry?”

I open my mouth to say no, but my stomach immediately betrays me with a loud growl. Jax barks out a laugh, pointing in my direction. “Don’t even try to tell me no after that.”

I shake my head, laughing and covering my cheeks.

He’s right—there’s no denying it, now.

Twenty minutes later, I’m sitting across from him in a booth at Miller’s Diner with a burger in front of me and a basket of fries between us, reminding myself for the seventh time that friends are allowed to eat dinner together.

This isn’t a date. It absolutely isn’t a date.

The fact that I’ve already checked my reflection in the diner window twice and can’t stop watching the way his throat works when he swallows is absolutely unrelated.

Miller’s is almost completely empty at this hour, save for two off-duty cops sitting on tall stools at the chrome bar and a busboy waiting for his ride home. Jax sighs, crumpling his napkin and tossing it onto his now-empty plate.

“All right, it’s time to come clean. What brought you here to our quaint little town? Bellewood isn’t exactly a place someone just moves to.”

“I already told you, I came for the librarian job,” I say quietly, eyes cast down and tearing at my napkin.

“You can do that anywhere, right? Why here?”

I flick my eyes over his shoulder, watching the waitress wipe down the counter at the bar while she chats animatedly with the two cops nursing mugs of coffee.

“You ever make a decision that looks really smart on paper?” I ask.

Jax leans back in the booth. “Frequently.”

“Well, moving to Bellewood was one of those.”

“Meaning?” His brow furrows.

I drag a fry through a puddle of ketchup before answering him. “The library offered better pay. Better benefits. More responsibility. It was exactly the kind of opportunity I’ve been waiting for.”

“Sounds like there’s a but in there.”

“But.” I smile weakly. “I didn’t realize how hard it would be to start over somewhere new.”

For a moment, neither of us speaks. I pop the ketchup-coated fry into my mouth, chewing slowly as I mull over what else to say about my situation. How much is considered too much on a first date—hangout..?

A first hangout, not a first date.

“I thought I’d make friends faster,” I admit. “Thought I’d have some kind of life outside of work by now, you know?” My fingers tighten around the edge of my napkin. “Most days it’s just me, my apartment, and whatever book I’m reading that week.”

Jax is quiet for so long that I’m forced to risk a glance at him. His expression has softened completely, like he knows exactly what I’m saying.

“Sounds lonely.”