The Bookworm's Guide to Dating (The Bookworm's Guide 1)

Saylor rattled off the order for the entire table, and I added my own food order of loaded dirty fries. Jasmine called it through to the kitchen and turned to do our drinks. Within a few minutes, she’d added everything to our tab and had all four of our drinks on a tray in front of us.

“I’ll take that,” Saylor said, grabbing the edges of it. “I’d hate if you fell over staring at Kinsley.”

“I’m not going to fall over with our drinks,” I drawled.

“Yeah? Then stop looking at her.”

Fuck sake. I was looking at her again.

Why did Saylor know everything?

She was really starting to piss me off.

I focused my gaze back on the table. “Don’t talk about this in front of Colton, yeah?”

She eyed me like she thought I was an idiot. She probably did, to be honest.

“I’m not dumb, Josh,” she said, clearing a path for me. “You are, but I’m not.”

“Thanks.” My tone was dry, but if she noticed, she showed absolutely no signs of caring. I wasn’t surprised by that at all.

That said, I was already regretting pseudo-admitting my feelings about Kinsley.

Not that I thought Saylor would tell Colton anything—or anyone else for that matter. She was a pain in the ass, but she was a loyal pain in the ass.

She’d keep it secret for Kinsley’s sake, if nothing else.

We rejoined the table, and I slid the tray on the sticky surface. As Saylor and I took our seats, both Holley and Colton grabbed their drinks and turned their attention back to Kins and Elliott on their date.

They were eating, and so there wasn’t a lot of conversation going on by the looks of things. Thankfully, I was fully able to stare at them since everyone else at the table was, too.

And I hated it.

Really fucking hated it.

I was pissed that she’d lied to me. I was pissed that I was here. I was pissed that I’d been tricked into being here.

To see her out with the guy she’d lied to me about.

This was never going to work if we couldn’t be honest with each other.

I almost snorted. That was rich, coming from me. It wasn’t like I’d ever been truly honest with Kinsley, and there wasn’t a chance that I could be.

I’d already toed the line one too many times in the last few days.***“You’re about as subtle as a snowstorm.” Kinsley sat next to me in the booth and shoved me with her elbow so I’d move up.

I moved up.

“It was her idea,” Holley said, cocking her thumb toward Saylor.

“It was her idea,” Saylor repeated, copying Holley’s motion.

Kins looked at me. “Well? Whose idea was it?”

I sipped my beer. “Not a fucking clue.”

Colton grunted. “I don’t care whose fault it was, the next time you ask me to come for a drink, I’m gonna tell you to fuck off.”

All three girls rolled their eyes—simultaneously, I’d fucking swear it.

That was some skill.

“Where’s everyone else?” Kins asked, looking at Holley and Saylor.

“Ivy and Kai are at dinner with his parents, and Tori is at home undoing some mess one of her clients made of her website,” Holley answered. “She used a lot more fucks when she told me.”

Now that I could believe. Fuck was Tori’s favorite word.

“So how was the date?” Saylor leaned forward on the table, using a napkin to wipe away some water. “It looked like you were getting along well.”

I was going to kill her.

Colton looked how I felt, though. I was glad one of us didn’t have to keep that cooped up.

Kinsley glanced at both me and her brother. “It went really well, actually. It was a little awkward at times, but I think we might go out again.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Really.”

She turned to me and stared. “What’s with the tone of voice?”

“You told me you don’t like him.”

“I changed my mind. Is that illegal?”

“No, but I don’t know why you didn’t tell me.”

“Because I wasn’t aware I had to tell you every single little thing,” she said, reaching for her glass of wine. “Evidently, I was mistaken.”

I fought the urge to clench my jaw in annoyance. “No, but it would have been nice to be made aware since I’m the one who’s supposed to find you a date.”

“Well, you found me one.”

“It would have been nice to have been told.”

“Am I missing something?” Colton looked between us. “What’s up with you two?”

“Nothing.” I swigged from my beer bottle. “I just don’t appreciate being lied to.”

“Yeah, well, neither do I.” Kinsley finished her wine and got up, taking the empty glass with her.

A hush fell over the table with her departure, and everyone stilled for a moment until Holley and Saylor rushed after her in the direction of the bar.

Colton stared after them, then looked at me. “Seriously. Am I missing something?”