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

***There were so many fucking balloons here that I had whiplash.

Mind you, there were so many ducks that I had it, too.

I resented every single second that I was here. It was the first time Kinsley and I had been around Colton since we’d solidified our relationship, and we’d barely spoken two words to each other.

We’d always been friends, so we were really running the risk of going too far to the other direction. If we didn’t talk at all, it’d look weird.

Not to mention it didn’t help that Saylor, Holley, Tori, and Ivy were here. Not that Ivy was able to talk to anyone except all the elderly ladies who wanted to caress her pregnant belly, but she was well-guarded by her fierce grandmother, Rosie.

It was Tori and Agatha everyone was worried about.

Despite what Tori said, she and Agatha were two peas in a pod. If anyone was going to cause trouble, it would be one of them.

I slipped away from the crowd to where Kinsley was hiding on a bench behind some bushes. “What are you doing here?”

“Avoiding Mabel and her bonnets,” she whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear. “She wants me to help adjust some for the ducks, but the last thing I want is to stab her duck with a pin.”

“Yeah, for sure.” I looked around at the sight before us. “What’s going on?”

“You just got here?”

“Oh, yeah. I dropped those balloons and ran. Have you spoken to your brother?”

She nodded. “Yeah. He was here with Grandpa when I arrived. It’s over with Amber, and I think it’s for real this time.”

I blew out a long breath. “Is it bad that I’m happy about that?”

“No,” she said slowly, staring out in front of us. “I am, too. Their relationship was unhealthy and toxic. They’re in different places and want different things, and sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you love someone.”

I said nothing for a moment before I nudged her, drawing her attention, and winked. “Come on. We need to get back out there before someone gets suspicious that we’re both missing.”

Groaning, she let me pull her to her feet. “Only because you’re trying to hide with me. Talk about unfair.”

I laughed and walked out ahead of her, stepping into the carnage. I was swept away by my grandmother who looped her arm through mine and led me across the green to the other side of the pond.

“You’re being obvious.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I grunted.

“You and Kinsley,” she whispered, patting my hand. “You can’t go sneaking off when Colton is around unless you’re willing to let him find out.”

I let out a deep breath and looked around. My gaze found Kinsley instantly. She was not far from where I’d left her, surrounded by her friends, and laughing.

And beautiful.

So. Fucking. Beautiful.

Her dark hair swung around her shoulders as she laughed, and she wrapped one arm around a now-sitting Ivy who had her hands rested protectively on her bump.

She was protecting her, too, keeping her safe from the well-meaning but invasive pensioners who loved nothing more than babies and bumps and little knitted booties.

“You look like you’re fallin’ in love,” Grandma said, lowering herself onto a bench to watch the duck parade. “You need a new poker face. Yours sucks.”

“If you weren’t my grandmother, I’d tell you where to shove that.”

“I know. It’s why I like being your grandmother.” She grinned, resting her hands on her lap. “Now sit here, shut up, and watch this stupid thing Mabel put together.”

I took a seat next to her as everyone else congregated in this area. Eventually, I was forced to the side to perch on the arm of the bench as the other older members of the group demanded the bench seats.

Seats I was happy to give up.

Kinsley stepped in behind me and leaned down. “They know,” she hissed into my ear.

“What?” I said out of the corner of my mouth.

“Holley and Saylor. Ivy knew, but Rosie let it slip. I couldn’t deny it.” She leaned forward on the back of the bench as if she just needed to rest, but her lips were right by my ear. “Rosie bullied me into admission,” she whispered. “She won’t say anything, but we need to figure this out and soon. Before it’s too late.”

In a risky move, I reached back and squeezed her hand. “I know, babe. I know.”

She straightened up, taking her hand back in a manner that wasn’t so obvious. Still, she held the back of the bench where her fingers still brushed against the back of my shoulder in a weirdly comfortable kind of way.

She was there.

Right there.

And it was nice.

Not as nice as having her curled up against my side as we watched this stupid fucking duck parade, but here we were.

“Has it started yet?” Holley stepped up next to me and fiddled with the cap on her water bottle.