The Bookworm's Guide to Flirting (The Bookworm's Guide 3)

She stared at me with her lips pursed tight.

“Yes, like that. Don’t look like that.”

“This is the worst flirting advice ever. How is this helping?”

“Well, not having resting bitch face is a good tip.”

She smacked her lips together. “Sorry. It’s my default. Can’t help it.”

I bit back a laugh and nudged her. “Go on. Go and talk to him. Just… be nice.”

Groaning, she downed the rest of her drink and stood up. “I’m not promising anything.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

I watched as she headed for the bar, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she did so. She stepped up next to the guy in the green shirt and turned her head, presumably to smile at him. His lips moved, and Saylor adjusted her whole body so she was facing him.

“Are you all done here?” The waitress approached the table, a huge smile breaking out across her face. “Can I get you another drink?”

“Just the bill would be great, thanks.” I smiled and pushed my plate in her direction.

“Cash or card?”

“Card. Thanks.”

With her smile still plastered on her face, she took the empty plates and headed in the direction of the bar. I turned my attention back to Saylor and the guy, but they were both gone.

I couldn’t see her anywhere.

I frowned. There was no way she’d have left without telling me, nor did I think she’d leave with a guy she’d spoken to for all of thirty seconds.

The waitress returned with both the bill and a portable card machine. I took the bill, added one of the suggested tips, and signed it.

I didn’t understand the tipping here.

Just pay people a real wage, damn it.

She ran my card through the machine and handed it back. “Give me two seconds and I’ll bring the other receipt over for you. It prints at the bar.”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll just use this one.”

“It’s no bother.” She smiled and disappeared before I could tell her I really didn’t care.

“Well, that was a damn bust.”

I jerked at the sound of Saylor’s voice. “Where did you go?”

She sat down with a huff. “Do I need permission to pee?”

I glared at her.

“It was awful. He wasn’t checking me out, he thought I was one of his ex-girlfriends and he was trying to figure out why I’d dyed my hair pink.”

I winced. “Sorry. That’s my fault.”

“Mm. Then I saw the waitress over here flirting with you so took a pitstop in the bathroom.”

“She wasn’t flirting with me.”

“She was flirting with you,” she said firmly. “She couldn’t be any more flirting with you.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“She went to get the receipt you said you didn’t want, right?”

“She’s being nice.”

“Fifty bucks says her number is on the back of it.”

“Really?” I drawled. “Fifty bucks?”

“Yeah. She’s coming. Wanna bet?”

This was ridiculous.

Her number was not going to be on that receipt. I hadn’t given her any sign that I was interested in her because I wasn’t.

“Fine.” I held out my hand, and we shook. “Wipe that grin off your face. You’re about to be fifty dollars poorer.”

“We’ll see,” she said in a voice that was annoyingly sing-songy.

The waitress returned and held the receipt out to me with another bright smile. It was folded in two, and as soon as I took it, she offered me an even wider smile before she left. She took several steps before she glanced back over her shoulder, lips still curved, and only left when a group passed in front of her and broke our eye contact.

“Open it,” Saylor said smugly.

I glanced at her before doing just that.

Oh, fuck it.

Text me? : ) Rosie

Her number was scrawled under the message, and I sighed.

Saylor peered right over at it. “Look at that. Looks like you’re fifty dollars poorer.”

“I bought you dinner and now owe you fifty bucks.” I shook my head and got up. “What a night.”

Laughing, she grabbed her bag and got up. “It could be worse.”

“No. Where are we going now?”

“Home?” she replied with a hint of hope in her tone.

“Home? Really? Aren’t we going somewhere you can actually chat a guy up and hit on him?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. We have an order being delivered at seven-thirty, and it’s me and Holley doing it so I can’t be late. I’m not really feeling it now anyway.”

I watched her for a moment. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “Come on. If you’re nice, I’ll even buy you dessert, since I never got mine here.”

“It doesn’t count if you’re using my fifty dollars to do it.”

“Fine. I’ll buy myself two.”

“Hey,” I said, getting the door for her and holding it open. “I didn’t say no.”

She laughed, throwing her hair over her shoulders, and stepped out of the bar into the freezing air. “Better stop at an ATM, then.”

***

The chill from last night was a warning I hadn’t thought to heed.