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

I wasn’t sure I’d ever approached a man in my life.

Maybe dating websites were the answer. The very thought of that made me shiver, but there wasn’t a massive dating pool in White Peak, and most of the eligible guys I already knew and had ruled out for various reasons.

Yes, look, I was a dating snob. I’d come to that conclusion last night while I’d been lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to kid myself that I’d fall asleep in the next few minutes.

I was a dating snob.

My standards were high—maybe too high—but I was not going to settle for anything less than what I wanted in a husband.

That’s right. I wasn’t shooting for casual dating. I was shooting for a husband.

Why would I date someone I didn’t think I would marry? That was nothing more than a waste of my time, and I had a lot of other things I could be doing in that time.

Like reading books.

It wasn’t my fault that books were better than boys.

I opened the app store and typed in ‘dating apps.’ I could already feel the regret as it coiled in the pit of my stomach and dug itself a little nest down there.

Really, that should have been enough of a warning sign not to hit the download button on three different apps, but here I was.

Downloading them.

The first one to download, Stupid Cupid, was the first app I opened. A screen appeared that told me how it was founded in New Orleans by Chloe and Dominic Austin and was a sister company to hookup website Pick-A-Dick, run by Peyton Sloane, Dominic’s sister.

Well, if all else failed, at least there was someone out there who could probably get me laid on a regular basis.

After that, it prompted me to sign up and create a username. I went for BookwormKinsley and, after a moment of surprise when it was available, set a password and completed my registration.

I spent the next half an hour setting up my profiles on Stupid Cupid, e-Matched, and Tap That. Thankfully, I got the same username on all three apps, which meant there was less of a chance I’d forget my login details when I switched to my laptop.

The only problem was that I had absolutely no idea what to do now. My profile was pretty bare, and I sipped my coffee as I considered how best to sell myself.Perpetually awkward bookworm with unlimited access to books and questionable White Peak magnets. Likes coffee, gardening, and judging fictional people for their bad decisions.I don’t know. I’d totally date me based on that description.

I thought I sounded pretty good, to be honest. It showed I was low maintenance, a little outdoorsy, and able to admit my flaws.

I didn’t see an issue with any of it.

Then again, I wasn’t the one looking to date me, so…

I screenshotted one of the profiles and sent it in my group chat with Holley and Saylor.ME: What do you think?Saylor responded, quickly followed by Holley.SAYLOR: HAPPY BIRTHDAYYYYYY!!!!!!!SAYLOR: It’s the worst dating profile I’ve ever seen.HOLLEY: HAPPY BIRTHDAY *party emoji*HOLLEY: I have to agree w Say, it’s awful.I grimaced.ME: Thanks. Happy birthday to me.HOLLEY: I mean, you can’t see your face, Kins. Why is it hidden by a book?ME: I’m trying to be mysterious.SAYLOR: So dress up as a psychic at the fall fair, don’t hide your face on a dating app. How is a guy supposed to know if he’s attracted to a gardening-loving bookworm if he can’t see her face?ME: Surely he should be attracted to my personality.HOLLEY: Oh, sweet summer child.SAYLOR: That’s not how the internet works.ME: The internet sucks.SAYLOR: It does.HOLLEY: Alas, it’s all we have in this town.ME: Stop tag teaming your texts to me. I know you’re standing right next to each other.Sure enough, my phone rang seconds later with Saylor’s name flashing up on screen.

“What?” I answered.

“Sorry,” Holley said down the line. “Why don’t we meet for lunch and we’ll see if we can tidy it up for you?”

“That depends. Are you buying it? And where are we going? Colton said we’re all going to Bronco’s tonight, so I don’t want to eat there twice.”

“Why don’t we get sandwiches and walk up the trail a bit? We can shut the store for an hour. Dartree Mountain has that half-marathon thing on today and by the sounds of it, everyone is heading that way.” Saylor coughed. “So it won’t be busy on the trail.”

I thought about it for a moment. “All right. I’ll come to the store around midday and we’ll go.”

“Sounds good.”

“Also, this morning’s delivery wasn’t obnoxious at all.”

I swore I could hear their grins through the phone.

“You’re welcome,” Holley sang to the tune of the Moana song. She hung up before I could respond.

I shook my head and set my phone down, reaching for my coffee cup to finish my coffee.