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

“No.”

“Dylan.”

“Fine. It hurts, but I’m okay.”

“Let’s go. We need to get some ice on your face before it swells.” She grabbed my hand and tugged on it. The table beeped and sang another little song, and she looked at it. “Hey, at least you won.”

I gave her a flat look. “Really?” I worked my jaw to the side and winced.

“All right, we’re leaving.” This time, she didn’t take no for an answer. She dragged me outside the bowling alley and to the truck where she marched to the driver side and froze. “I, uh, was gonna drive home, but…”

Despite my sore cheek, I grinned. “You can’t use a stick.”

“I can’t drive a stick,” she admitted.

I pulled my keys out of my pocket. “Get in.”

She smiled innocently, then walked to the other side and got in. “You see why I don’t date now, right?”

I slammed the door shut behind me and looked over at her, slowly sighing out a deep breath. “Yeah. I get it.”

“Still wanna date me?”

“Still want to date you,” I confirmed. “And I am never letting you live this down.”

She sagged back into the seat as I backed up. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – SAYLOR

RULE SEVENTEEN: IT’S BEST NOT TO ATTACK THEM. EVEN ACCIDENTALLY.

“I can’t believe you smacked him in the face with an air hockey puck.” Tori blinked at me. “How did you even do that?”

I explained the lead up to the event and how I was so determined to beat him that I’d hit it too hard, it’d caught the edge wrong, and boom.

Dylan’s cheek.

Holley shook her head. “I just don’t get it. You finally decide to date, then you attack him.”

“Okay, it’s not like I did it on purpose. And you’ve spent your entire relationship with Sebastian threatening to murder him.”

“I say it lovingly.”

“There’s a loving way to threaten death to someone?” Tori asked.

“Yeah, you do it with Colton all the time.” I grinned and ducked to avoid the pencil that came flying in my direction.

Holley dipped her head to hide her smile.

“Oh, come on. That was good.”

Tori scowled at me. “I wish you’d give it up. That’s not happening. There’s nothing loving there, and I can’t stand him.”

“There’s a fine line between love and hate,” Holley replied, taking a stack of books to the front table. It was a local self-published author’s new release, and we’d agreed to take a handful of copies to see if we could sell them. They were signed, which helped matters.

Everyone loved a signed book.

“I know there is,” Tori said. “I’m starting to hate all of you.”

“Not as much as Dylan hates Saylor right now. There was one hell of a bruise there when I saw him this morning,” Holley noted.

I gritted my teeth. “Yes, thank you. I’ve seen it.”

“Is it bad?” Tori asked.

Holley used her finger and thumb to indicate it covered his cheek.

“You’re bitches,” I said, getting up with a huff. “I’m going to get lunch. Do you want me to bring you back anything?”

“That depends,” Holley replied slowly. “Are you going to throw it at me?”

I snatched my coat and purse and stormed out, leaving them laughing at me. I should have known there’d be no escaping this when everyone found out.

If they weren’t careful, I’d get pucks to throw at them, too.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and felt my phone buzz. Pulling it out, I saw a text from my grandmother and instantly groaned.

GRANDMA M: Do you know where I can buy poker chips

Right.

The underground poker ring.

ME: Amazon, probably.

My screen lit up with her call, and I should have known the text was only to see if I could talk. “Hey, Grandma.”

“How do you know it’s me?” she asked.

“Your name comes up on my screen.”

“Does my phone do that?”

“Yes. Why do you want poker chips?”

She coughed. “I’m learning poker.”

“For your underground poker ring,” I replied, looking before I crossed the street. “Amazon.”

“We’re not allowed on Amazon. Agatha bought twenty cat magnets and a stool shaped like a giraffe, so they banned it.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. “Um. I doubt anywhere in town sells them.”

“Can you buy them from Amazon and smuggle them in? With some of those hot Cheetos with lime.”

“I’m starting to feel a little like a pirate, Grandma,” I said, stopping outside the café. “I’ll see what I can do, okay?”

“Thanks. And some peanut butter cups wouldn’t make me sad. And socks.”

“Poker chips, hot Cheetos with lime, peanut butter cups, and socks. Got it. I have to get my lunch now, so I’ll stop by this week. Bye, Grandma.”

“Bye, dear.”

“That’s quite an interesting shopping list.”

I turned at the familiar voice. “London? What are you doing here?”

She laughed and hugged me. “I’m moving back home. I’m looking at rentals today.”

“Oh, my gosh. That’s amazing.” I pulled back. “Where’s Leo?” I asked, referencing her little boy.