Page 21 of One Last Thing Before You Go
“Lizzie McCallister.” She shrugs, nonchalant.
Lizzie-fucking-McCalister.
The blabbermouth.
“It wasn’t a date and Lizzie McCalister can—” I stop dead in my tracks. “Wait. But who told you about him being the one who inherited the store with me? I haven’t told anyone yet.”
From the corner of my eye, I watch as Jenn shifts uncomfortably, her eyes locked on something above our heads.
I will kill her later.
Knox laughs in astonishment, sipping on his coffee as he watches this entire interaction unfold.
“I cannot believe that—”
“I’m Adri, by the way,” my sister says to Knox, interrupting me. “Lottie’s sister.”
“Sister, huh?” He takes her hand, but his eyes are on me as he shakes it, smile hopeful. “I’ve already met your entire family, and we haven’t even been on a second date. I think it’s the universe’s way of telling us to do it. Maybe this afternoon? After closing?”
“Oooh, you’re not shy. I love a guy who knows what he wants.” My sister grins, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
“You do know you’re married, right?” I ask.
“And?”
“You don’t think your husband would mind?” I raise a brow. “Plus, I would appreciate it if you didn’t flirt with my business partner. It’s not professional.”
“He isn’t my business partner,” she says, almost snickering. “And John’s not the jealous type. But we clearly know who is, Miss Jealousy.” She laughs softly and shakes her head.
“I’m not jea—”
“Whatever.” She pulls her card from her wallet. “How much do I owe you for the books, you big baby? And don’t forget to give me the receipt so I can give each of the girls a copy.”
I huff, muttering the total while Jenn bags the books.
“So,” Adri starts again, her eyes trailing up and down Knox. “You said you’ve met other family members? Like who? I haven’t read anything about it in our family group chat.” She leans her elbow on the counter, chin resting on the palm of her hand. Wanting her to leave as soon as possible, I pry the credit card from her fingers and slide it into the reader.
Knox smiles at me before answering—that stupid, gorgeous, heartwarmingly boyish smile of his—and asks “The bartender?”
“Ah. Alejandro.” She nods somberly. “And how did that go? Because Ale can be just a little overprotective of her, you know? He’s seen Lottie at her worst. She basically moved in with him and his family right after the divorce, so—”
“Adriana!” I cry, mortified. Knox looks at me in concern, any trace of humor in his eyes long gone. I run my fingers through my hair, silently begging her to stop talking about my personal life, but miracles are hard to come by, aren’t they? “Knox doesn’t—Ugh.”
“Doesn’t what? Doesn’t care?” She laughs once. “I doubt that because by the looks of it, he seems very interested in—”
“He doesn’t know I’m divorced,” I whisper-yell, as if he isn’t two feet away. “Didn’t know.” I sigh, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Oh.” Her eyes dart back and forth between us. “Well, it’s not like it’s some dirty thing. It happens. Sometimes you end up marrying the wrong person. Someone who turns out to be an inconsiderate piece of shit who promised to stick with you through everything but then—”
“Just take your books and leave, will you?” I beg.
“It happens. It’s not even that big of a deal.” I know she means well with that comment, but… Way to invalidate the catalyst that led to the crumbling of my entire life, sis. Like being abandoned by my husband because I couldn’t give him what he wanted was standard practice and something easy to get over.
She rolls her eyes at me again. “Jeez Louise, you’re such a baby. Fine; I’ll go. But you better not be this big of a bitch next time, or I’ll convince every single member of Touching My Shelf—that’s our romance bookclub’s name, by the way,” she says, smiling and fluttering her lashes at Knox, “to start shopping for their books from you-know-where, instead.”
We glare at an each other as I bite my tongue, using every bit of energy in my body to keep from really giving her a piece of my mind.
Support your indie bookstores, kids.
