Page 57 of Firecracker

Arden spied the book sitting on the counter. “Are you reading that?” she asked Imani.

“Yes. It’s so good!”

“I just finished it. I loved it.”

“She’s one of my favorite authors. My book club is reading it right now. We’re getting together on Thursday night to talk about it.” She paused. “And drink wine, of course.”

Arden laughed “Of course. That’s what book clubs are for.”

“You belong to a book club too?” Snip, snip, snip. Hair fell to the linoleum floor.

“No, not anymore. I recently moved here from Phoenix. I used to belong to one there, though. It was fun.”

“I love talking about books. And this group is really nice because they’re not snobby about what we read.”

“Oh, that is so important.” Arden made a face. “The club I belonged to mostly read literary fiction. It was okay, but then I’d read a great romance, and I’d be dying to talk about it, but I’d never suggest that there.”

“Yes, totally!”

They launched into a conversation about books and authors they both loved and read, finding much in common.

“You should come to our club.” Imani unclipped a section of hair and combed through it. “Seems you’d be a good fit. We don’t invite many new people.”

“Do you meet in this area?”

“Yes, most of us live around here. We take turns hosting.”

“Maybe you should check with the others first?” Arden bit her lip. “I mean, I don’t know any of you, really.”

They agreed to exchange information and Imani would be in touch with her about the book club. They continued to chat as Imani snipped away, discovering other things they had in common—both single, both had a much more successful younger sibling, and both liked trying new kinds of tea.

Imani blew out her hair, then added beachy waves with a flat iron.

Arden studied her reflection. “I love it. Thank you!”

“I’m so glad!” Imani held a hand mirror behind Arden so she could see the back, then whipped the cape off. “All done.”

Arden paid up front, adding a tip for Imani, and then they exchanged phone numbers.

“I’ll text you about the next book club meeting,” Imani promised.

“That would be so fun, thank you.”

As Arden sauntered along the sidewalk toward home, the sun now drying up puddles and creating humidity, she laughed out loud. Something settled inside her comfortably…a feeling of contentment. She’d made a new friend. Who cared that she couldn’t afford Lululemon and expensive salon treatments? None of that mattered. It was the people in her life who were most important.

Chapter Twelve

“What the hell is that?” Tyler regarded the pieces scattered over Mila’s living room floor with a frown. Outside Mila’s front window, the skies had darkened with heavy clouds. All day the air had been thick and humid.

“It’s a stripper pole.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“Cool, huh? I bought it so Arden and I can practice between classes.

Tyler glanced at Arden, sitting on Mila’s couch. He hadn’t seen her since the day he’d confessed his attraction to her. Their eyes met.

Christ, she was gorgeous, even with her dark hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, no makeup, and dressed in a pair of short shorts and a snug T-shirt. He tried not to look at her perky nipples and long bare legs, but his eager dick definitely took note.

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