Page 11 of Love, Lacey Donovan
“I’m not stalking him.”
“And he’s my boss,” Sloan said. “Sort of. More like my boss’s boss’s boss…”
“Just as long as he isn’t joining the book club.” Mia took off her coat and draped it over the counter. “Thatcher threatened to find a guy for the group.”
“We already have a guy,” said Thatcher as he walked into the room. “Me.”
“You don’t count.” Gabi leaned forward to dive into the box of books on the coffee table. “Can we look now? Everyone’s here.”
“Not Kennedy,” Mia said, rolling up her sleeves and untucking her blouse.
“Kennedy’s at a yoga retreat in Asheville,” I said.
“Again?” Mia rolled her eyes. “She works more than I do.”
“She’s killing it,” Sloane agreed.
“Hey, why don’t I count?” Thatcher asked. “Last time I checked, I was a man.”
“You’re too nice,” said Gabi. “You definitely don’t count.”
Thatcher took a seat in the only club chair, pretending to be offended. We all knew he secretly loved the attention we gave him.
“I’ve become irrelevant in my own bookshop,” he complained.
“You’re not irrelevant.” Mia kicked off her heels and perched on the arm of Thatcher’s chair. She ruffled his hair. “But you need a trim.”
“I’m getting another guy for this group,” he threatened.
“Don’t you dare,” Mia said. “I mean it. I’m tired of men,” she told Thatcher.
“Thanks a lot.”
Mia sighed and pulled her feet from her high heels. “I have to get back to work,” she said. “If we’re going to talk books, we’d better get started.”
“Back to work?” I asked. “It’s so late.”
“Crime never stops.” She dove into the book box and started handing out the advance reader copies. “Not even in Azalea County.”
Mia was an assistant district attorney and she was always catching up on a case, trying to manage a witness or convincing an unruly detective to cooperate. She lived and breathed crime and punishment. Even the novels she reviewed were thrillers.
When Mia handed me Miranda Lockhart’s latest novel,Beneath the Stars, I forgot Beckett for a moment. I couldn’t suppress a squeak of excitement as I laid eyes on the cover for the first time. Ms. Lockhart tortured her fans by only publishing once a year.
Everyone began talking at once, discussing their upcoming reads, the latest releases, and other book news.
“Brace yourself, Lacey,” Thatcher said.
“Why?”
“Guess who’s coming to Hyperbole’s to promote her latest release?”
My jaw dropped open, and I clutched the book to my chest. “Miranda Lockhart is coming here?” I’d dreamed of meeting her for years. “Are you teasing?”
“No, I’m not teasing. I just got the confirmation today.”
I jumped up and threw my arms around Thatcher. He stood up just in time to catch me.
“You’re the best boss in the world!” I hugged his neck.
