Page 38 of The Comeback Summer

So, I take a breath and remind myself to take a step away from comfort, toward growth. “Sure. Okay.”

Fifteen

LIBBY

I’m sitting on the couch, reading the latest COHO book, when the front door opens and Hannah walks in. It’s late, after ten, which I hope is a good sign.

“How was Hot First Date Guy?” I ask, not bothering to hide my excitement.

Hannah lets the front door slam shut. Mr.Darcy’s back arches, his fur puffs up, and he darts down the hall, making a beeline for my room. The cat may not be able to read a novel, but he can sure as hell read a room.

“So...” I say. “Not a love connection?”

My sister turns slowly toward me, her eyes sparking with fury. If looks could kill, I’d be dead on the couch—which would be great fodder for one of her murder podcasts.Sister killed over good intentions.

“I... You... He...” Hannah can’t get her words out.

“He... was super handsome and charming?” I say hopefully.

“Ugh.” Hannah flops down at the opposite end of the couch. I stretch my legs to gently poke her and she recoils.

“Libby,” she snaps, her voice as full of fury as her stare. “I am putting a lot of trust in you.”

“I know,” I tell her. She’s trusting me with her time, her life,andher heart.

“Do you?” Hannah asks. “How much do you know about the guy you sent me out with? On a date which, by the way, was everything I told you I didn’t want.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I did try, but he was insistent that I—that you—meet him at Tavern.”

“And you didn’t think that was a red flag?” she asks, her eyes growing wide. She’s looking at me like I don’t know what I’m doing—which, in my defense, I don’t. Sure, I read more romance novels than the average person, but I haven’t been on a proper date since Obama’s second term.

“He seemed like a good guy,” I say in my defense.

“What exactly did you know about him?” she asks.

“He’s tall,” I say, stalling. I’ve been messaging with a few different men, and it’s hard to keep them all straight. “He’s a runner. And he has a good job.”

“Did you look him up on LinkedIn?” Hannah fires back, and I shake my head. “So, you just took his word for it?”

I shrug. “He looked nice.”

“He was not nice—he started the date off rude and patronizing, and ended it being rude and threatening.”

“Threatening?”

Hannah groans as if she can’t bear to recount the date for me. “You have to be more careful,” she says. “Cross-check everything on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. Google these guys and look for warning signs. Please. You don’t want to find me dismembered in someone’s crawl space, do you?”

“Of course not, I would die,” I tell her. “At least you’re home safe.”

“No thanks to you,” she says. “Josh saved me.”

Fucking Josh.I’m glad he came to the rescue tonight, but I’ll murder him if he screws this up for Hannah. She deserves to find someone who puts her first, who loves her more than any stupid dream job.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I promise I’ll do better. It can only go up from here, right?”

My sister looks at me, and I can see her thoughts playing out over her face. She’s not sure she can trust me, but she knows she has to complete this challenge if we’re going to save the business. She also knows that if I don’t find the guys and plan the dates, she’ll have to.

Hannah sighs and stands. “Be ready for the trifecta tomorrow morning at seven a.m. Push-ups, squats, and jump rope. And maybe grip strength.”

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