Page 13 of Quinn
I laugh, happy to use my voice. “I love you.”
* * *
“I’m glad everyone was able to make it back this week for the first official meeting ofThe Nice Girls’ Naughty Book Club," I say to the group as we all sit around one of the tables in The Story Brew.
I hold up my entire mug of cocoa in a toast. Jess, Michelle, Courtney, and Fiona all lift their drinks as well, and we clink our mugs together. There is a note of excitement at our table like we all already know that this group of romance reading enthusiasts is something special.
“Well, what did everyone think ofSordid Whispers?” Jess asks.
“So hot,” Fiona sighs and then grabs Courtney’s arm. “And that yacht scene.”
“I told you,” Courtney chuckles.
Michelle nods. “What about the part where Sebastian is away on a business trip, and he calls her so that they can have phone sex?”
We all agree with her.
“I can’t wait to try that out one day,” she continues.
We break down Gabriella's journey to find her voice and eventually love. We talk about how the author made Sebastian's arc from billionaire playboy to a one-woman seem plausible given the circumstances. We laugh and disagree on some things, but we are all open and willing to hear each other out. This is the kind of open discussion I was looking for when I first joined The Romantics Book Club but never ended up getting.
As we start to wrap up the meeting, we decide as a group to let Fiona pick the next book.
She tries unsuccessfully to hide the smile on her face, and it’s clear that she has one in mind.
“I was searching online last night for a list I books that we might be interested in.” She holds up her phone so that we can see the cover of the book.
A young woman in her early twenties is wearing a shirt with two large red cherries on it. Her bubble gum bubble is big enough to cover part of her face. A guy stands behind her without a shirt on. One of his hands is resting on her hip while the other lifts the hem of her shirt to show off part of her toned stomach.Cherry Popis printed across the image in cursive font.
“Okay, then,” I lean back in my seat. “Cherry Popis the next book we will be reading.”
Epilogue
QUINN
After quitting my office job six months ago, I wasn't sure what I would do. The grind of corporate work and the anxiety of office politics weren't for me anymore. I decided to take some time to think about what I wanted to do. I wasn’t eager to jump into the next job that came along if it wouldn't be a good fit. Luckily, I’d saved some money to give me that cushion.
I’m so glad I waited because about three weeks later, I got a call from Mallory. One of her voice talents had to cancel at the last minute, leaving her scrambling to find a replacement. She thought of me and asked if I'd be interested in coming in. The money turned out to be better than what I was making before, so I jumped at the chance.
Twenty-six books later, and I’m here in the studio. My popularity amongst the indie romance authors looking to turn their self-published babies into audiobooks has increased so much that there is a waitlist for my services.
I'm just finishing up the end of an exhausting session when I notice Evan walk into the control room. He gives me a quick wink when I see him.
Evan likes to pick me up at work whenever he can. He says listening to me read the latest erotic fiction book I’m working on really gets him going, and I'm happy to oblige.
I'm just about done when Mallory's voice rings out in my headphones.
"Quinn, we need to adjust the audio in here. Why don't you take a quick break? I promise to have you out of here in few minutes."
“Okay,” I say.
I watch through the window as Evan hands her a folded sheet of paper. She looks it over and smiles at him. Whatever it is, it’s probably got something to do with Tyler. I take a breath and drain the rest of the water sitting next to me. My throat is sore from so much use. I can’t wait to get the next week off.
Evan and I have rented a boat to take a trip down the coast. I have some plans on how I want to recreate the famous yacht scene inSordid Whisperson it. I doubt Evan will have a problem with my plan.
I get the okay from Mallory and finish the final pages.
"All set, Quinn," Mallory says in my headphones. "Go enjoy your vacation. You've earned it."
