Page 2 of Quinn
She points towards Victoria, sitting in the high back chair that looks like a throne to match her Queen Bee status. Her icy blue eyes are on me, and that’s when I notice the entire book club is looking at me as well.
“I’m pleased to see that you are eager to get ahead on next week’s book but, maybe you can put it down and give us your attention until the meeting is over.”
“But she’s not reading next week’s book,” Jess says, next to me.
My head whips back towards her, and I give her my harshest glare, but she only smiles sweetly back at me.
“Snitch,” I whisper.
“Then may I ask, Quinn, what book has captured your attention so much that you aren’t even paying attention?”
Jess tries to lift my arm that’s holding ontoSordid Whispers, but I yank my arm out of her grip.
“It’s, umm,” I sputter, suddenly feeling like I’m back in high school and the teacher has called on me. “It’s just something I picked up when I was waiting for the meeting to start.”
Victoria’s left eyebrow lifts as if reading somethingotherthan what she's recommended is a challenge to her authority.
“I’d love to hear what it’s called,” she says.
“Sordid Whispers,” I mumble.
“What was that?” She asks with a sneering tone. From the expression on her face, I know she heard me, but she's trying to embarrass me.
I don't know what comes over me because at that moment. I’m suddenly tired of holding back all I’ve wanted to say to Victoria since I joined the book club. Maybe Gabriella is already helping me find my voice?
I stand and hold the book up for everyone to see. “It’s calledSordidWhispers. It’s a new release in erotic fiction. I've only just started it, and already the sex scene in chapter two is much more interesting than—” I reach down and grabThe Sweetest Splendor. “This will ever be.”
If Victoria were actually wearing pearls, she'd be clutching them right now.
“We don’t read books like that in this book club,” she says.
There is a murmur amongst the other members, and I can hear a few of them saying they wouldn't mind reading it.
"Yeah? Well, maybe some of us don't want only to read a romance that ends with a kiss. Maybe we want passion and sex.”
Victoria stands and points at the book I’m holding. “That is not romance!”
“Maybe not to you, but there are plenty of women, besides me, that would be interested in reading this book." I look around at the group, hopeful for anyone else to join in, but I'm met with looks of uncertainty.
“I will.” Jess stands up next to me.
The corner of Victoria’s mouth twists up in amusement. “I can respect you wanting to branch out with your reading, um, tastes,” she says that last word like it’s something bitter in her mouth. “But I think that it would be best if you both leave now and don’t come back next week.”
I didn’t live for these meetings each week, but I do enjoy the kinship of my fellow romance readers. And being told I'm no longer welcome here feels like a slap in the face. Jess bounces back from the news that we are being kicked out quicker than I do, but that’s probably because she’s already admitted that she didn’t like coming to meetings anyway.
“That's perfectly fine with me," Jess says, picking up our bags and grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the exit. “We will be starting our own book club. It’s open to all who are interested in reading books with more naughty topics and hot, muscly men.”
There’s another wave of murmuring through the group.
“Tomorrow!” I say, finally finding my voice. “We will meet at The Story Brew at seven o’clock tomorrow!”
* * *
The following day, Jess and I sit at a small table near The Story Brew's front windows. It’s nearly seven o'clock, and no one else has shown up yet.
“I told you it was just going to be the two of us,” I say, twisting the nearly empty mug of hot cocoa in front of me.
Jess waves away my comment as she sips on her Americano. “Relax. There is still time for people to get here.”
