Page 6 of Courtney
“Yes, but it’s not a permanent fix. We might have another hour before the effects start to wear off.”
We both turn and watch Faux Maxine. She looks fine, smiling with a fan as they hold up their cell phone to take a selfie with her. Her eyes a bit glossy, and her cheeks have a bit more color considering the average temperature in the room.
“Come on.” I turn back to Courtney. “You can tell me what was in that drink you gave her.”
She shakes her head. "I told you, it's my family's secret recipe, and I've been sworn to secrecy."
"If you tell me, then I will forgive you for spilling coffee in my lap," I say, having spent most of the book signing trying to find a way to bring up our previous brief interaction.
Courtney’s eyes light up with recognition. “That’s how I know you.”
"I've got to say. I'm a little hurt that even after scalding me with two hot beverages, you so quickly forgot all about me," I tease.
"Yeah, well, the guy I spilled drinks on was a hot nerdy guy with dark-rimmed glasses." She looks me up and down. "You look you've stepped off the pages of some men's magazine in this sweater and dress pants. Besides, I can't go giving away family secrets to a guy I barely know."
“Then get to know me.”
“How do you presume I do that?”
“Easy.” I give her my most charming smile. “Have dinner with me.”
COURTNEY
The hot nerdy guy from the coffee shop is asking me out?
I’m barely able to ask myself this question before Max and I are interrupted by someone calling out my name across the store.
“Courtney!”
I turn and see Michelle standing near the counter with Fiona. Michelle has one arm high up in the air, waving me over, and they are both holding their fresh copies ofThe Juiciest Fruitfor Maxine to sign.
The copy I found in the coffee shop is in my bag. I haven't been able to put it down since I got it. I've been living vicariously through the main character, Katherine, and her oral sexual awakening. If I'd picked up the book before talking to the ladies in the book club, I would have thought this book was some fantasy fiction novel because of the way it portrays the main character finding so many willing suitors to take a trip downtown on her.
“Can you excuse me for a moment?” I ask Max.
He looks momentarily disappointed that I'm going to talk with my friends before answering him, but he nods without saying anything.
To be honest, I need a moment to think. The last hot guy I went out with messed with my head by making me believe something that wasn't true, and I don't want to make the same mistake again.
“I wasn’t sure anyone from the club was going to make it today,” I say as I walk over to Michelle and Fiona.
Michelle holds up her copy. “I never get a chance to meet authors that I enjoy reading. I couldn’t pass up this chance.”
"Were you expecting this big of a crowd?" Fiona asks, looking around. "I thought that since we got her later that most of the diehard fans would be through the line already."
I tell them about the behind-the-scenes chaos that caused the delay. They both seem more interested in the fact that Max is here than anything else.
“What are you doing talking to us?” Michelle asks.
I shrug my shoulders. “I needed time to think and talk things out with you guys.”
“What’s there to talk about?” Fiona asks.
"I mean, on the one hand, he's really cute, and he makes me laugh, but on the other hand, I can't stop thinking about the lies Stephen told me. What else did he lie to me about? If I couldn't see the lies with him, how will I see any with Max?"
"Hang on," Michelle says, holding up her hand to stop me. "That is a lot to break down, and we don't have the time or the psychology degree. I'm all for talking shit and blaming your ex for a lot of things, but Max isn't Stephen. As far as we know, he's just a cute guy that wants to take you to dinner. Don't pile on the baggage from your past relationship on him. It's not fair to him or you. You don't want to sink a possible relationship before you've even gone out on a date."
“You’re right.”
