Page 26 of The Book Club Boyfriend
“You’re awfully quiet over there, Scottie,” Chase drawls, tipping his bottle in my direction, that signature smirk firmly in place.
I roll my eyes. “I just have nothing to contribute to thisrivetingconversation about dates gone wrong.”
Harper scoffs. “You haveplentyof bad date stories.”
“I don’tdate,” I remind her, taking a sip. “That’s the entire foundation of my career, if you recall.”
Evie hums, propping her chin on her hand. “That actually leads me to a better idea than first-date horror stories.” She grins. “We should playNever Have I Ever.”
Harper immediately lights up. “Yes.”
“No,” I deadpan.
“Yes,” Chase counters, his eyes flashing with amusement. “C’mon, Scarlett. What’s the worst that could happen?”
I squint at him. “You want an actual list?”
Evie waves a hand, already too excited about this whole thing. “It’s happening. We all know how it works. If you’ve done it, you drink.” She levels a look at me. “No lying.”
I sigh dramatically, but everyone else is already on board.
Evie goes first, a classic warm-up. “Never have I ever been arrested.”
Harper immediately takes a sip.
We all gape at her.
“What?” she says, laughing. “It was just alittletrespassing.”
Evie grins, and the game continues, bouncing between funny and ridiculous.
Then Chase speaks.
“Never have I ever…” He pauses, his gaze flickering to me. “Fallen for someone I wasn’t supposed to.”
The air shifts.
I grip my drink a little tighter.
Harper drinks. Evie drinks.
I don’t.
And Chase notices.
His smirk turns smug. “No one, huh?”
I arch a brow. “Not all of us make a habit of chasing after bad decisions.”
“Shame,” he murmurs, tilting his beer to his lips. “Sometimes bad decisions are the most fun.”
His voice istoosmooth,tooconfident, and I hate that my stomach twists in response.
Harper jumps in before I can snap back.
“Never have I ever…” She grins, her eyes flicking to Chase. “Had athingfor my neighbor.”
Oh, shewould.
