Page 4 of The Little Black Book

“I’m not asking you to watch me have sex,” he says with another eye roll. “I know I’m doingthatright.”

“Oh, God,” I say, heaving my chest and gagging before swallowing thickly. “I just threw up in my mouth a little.”

“What are you two whispering about over there?” Ava asks, and Sam and I both look her way.

While I try to stammer out a vague response, Sam blurts, “Zoey has graciously offered to be my wing-woman and help me figure out what I’m doing wrong on dates.”

“I haven’t agreed to anything,” I say to Ava before turning my gaze back to Sam. “It’s weird, Sam.”

“I’d do it,” Ava says.

“Do what?” Sophie asks, joining the conversation.

I look over to see her gaze bobbing between me and Ava. Jared is looking now, too, and I roll my eyes and sigh.

“Sam has asked me tospyon his dates and help him figure out why he hasn’t fallen in love like you two,” I say, nodding my head in their direction.

“Seriously?” Jared asks, giving his best friend a look of surprise.

“Ooh, spy games. I love it,” Sophie says.

“Not you, too,” I say, watching as she and Ava bump fists. “You don’t think it’s ridiculous, and more than a little…I don’t know…wrong?”

“Helping a friend is never wrong,” Sam says, giving me his best impression of puppy-dog eyes.

“Helping a friend kill someone is wrong,” I counter.

“You can’t compare helping Sam find love with murder,” Ava says, shaking her head.

“Come on,” Sam begs, fluttering those long eyelashes at me. “You might actually have some fun.”

“I’ll do it if she won’t,” Ava offers, and my mouth drops into a frown.

Ava is much better suited for the task. She’s sly and has zero qualms about eavesdropping on people’s conversations. She has butted into private discussions more than once to offer her own unsolicited opinions.

But she’d be doing it for the thrill, not to genuinely help Sam. And apparently, he really needs some help.

“Fine,” I say on a groan. “I’ll do it.”

“Yes!” Sam says, pumping his fist and smiling broadly at me. “You’re the best, Zoey Beckett.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say, waving a hand in the air.

But despite showing a cavalier attitude, a little thrill zips through me at his praising words and bright smile. Sam’s joy is always infectious, and I feel it warming my skin now.

I’m going to do this, and I’ll be the best damn wing-woman in the history of wing-women. I’ll help Sam find real love, because he’s an amazing guy, and he deserves it.

Maybe I’ll have him return the favor.

The thought rolls through my mind, and I quickly brush it away. Not going to happen. Even though I agreed to do this and am feeling better about it, it’s still weird as hell. I’d never be able to relax and be normal if I knew someone was listening in and dissecting the entire date.

Besides, I’m in no hurry to find romance. I love my life just the way it is. Really, I do.

I absolutely, positively wouldn’t change a thing about it. Nothing. Zip. Zilch.

And I’m not protesting too much.

“Zoey?”

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