Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87601 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 350(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
And I wouldn’t have minded meeting a heroic pilot who volunteers his time and private plane to save animals from kill shelters. I’ve sworn off men for at least the next five years—I’m going to be way too busy for dating—but that doesn’t mean a girl can’t look.
“Speaking of the Dark Ages,” Elaina says, stroking a still purring Maybe. “Did I tell you that Mrs. Spiegel is back on the warpath again? She’s lobbying the town council to shut me down until I change the café’s name to something more ‘family friendly.’ Ugh.”
Gertie rolls her eyes. “God, when is that woman going to give it a rest? You’ve been open almost three years.”
“I know,” Elaina says with a baffled shake of her head. “Who knew people would get so upset over the name of a cat café?”
Maya hums. “Um, I did? People around here look for things to be outraged about, just to alleviate the boredom. Hazard of small-town life.” Her lips quirk up on one side. “And you knew the name sounded dirty, Elaina. No way was that an innocent mistake.”
Elaina grins. “Well, of course, I did.” She lifts Maybe into the air with her hands beneath his front legs, nuzzling her face into his as she adds in a sweeter voice, “But that’s part of the fun, isn’t it, Maybe? And you are the sweetest pussy in the world, yes, you are.”
“That’s not what Mark said last night,” Gertie mutters beneath her breath, triggering a round of excited squealing that sends Maybe dashing across the shop to play with the other cats.
Even Pudge, Maya’s sleepy friend, lifts his big head, blinking annoyed green eyes before melting back onto her thigh with a huff.
“Tell us everything,” Elaina demands, leaning her elbows on her crossed knees, her dark brown eyes bright beneath her black fringe. She looks so cute with her new rockabilly haircut. I’m tempted to try a similar look when I get back to the city, but Dad would have a fit.
Perry-Watsons don’t do trendy haircuts.
Perry-Watson’s embrace a classic, Upper East Side aesthetic that skews heavily beige and soulless gray. The fact that I have strawberry blond hair instead of something more sedate like sandy blond or respectable brown is already flashy enough as far as my father is concerned.
“But it was your turn, remember?” Gertie grins as she exchanges her toy for a catnip mouse that she tosses across the carpet for the kittens. “You were about to tell us the title you’ve selected for our September book club enjoyment.”
Elaina snorts. “No way. You’re not dropping a sex bomb and moving on like nothing happened. Book club business will still be here when we’re done hearing about your star-crossed, but clearly hot-and-heavy romance with Mark Tripp.” She nods my way. “And Sydney won’t be here in September. It would be rude to get her all excited about our next pick and leave her out of the fun.”
“She could join us online,” Maya says, sympathy flooding her blue gaze as she shifts her focus my way. I’ve never said a word about how much I’m dreading the return to the city, but Maya’s too empathetic for her own good. “Or you could come stay with me that weekend, Syd. You’re always welcome at my place. I do have to put the lighthouse back up for rent, though. See if any winter tourists bite.”
“Of course, no worries. I get it,” I say. “And I’d love to come back for a book club weekend. I doubt I can make it in September, but October might work.”
“Oo! Oo! And we could do a scary romance that month in your honor,” Gertie says, tossing the mouse again, sending the kittens bouncing across the room like intoxicated jumping beans. “You love spooky stuff as much as Maya and me.”
“We could do All the Reasons to Be Afraid by Logan Riley,” Maya says, book nerd excitement shining in her eyes. “It’s been on my To Be Read list for ages. It’s about two teens falling in love while they’re on the run from their killer imaginary friends.”
“No. No teen romance,” Elaina says. “I need sex in my books to make up for the lack of sex in my life.” She cuts a sharp glance Gertie’s way. “And I need dirt from my friends who have miraculously found a decent guy to date in this one lobster town.”
“Okay, okay.” Gertie leans back, her hands braced on the carpet. “But there’s honestly not that much to tell. We aren’t dating. We aren’t even having sex. At least not, full on sex… We’re just…” She laughs and shrugs. “I don’t know what we’re doing. But whatever it is, it’s doomed. Gramps hates Mark’s dad for being a rich seafood overlord who’s destroying the mom-and-pop vibe around here, and Mark’s dad hates my entire clan. He’s convinced my dad is the one who dumped fish guts in his convertible when he was visiting last summer, and Gramps has a ‘Tripp Lobsters Taste Like Oppression’ t-shirt he wears to dock meetings.”