The Wrong Mr. Right (The Queen's Cove Series #2)(15)

“You’re going to ask ten guys out, like we agreed.”

Her eyes darted around, and she chewed her lip. She didn’t want to do this, I could tell, but I didn’t care. A sick part of me liked pushing her boundaries.

A couple days ago, she didn’t want to get on the board. Fuck, she didn’t even want to get into her wetsuit, but she showed up. A part of her wanted to do something new, push herself out of the safe little box she hid in most of the time. And that was how she would become this hot girl she wanted to be. The look she gave me when I pulled her back on her board, sputtering and coughing? She was furious.

I thought about the way she had melted against me when I hauled her to my chest in the water. Something about it sent a thrill through my veins.

She crossed her arms over her chest, frowning at me.

“Bookworm, you want to be a hot girl? Hot girls don’t care what people think of them. They don’t worry if they fuck up because failure is part of life. Do you trust me?”

She snorted. “No.”

I grinned.

“I do trust that you know what you’re talking about,” she admitted.

I wasn’t going to give her a chance to bail on this. “Come on.” I moved past her and noticed another employee behind the desk, a Black woman with bright blue earrings.

“Hi.” I nodded to her. “Liya, right?”

She beamed at me. “Yeah, and you’re Wyatt?”

“You know it.” I gestured at Hannah. “I’m going to steal Hannah for a few minutes. Is that okay?”

Liya glanced between myself and Hannah, who shrunk like she wanted to disappear into the floor. “Sure.”

“Cool. Come on, bookworm.” I put a hand on her back and guided her out of the store.

“Where are we going?”

“We’re going to stand right here,” I said, holding the door open, “and you’re going to ask out the next ten guys you see.”

Her hands twisted in front of her. Her throat worked as she swallowed. “This is not how I pictured finding a boyfriend.”

“Hey.” I leaned down to meet her eyes, waiting until she raised her gaze to mine. “Remember when you fell off your board and got a face full of water?”

Irritation replaced her worry. “Yes.”

“You were fine after, right?”

A tiny nod. She inhaled. “Okay. Fine. Let’s get this over with.”

“Excellent.” I scanned the street. It was just after ten in the morning on a Thursday, so no weekend summer crowds yet. A few people moving in and out of stores, chatting with neighbors and friends on the sidewalk, enjoying their morning. Don, the retired guy who ran the local news blog, The Queen’s Cove Daily, walked up the street carrying a couple bags of groceries.

“Don.” I waved. “How you doing, buddy?”

Hannah froze. “He’s married,” she hissed at me under her breath.

I kept the grin on my face but lowered my voice. “Doesn’t matter, not the point.”

Don nodded and smiled at us. “Good morning. Not too bad. Canned kidney beans are on sale at the grocery store and there’s only a couple left, you two should get over there. Ninety-nine cents.”

“Wow, nice.” I grinned before turning to Hannah with an expression that said go on.

She swallowed and shook her head. I nodded with raised eyebrows.

“Hi, Don.” Her voice wobbled.

“Hi, Hannah.”

Hannah’s mouth snapped shut and she glanced at the door of her bookshop, like she wanted to run inside and hide.

I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the brick wall. “Hannah has something she wants to ask you.”

Don’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh? Well, go on.” He shifted the bags in his hands.

“Wouldyouliketogetdinnerorsomethingsometime?” She said the words in a rush and I nearly burst out laughing there, but held back. She was doing the scary thing, and I wanted to see how she’d handle this. I didn’t want to push her so far that she’d bail on this whole thing. It was just getting interesting.

Don blinked at her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“Dinner. Would you like to get it sometime?” She stared at her sneakers, face burning.

Don’s mouth made an O. “Oh, Hannah. I’m married.”

“Right,” she managed. “Married.”

Her face burned, and the red flush crept down her neck to her collarbone.

Don shook his head at her with pity. “Oh, honey. You’ll find someone.” He reached into his bag. “Take a can of beans.”

She put her hands up. “No, that’s okay—”

“Please, I insist.” He pushed the can into her hands and shot her another wince. “I’m so sorry if I ever gave you the wrong impression about us.”

Hannah made a strangled noise in her throat.

I tilted my chin at him, still smiling. “See you later, Don.”

“Later, Don.” Hannah’s voice warbled. When Don was far enough away, she whirled at me and slapped my arm.

I burst out laughing.

“That was so embarrassing.”

“I know. You did great. One down, nine to go.” I peered over her shoulder as Max approached. “Round two, let’s go, before you have time to think about it.”